Chi Turbo versus Original Chi and Non-Chi
Written: Apr 02 '06
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Velvet lining on handles, Controls on outside, fast straightening iron
Cons: On/Off button on the outside, will pinch your skin if holding it certain way, pricey!!
The Bottom Line: I love my Chi Turbo. You'll get straighter hair in less the time and you're paying for peace of mind that your hair won't kink up at the day's end.
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| marble03's Full Review: Chi Turbo Ceramic Hairstyling Iron |
I have naturally wavy, frizzy hair. For about 6 years I have been using flat irons to straighten out my hair. I have bought so many flat irons over the years that they seemed all the same until I tried the Chi brand!
I heard about the Chi from my sister who has naturally tight curly hair. She has paid big bucks to have her hair straightened and she has always been dissatisfied. She had almost given up hope, until one day she went to a beauty salon and they used the original Chi on her hair. I had never seen her hair so straight in my life! To make a person with tight curly hair straight was amazing. She bought the Chi right then and there from her stylist. She bought the original Chi, not the turbo; it wasn't around back then. I later used her Chi and fell in love with it.
Recently, I have decided to fork over the money for the 1 inch Chi Turbo. It is a bit pricey!!! On Ebay I paid $98 (price includes shipping) for the Chi Turbo. It was about $20 more than the Original Chi.
I personally think that the Original Chi and the Chi Turbo work just the same, but there are more features (velvet handle, temp control, and external LED) on the Chi Turbo that are worth the extra money.
So you're wondering what makes the Chi so different from other flat irons out there. I don't know how to explain it, but what I can tell you is that my hair is silkier and smoother with the Chi. I can use a regular flat iron from Sally's Beauty Supply and it takes me twice the time to straighten my hair than the Chi Turbo or Original Chi. On one piece of hair, I can pass a non-Chi on my hair about 5 times, with the Chi it's more like twice and I'm done with that hair strand. Also, by the end of the day, with a non-Chi my hair would have curls in it no matter what hair product I'd put to keep it from getting a little curly. With the Chi, by the end of the day, my hair is still as straight as when I straightened it in the morning..no matter if I perspired throughout the day.
In the past I have ordered all my flat irons from Sally's Beauty Supply and all have broken within two years. I have only had my Chi Turbo for 3 months, but my sister has had her Original Chi for about 4 years.
What I love most about the Chi Turbo is the velvet lining on the handles. On the Original Chi, it was hard to flip up my hair because there were black metal screws within the outside of the handles that I would sometimes burn my fingers on. However, the Chi Turbo makes it easier to flip your hair any which way knowing you won't burn yourself.
Another great feature is the temperature setting. On the Original Chi you cannot change the temperature. On the Chi Turbo the temperature can be set from 176F/80C to 356F/180C. I usually just keep in on 356F, but the fact that I have the option to lower the temperature makes me feel better.
On the Original Chi, the LED to alert you the iron is on is located inside one of the handles. With the Chi Turbo, the LED is on the outside. However, the light does not show up that well. It's like they put a red light bulb with a red covering over it.
Also on the Chi Turbo are grooves to rest your fingers on. The Original Chi handles are completely flat, but the Chi Turbo looks like it's more ergonomically designed. It does feel better when holding it, but it feels like you can only hold it in one position(the controls facing left).
The On/Off button is located on the outside handle of the Chi Turbo compared to the Original Chi. This is great because with the Original Chi I had to use a finger nail to turn it off risking the move that my hand might slip and I burn my knuckles on the above ceramic plate. The con is that with the Chi Turbo it might be easier for you to turn the iron off if you grab it wrong.
The complaint I have with the Chi Turbo is that the 1 inch plate seems smaller than the 1 inch plates on the Original Chi. Also, the back end of the Chi Turbo where the swivel cord is located pinches me every now and then. When the Chi Turbo is depressed it leaves a gap between the two handles when you let go if your arm is near it, it'll get pinched. The Original Chi and most non-Chi don't have that problem.
If you want straighter, silkier hair in half the time it takes with regular flat irons then buy a Chi. If you want extra features then buy the Chi Turbo! I guarantee you won't go back to another flat iron!!
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
marble03
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Location: San Francisco, CA
Reviews written: 13
Trusted by: 0 members
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