Narrow plates allow for precision stylings, such as getting rid of those kinks and fringes, and for straightening right from the root. With next to no handle to grip the device, you’re having to hold much further up the body and therefore closer to the the plates. While their suspended plate design means the Air Plates Compact don’t become hot on the outside, you’ll still feel the steam coming off your hair, which can burn your hand if you aren’t careful. However, this causes issues with handling, making us question the Air Plates’ suitability for everyday use.

variable temperature– Offering you the optimum stylish temperature, and heats up in just 15 seconds. Curling isn’t quite as effective, but it is at least possible with some perseverance. Curls were loose, however, and didn’t hold for as long as those created by the Lee Stafford’s Rainbow Shine straighteners, for example, plus the shorter form factor of the Air Plates Compact made it more difficult to hold steady while curling too. Ghd really is a brand you can rely on, you can trust this to style your thin hair no matter whether its simple straight or luscious curls, these hair straighteners will achieve your look. The Air Plates’ compact size results in a light overall weight of just 215g. Cable length is decent, with the 2.5-metre swivel cord suitable for most situations. Put simply, the form factor of the Air Plates Compact is the biggest selling point – but also their biggest downfall.Cool–touch technology – Ensures the outer casing remains cooler to the touch, for more comfortable styling.

The Air Plates Compact are designed to be a smaller version of the full-sized Air Plates, to make them the perfect straighteners for travelling. This has resulted in a main body that measures in at just 20cm, compared to the GHD Gold’s 25cm and the lengthy Babyliss 3Q’s 30cm.

Variable temperature allows heat to be adjusted from a super low 80 degrees up to a high maximum heat of 200 degrees. A blue LED on the handle signifies when the straighteners are turned on, and the instructions state that this should flash until they reach the correct temperature for use, with a quoted 30-second heat-up time. However, during testing we found this light remained static, which made it difficult to determine when the Air Plates were ready to use. Not only is this straightener great for thin hair it is also suitable for both men’s and women’s hair which makes it nice and versatile (You know your partner uses your straighteners anyway). The Not So Good