These two have more in common than the rest of the range. They are the only two TYME irons that straighten as well as curl. Both are at their best on medium to coarse hair. Both are ready in about 55 seconds. Both cost $149.99. What separates them is how they set the style: the Iron Pro does it with titanium and pressure, the Iron Air does it with ceramic and a burst of cool air.
The quick answer. Take the Iron Pro if you want the widest range of results and the fastest straightening, and you do not mind a week of practice. Take the Iron Air if you want the style set for you rather than relying on your own patience, the widest heat range in the line, and the easier tool to learn.
Specifications side by side
| TYME Iron Pro | TYME Iron Air | |
|---|---|---|
| Also known as | The original TYME iron | The newest iron in the range |
| Curls and straightens | Yes | Yes |
| Hair it is built for | Medium to coarse | Medium to coarse |
| Plates | Titanium | Ceramic with cool air vents |
| Sets the style with | Heat, rotation and the cooling shape of the tool | Heat plus a burst of cool air from the vents |
| Heat range | 300F to 400F, five settings | 280F to 430F |
| Heat up time | About 55 seconds | About 55 seconds |
| Auto shut off | After 30 minutes of no use | Check the manual in the box |
| Dual voltage | Yes, 110 to 240v | Yes |
| Learning curve | Steepest of the four. Give it a week | The easiest of the four |
| Colours | Cashmere, Rose gold | Cashmere |
| Price | $149.99 | $149.99 |
Titanium or ceramic, and why it matters
Titanium moves heat into the hair quickly and holds a steady temperature, which means fewer passes. That is the whole argument for titanium: the plate is hotter, but the hair spends less total time under heat. It also carries a higher ionic charge, which is why hair comes off the Iron Pro looking smoothed rather than roughed up. On coarser hair that resists everything, this is the tool that gets through it.
Ceramic heats more gently and spreads warmth rather than driving it. On its own that can mean more passes, which is exactly why the Iron Air pairs it with the vents. The cool air sets each section the moment it leaves the plates, so the style holds without needing extra heat to force it. And because the Air runs from 280F up to 430F, it has more room at both ends than anything else we make.
Which one holds a style better
Both hold for days rather than hours. The mechanism differs. With the Iron Pro, the hair cools in the shape of the tool as you glide, and you help it by going slowly and not touching the curl until it is cold. With the Iron Air, the vents do that job whether or not your patience holds.
If you are the sort of person who brushes a curl out before it has cooled, the Iron Air will be kinder to you.
Which is easier to learn
The Iron Air, clearly. The movement is simpler and mistakes are more forgiving. The Iron Pro has the widest range of results of any TYME tool, and that range is exactly why it takes a week or so to feel natural. Most people who stick with it say the learning was worth it, but it is a real learning curve and we would rather say so than pretend otherwise.
Heat, whichever you choose
Start on the lowest setting. The Iron Air will go down to 280F, the Iron Pro to 300F, and that is where you should begin regardless of what your hair is like. If the style is not holding, go up one setting and stop as soon as it does. The reason there is a range at all is that texture and density vary enormously from one head to the next.
Buy the Iron Pro if
- You want the widest range of results, from a tight ringlet to a loose wave to dead straight.
- You straighten often and want it done quickly.
- Your hair is medium to coarse and resists holding a style.
- You are happy to practise for a week.
- You want the choice of Cashmere or Rose gold.
Buy the Iron Air if
- Your hair is medium to coarse and you want a simpler tool to learn.
- You want the style set for you rather than relying on letting each curl cool.
- You want the widest heat range in the line, 280F to 430F.
- You have never got on with clamping irons.
Neither, possibly
If what you actually want is ringlet curls or beachy waves rather than a tool that straightens too, the 1.25 inch curling iron is the better buy. If you want volume and movement, the 2 inch is built for that. Both work on any hair type. The quiz takes thirty seconds and will point you at the right one.