Of the hair tools for styling your hair, the flat iron is the most effective tool when getting hair straight. And flat iron also has the hottest temperature among hair tools. So you might want to pick a good-quality flat iron when buying one since you don’t want to ruin your hair with a cheap dangerous hot tool.
Buying a flat iron from a reliable hair tool brand increases the likelihood that the flat iron will not bring much heat damage to your hair. That is why we came up with the topic: Who has better flat irons, CHI or Paul Mitchell?
The model we selected is CHI Deep Brilliance flat iron and Paul Mitchell Pro Tools Express Ion Smooth+ flat iron.
The reason for choosing these two models is that they are both from high-end & popular product series from each side, and they don’t have a huge price gap. So it is fair to compare them in many aspects.
Let’s take a look at their general specs in the chart below.
CHI Deep Brilliance Flat Iron vs Paul Mitchell Express Ion Smooth+ Flat Iron
| Flat Iron Model | CHI Deep Brilliance | Paul Mitchell Express Ion Smooth+ |
| Weight | 1 Pound | 0.59 Pound |
| Max Temperature | 450 | 410 |
| Digital Display | LED | LCD |
| Dual Voltage | Yes | Yes |
| Automatic Shut Off | Yes | Yes |
| Cord Length | 11 Feet | 9 Feet |
CHI Deep Brilliance vs Paul Mitchell Flat Iron: Design
At first glance, the Paul Mitchell Express Ion Smooth+ flat iron looks slightly bigger than the CHI Deep Brilliance flat iron, it is because of the plate size. The Paul Mitchell uses 1.25″ cushioned ceramic plates with beveled edges for creating curls easily while the CHI Deep Brilliance comes with 1” black titanium plates. But their controls are mostly the same, with the round buttons on the plate side of both flat irons.
In my opinion, the size is really not that much of a difference. But I prefer the dark purple color of the CHI Deep Brilliance straightener and the straight design of the flat iron is compact and classic.
When it comes to the weight, the CHI Deep Brilliance is a hair heavier than the Paul Mitchell Express Ion Smooth+ flat iron. But trust me, the difference can not be perceived if you are using these two flat irons at the same time.
CHI Deep Brilliance vs Paul Mitchell Flat Iron: Styling Performance & Technology
Both flat irons have a decent heat-up time, and they can finish the heat-up process in 60 seconds.
In terms of the max temperature, you can see CHI Deep Brilliance flat iron has higher heat settings and the highest temperature can hit 450 degrees. This is one of the advantages of titanium plates, which deliver hotter temperature to your hair, straightening or curling your hair can be done within seconds.
The CHI Deep Brilliance comes with more powerful styling performance as the smooth gliding plates are super effective for kinky & coily hair. But there is one thing you should know: Titanium plates are usually very hot, you should always be careful with them to avoid hair burning.
If you are looking for a more gentle flat iron, I believe the Paul Mitchell flat iron should be more impressive to you. Compared to the CHI Deep Brilliance flat iron, the big differences are two: first, the Paul Mitchell Express Ion Smooth+ features its special Express Ion Complex technology, which is a blend of volcanic minerals that emit negative ions and far-infrared heat for evenly heat distribution and reducing dryness & frizz. Second, the plates of the Paul Mitchell Express Ion Smooth+ flat iron is made of ceramic, which can boost the negative ionic effects and provide healthy infrared heat as well.
Overall, the CHI Deep Brilliance titanium flat iron comes with better styling ability and it can tame kinky & curly hair including 4b & 4c hair type very well. But if you don’t need a super hot flat iron, then the Paul Mitchell Express Ion Smooth+ flat iron does a better job to protect your hair from heat damage when styling.
CHI vs Paul Mitchell Flat Iron: Additional Features
In this part, I have to say these two flat irons are almost identical. There’s not a huge amount to look at of the CHI and Paul Mitchell Flat Irons.
They both come with a digital screen that shows you the styling temperature and they have a built-in auto shut off function that ensures your safety. But there is one “mode” button on the Paul Mitchell Pro Tools flat iron, you can set the auto shut-off time from 0 – 120 minutes and switch from Fahrenheit to Celsius with the button.
On top of that, they are equipped with a dual voltage feature, which allows you to use their flat irons in any country without worrying about voltage. In terms of the cord length, the CHI Deep Brilliance flat iron has a pretty long cord which is 11 feet. So its styling flexibility is on a pretty high level among the flat irons these days.