Best flat irons under $40

Top pick: Remington Shine Therapy 1" (argan oil & keratin plates). It's the safest everyday choice here: a well-known brand, 1-inch plates that suit most hair lengths, and thousands of ratings averaging 4.6 — the kind of consistency cheap no-name irons rarely have. The infused plates also help with frizz if you straighten often.

Who the others suit:

• Remington 1¾" Titanium — thick, long or coarse hair that needs wide plates and fast passes.
• Remington S5500G 1" — a plain, no-frills iron for fine hair and tight budgets.
• Revlon Smoothstay 1" — up to 435°F if you need high heat for stubborn texture.
• Conair Double Ceramic 1" — a light, simple starter iron.
• Très Sleek Grande 1.75" titanium — salon-style wide plates at the top of the range.
• Suproot 2-in-1 models — if you also want to curl; ratings are decent but less proven.
• T3 SinglePass Compact — travel only, and the cheap listing is pre-owned.

Skip the JAETON: it's out of stock and its 0.3-inch plates are for very short hair.