Remington Pearl hair straighteners September 2010
Can a pearl straightener put your hair on the straight and narrow?
Remington promises its latest hair straighteners will give longer-lasting straight hair with their pearl-coated ceramic plates. Which? puts these latest Remington ceramic hair straighteners to the test to see if you get the longer-lasting salon results they claim.
Remington Pearl hair straighteners review
Remington’s Style Professional Pearl hair straighteners boast a ‘real pearl coating’ and claim to have more ceramic content than other models for smoother, harder plates and a longer-lasting sleek look for your locks. But our naturally curly-haired tester and professional hairdresser wasn’t as impressed with the efficiency of these 110mm ceramic plates as other models such as the Remington Wet 2 Straight or the GHD IV Styler hair straighteners.
Hair was poker straight after using the Pearl straighteners (£79.99), but we found that repeated presses were needed to achieve this. We tried holding the hair in the barrel for longer, but while this seemed to speed up straightening, hair became too hot to touch. Flicks and waves were trickier – the flat barrel meant that a little crafty manoeuvring was required to get loose waves at the ends of our tester’s shoulder-length hair. We found that locking the hair tightly in the barrel helped, but this gave the uncomfortable feeling of the hair being singed.
The result also tended to drop out by the end of the day, with our tester’s natural waves fighting to return, so a quick touch-up was required if they didn't wash their hair that evening and wanted slick and sleek locks the next day.
You can adjust the temperature of the Pearl straighteners between five settings
Remington Pearl features
The slim plates are comfortable to hold, as the flat barrel meant our tester didn’t have to curl her hands around them to get a firm grip. Despite heating up to a maximum 235°C, these Remington straighteners didn’t feel ultra hot as our tester was holding them, and felt safe to use for lengthy periods.
A convenient noise and flash indicator lets you know when the straighteners are ready to use – and they heat up quickly. Our tester was able to start straightening in 10 seconds – even at the maximum temperature of 235°C.
You can rest the Pearl straightener on its base without it rolling over, thanks to the flat barrels. Storage is easy as these hair straighteners come with a heat-protective pouch, and they can be locked closed after use.
Easy heat adjustment with Remington Pearl
There are five temperature settings, starting at 190°C, so if you’re uncomfortable with extreme heat, you can opt for lower levels. We found that lower temperatures were good for when you've nearly finished straightening your hair, to ‘set’ the look and minimise static.
Adjusting the temperature was easy enough – simply press either a plus or minus button to get to your desired heat. The on/off button is located next to these, conveniently at the side of the straighteners rather than in between the plates, and an LCD display on the top barrel clearly displays the temperature.
These Remington Pearl straighteners didn’t take too long to cool – the plates could be touched comfortably in just under half an hour. There is also an auto shut-off facility for peace of mind.
Pearl-coated ceramic plates promise longer-lasting results, but our tester didn't agree
Expert view on Remington Pearl straighteners
Our tester gave the Remington Pearl hair straighteners to a hairdresser to get a professional's view. She told us they were comfortable and was particularly impressed that the straighteners heated up to their maximum temperature in the claimed ten seconds. She couldn’t feel the heat coming off the straighteners despite using them at their maximum temperature.
She noted that compared with the GHD IV Styler hair, the Remington Pearl straighteners didn’t seem as efficient at achieving poker straight hair – like our tester, she found that she needed to repeatedly press to get ultra sleek hair.
The Remington Pearl hair straighteners are available in black with silver trim and a floral design, priced £79.99. They also come with a silver heat protection pouch and a five-year guarantee.
Pros: Fast heat-up time, lockable plates, comfortable, can rest on a flat surface, five-year guarantee
Cons: Repeated presses required for straightening, results not as long lasting as expected
Looking for more hair straightener reviews? We've also reviewed:
• Nicky Clarke NSS051 Frizz Control Pro Ceramic straightener
• Rowenta Supremium hair straighteners
• Remington Wet2Straight Slim hair straighteners
• GHD IV Styler hair straighteners
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