In the ongoing battle to determine the fiercest flat iron, the CHI and SOLIA seem like well matched opponents. These brands are considered primo by professionals, and both CHI and SOLIA offer their customers superior styling capability. But for the sake of argument, let's do a little comparison.
For this round, the chosen competitors are the CHI Original Ceramic 1" versus the Solia Tourmaline Ceramic 1 ¼". I've decided to evaluate the two flat irons based on temperature settings, materials and construction, cost and value and customer reviews.
Hot, Hot Heat!
To begin with, temperature settings are a major difference between these two flat irons. The CHI Original comes with just one temperature setting - 370 degrees. On the other hand, the SOLIA features a range of temperature settings from 140 to 450 degrees.
So, what does this matter? Well, it seems that temperature settings vary for hair type. Based on the research, the CHI's set temperature of 370 degrees may prove a bit weak for coarser hair types, but it seems that if you crank the SOLIA way up you can flatten and style even the thickest mane.
CHI - 0, SOLIA - 1
Materialistic
Ceramic? Tourmaline? What does that even mean? In terms of construction and materials, the obvious difference between CHI and SOLIA is tourmaline. The CHI Original uses ceramic plate technology which is non-damaging to hair, and provides even, moist heat and negative ions.
SOLIA also uses ceramic plates, in addition to the special ingredient, tourmaline, to improve upon professional flat irons. Tourmaline , a mineral, also considered a semi-precious stone, generates high levels of negative ions which enhance hair and produce far-infrared heat to dry hair from the inside out. This means even less damage and faster styling, even when hair is styled damp.
In short, while both irons offer less-damage than traditional aluminum plated irons, SOLIA edges out the win for using tourmaline.
CHI - 0, SOLIA - 2
Weigh In
Since both flat irons use cutting edge technology and construction to provide consumers with the fastest, non-damaging styling tool possible, it's time to look even closer. The CHI Original weighs in at two pounds and SOLIA at one pound, making both irons fairly lightweight.
The use of ceramic technology means both irons heat quickly and maintain even heat throughout styling. Yet, SOLIA offers the Dynamic Alignment System, with the plates self-adjusting to provide perfect coverage of hair eliminating damage and pressure points. As of now, CHI lacks a comparable feature. Score another point for SOLIA - lighter weight and flexibility.
CHI - 0, SOLIA-3
Cost, Value and Warranty
Both CHI and SOLIA are higher end professional brands so neither of these flat irons comes cheap.
The list price of a CHI Original is around 0-190, but a quick Google search found a variety of lower prices all ranging between -80. Some of the retailers included Amazon, Folica and Misikko. Also, CHI irons only work in the USA and Canada due to 110 voltage, and cannot be used in foreign countries even with converters.
According to the CHI website, there is no warranty policy on flat irons purchased through the Internet, only a 1 year warranty for products bought in professional salons. Some sites offer up to a 1 year warranty on CHI products.
The SOLIA list price is 0 but is currently available for around from Amazon and Folica. Unlike the CHI, the SOLIA flat iron has variable voltage (110-120) and can be used in a variety of locations.
Meanwhile, SOLIA just extended their warranty to 2 years on all products purchased on or after October 3, 2008. Good deal.
Originally I was going to give this round to CHI for being less expensive and more widely available for purchase, but the lack of a warranty on such an expensive item makes me a bit nervous. SOLIA wins again; a two year warranty is peace of mind for any customer.
CHI-0, SOLIA-4
The Customers Sound Off
I chose to examine some customer reviews to see what people are saying about the CHI Original and SOLIA Tourmaline Ceramic. Folica lists over 1000 reviews for each product, so I decided it was a good place to see customer likes and gripes.
In general, the CHI receives a rating of 4.14 out of 5 stars, and the SOLIA has 4.5 out of 5 stars.
Here's some feedback on the CHI - Having read the first 10 pages of reviews on Folica, it seems that most CHI users really like their product. But, it seems most liked it - until it started having electrical troubles, like the iron failing to turn on or heating up. The other main complaint of CHI users is the lack of temperature control; some found the iron too strong for finer hair and felt it caused damage.
For the SOLIA, most customers seem to be ex-CHI users. The 10 pages of reviews for the SOLIA seem more positive and enthusiastic for the product than the CHI reviews. In fact, there didn't seem to be any general negative comments about SOLIA. Then again, over 64% of the reviews rate SOLIA as 5 out of 5 stars or "The Best".
CHI - 0, SOLIA - 5
And the Winner is...
The winner for this showdown is SOLIA, because of the flat iron's multiple temperature settings, tourmaline plates, sturdy construction, two-year warranty and overall customer enthusiasm. CHI takes second place being a possibly more affordable alternative that may suit some customers and hair types better than others.
