Some beauty tools promise to save time. This one actually did.
I have long, coarse, wavy hair, which means straightening it is rarely a quick process. There’s a lot of hair to work through, and getting it smooth without repeatedly running a flat iron over the same sections takes time. I’ve tried enough styling tools over the years to know that not every flat iron is particularly good at handling thicker, more textured hair.
So when I tried the Cricket Binge Gloss Styling Iron, I was curious to see how it would perform. I wasn’t expecting anything particularly dramatic. I just wanted something that could straighten my hair efficiently, leave it looking polished, and not require an entire morning to get there.
Twenty minutes later, I was finished.
And for my hair, that’s impressive.
The Reality of Straightening Long, Coarse Hair
My hair has a natural wave, a coarse texture, and enough length that styling can become a project. Even when I’m going for a relatively simple, straight look, I have to account for the thickness and the tendency for certain sections to hold onto their natural texture.
The challenge isn’t necessarily getting my hair straight. It’s getting it consistently smooth from roots to ends without spending an unreasonable amount of time doing it.
I also don’t want my hair to look flat or lifeless. I like movement, some natural body, and a finish that looks intentional rather than overly styled.
That’s what I was looking for when I picked up the Binge Gloss Styling Iron.
My Experience With the Cricket Binge Gloss Styling Iron
The first thing I noticed was how straightforward the iron felt to use. I didn’t need to spend time figuring out a complicated set of controls or adjusting my technique.
I worked through my hair in sections, as I normally would, concentrating on smoothing out the natural waves and getting a more consistent finish through the lengths.
What surprised me was how quickly I made progress.
With coarse, wavy hair, certain sections can be stubborn, especially toward the back of the head and underneath the top layers. I usually expect those areas to take additional attention.
But I was able to move through my hair at a comfortable pace without feeling as though I was fighting the texture the entire time. By the time I finished, approximately 20 minutes had passed. For someone with my hair length and texture, that’s a meaningful difference.
A Few Details About the Iron
The Binge Gloss has one-inch ceramic-coated floating plates, tourmaline conditioning, five heat settings ranging from 248°F to 410°F, and rounded edges that also allow for waves and curls. It includes dual voltage, a 60-minute automatic shutoff, and an eight-foot cord. The current listed retail price is $108.99. These features are according to Cricket, rather than independently tested performance claims. The Cricket Company
The Finish: Smooth Without Looking Overdone
One thing I pay attention to with any flat iron is the finish. Straight hair isn’t necessarily the same thing as polished hair.
I want my hair to look smooth, but I don’t want it to lose all of its natural movement.
After using the Cricket Binge Gloss Styling Iron, my hair looked noticeably more controlled and put together. The waves were straightened, the overall shape was cleaner, and the lengths had a smoother appearance.
I also appreciated that I could keep the look relatively natural. I wasn’t trying to create an elaborate hairstyle or a salon-level blowout. I wanted my hair to look good enough to leave the house, take photographs, or head into a meeting without giving it much more thought.
And that’s exactly what I got.
Why the 20-Minute Styling Time Matters
I’ve become increasingly selective about the beauty products I use regularly. I don’t particularly care how many features a tool has if it makes my routine more complicated.
What matters is whether it works, whether the results are consistent, and whether I actually want to reach for it again.
Twenty minutes is a reasonable amount of time to spend straightening my hair. It fits into a normal morning without requiring me to rearrange everything else around it.
And when a tool can manage long, coarse, wavy hair in that amount of time, I pay attention.
That doesn’t mean everyone will get the same result. Hair density, length, preparation, section size, and styling technique all make a difference. But my experience was encouraging, particularly because my hair isn’t naturally straight or especially easy to manage.
Is the Cricket Binge Gloss Styling Iron Worth Trying?
If you have naturally straight, fine hair, your experience may be completely different from mine.
But if you have long, coarse, wavy hair and find yourself spending more time than you’d like trying to get a smooth finish, I think the Cricket Binge Gloss Styling Iron is worth considering.
What I liked most wasn’t anything especially complicated. It was the fact that I could use it, get the result I wanted, and move on with my day.
There’s something to be said for a beauty tool that does its job without demanding too much attention.
My verdict: The Cricket Binge Gloss Styling Iron made straightening my long, coarse, wavy hair a surprisingly manageable 20-minute process. The finished look was smooth, polished, and still natural enough for everyday wear.
For me, that’s what makes a styling tool useful.
