V05 Bullet ceramic hair straighteners February 2010

V05's latest ceramic hair straighteners (£68.49, available exclusively from Argos) are dubbed 'Bullet' because of their slim, pointed ceramic plates and curved barrel.

We found these ergonomically designed hair straighteners easy to use and versatile enough to create stylish straight and curly hair styles.

V05 hair straighteners design

The V05 Bullet hair straighteners have variable temperature control

The simple black design and gold-coloured ceramic plates has echoes of the iconic GHD hair straightener series, but a few extra features help to distinguish the V05 Bullet straighteners from their rival.

Unlike GHDs, the V05 Professional Bullet Ceramic Straighteners have variable temperature controls and lockable plates, which means you can lock the hair straighteners in their closed position for easier storage.

Top-mounted variable temperature controls enable you to choose temperatures from 140°C to a maximum 230°C using a digital display, so you can opt for a lower heat if you're worried about burning your hair.

The hair straighteners are also equipped with an auto shut-off feature that automatically turns them off if they're left unattended.

The V05 Bullet hair straighteners take 57 seconds to heat to their minimum 140°C and three minutes and 16 seconds to reach 230°C. While this is fast compared with older-style metal and steam straightening irons, it's slower than average for ceramic hair straighteners.

Styling straight hair with the V05 Bullet

The V05 Bullet makes light work of smoothing and bending straight hair. The ceramic plates come together cleanly for a firm grasp and move through hair without snagging. At high temperatures they glide through hair with ease to eliminate frizz. 

Those who like to go right to the roots when styling their hair will find the Bullet's slimline design ideal. This uniquely shaped barrel is also good for curling. Hair wraps round the arched barrel easily and the resulting curls are well rounded and natural looking.

The straighteners have a long body with well-placed ceramic plates, which should prevent hands becoming inadvertently tangled in the hair and fingers from getting scorched.

Straightening curly hair with the V05 Bullet

Our curly-haired tester found that the V05 hair straighteners did a decent job of quickly smoothing and straightening out her curls, particularly at higher temperatures. 

Again, the slim plates were ideal for getting right to the root of the hair and their long length meant hands stayed clear of the hair being styled. However, our tester found that the effects weren't as long-lasting as with other hair straighteners, as her hair began to curl a few hours after straightening.

Which? first look verdict on the V05 Bullet Ceramic Straighteners

The V05 Bullet's ceramic straightener plates

The V05 Professional Bullet Ceramic Straighteners are ergonomically designed to reduce the risk of burnt fingers, and they have some useful extra features. The plates glide smoothly through hair and the bullet-shaped barrel is ideal for making shapely curls and getting close to the root. 

However, if you're expecting long-lasting results, you may be disappointed. Both our testers found that styles created with the V05 Bullet didn't last as long as they would have liked, as straightened and curled hair didn't stay in shape all day. V05 recommends using hair products such as mousse or hairspray to keep styles in place for longer.

The Bullet straighteners were also less effective at lower temperatures, though this is true of most hair-styling tools.

Pros: Well designed, moves smoothly through hair, makes well-shaped curls

Cons: Styles don't last all day, slower than average heat-up time

Shopping for new hair straighteners? We've also reviewed:

• GHD IV Styler hair straighteners
• Rowenta Supremium hair straighteners
• Remington Pearl ceramic hair straighteners
• Remington Wet2Straight Slim hair straighteners

Our health and beauty section also has reviews of hairdryers, epilators and electric toothbrushes.