InStyler Ceramic Straightener & Styler

I'm going to try to be as detailed as possible when explaining the 5 star review, especially because this is a fairly pricey hair tool compared to a $30-$40 decent quality straightening iron. I had been using a Chi-type flat iron in various widths to tame my unruly hair for about 15 years, and while the days of flat, board straight hair are over, getting body and a naturally smooth look with a flat straightening iron was a challenge. I rarely even considered curls - that took another tool and more heat, AFTER straightening.. Ugh!! Enter the InStyler Max! There are more pros than cons, so I"ll start with the former: 1) It heats up really fast and gets hot enough to straighten really out of control hair (I speak from experience) 2) The built-in brushes smooth the hair before and after being hit with the heat. Anyone who follows a brush with a flat iron to get smoothness, like I did, knows this is a significant feature 3) The Instyler Max barrel rotates both ways so you don't have to contort your arm to meet the direction of the rotation - a great improvement over the original InStyler and the reason I didn't purchase the original 4) It comes with a heat pad to protect your work surface, although I still wouldn't recommend putting it on finished wood. This thing gets hot! 5) Most importantly, I get GREAT results with this tool! My hair is kinky curly in some places, wavy in others, and so frizzy that no product I have discovered will tame my hair enough to look "fixed". Considerable heat is simply a necessity for me. While it sometimes takes a couple of passes (as is normal according to the directions and no different than a flat iron), this thing gets my hair very straight and smooth while keeping it natural looking. The curve of the barrel and the heated plate between the brushes gives the hair just enough movement to eliminate the dreaded board straight look. If you want more curl, of course that is completely doable too. In the same time that it takes to use a flat iron, I get a MUCH better, more natural, more styled look. I LOVE IT! 6) It comes with a heat guard and a comb to portion hair. I also find the comb useful for cleaning hair out of the brushes. No, mine didn't come with a bag; but, frankly, I would have thrown it away if it had. 7) This thing has a 2 year manufacturer warranty which I haven't read about in other reviews, but I consider to be a huge plus. Believe me, I WILL send this thing back if I don't get two years of use from it. That peace of mind makes me more okay with the price tag. 8) There is a great manual with instructions for getting different looks Now for the cons: 1) Despite the claim that hair cannot get into the rotating mechanism, I have found that's not exactly true. While I don't feel the InStyler pulling them out, I do find the occasional fallen hair stuck in the crevice at the end of the rotating barrel. It's not a huge problem, I just pull them out, but it's not ideal 2) Did I mention that this thing gets HOT? That is a double edged sword - necessary for ease of straightening, but scary. Unless you're flipping your hair outwards, you will need to position the barrel next to the head with the brushes on the outside. Without the heat guard, getting roots straight without burning scalp and ears is a delicate dance; and since the heat guard has gaping holes in it, the ears are still vulnerable even with it installed 3) Trying to determine which direction the barrel should be moving does slow down the process. Some reviewers have raved about how much time they are saving, and I don't find that to be the case in my first week of use. However, I can see it being faster once barrel direction is second nature. Overall, this is a GREAT product, and I am really happy that I bit the bullet and got it. Thanks to my InStyler Max I can't see ever going back to a flat iron! If you're on the fence, I encourage you to go for it.