Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)September 2, 2009 Update
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It pains me to say this but after 8 joyous straight-hair months, my Runway stopped working. I was doing my mother's hair tonight and I was about 1/4th of the way finished when I noticed the iron wasn't heating up anymore. It went from being normal hot to just warm, to now just cold. The red light indicator is dim and not flashing as it should be when it's at the desired temperature. I will not try to contact FHI for a replacement because they will not give a warranty to anyone who doesn't buy it from a salon or their website.
I had such a great experience with the Runway that it pains me to have to go find another one. I have been hearing that the CHIs break easily these days and I'm not sure about the other brands out there. Does anyone make a flat iron that lasts more than a year or two?
I did notice FHI changed the packaging of the box to be in red and black and show the runway and a girl. My box is white and blue and just shows the iron. So maybe the new box design signifies a new and better Runway iron -- who knows?
September 19, 2009 Update
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I've now purchased two more flat irons since my Runway broke. The CHI Original ($90) and the Solia 1" ($80). Here's how I'd compare them to the Runway.
The CHI original is the weakest of the three irons, due to the fixed temperature. The best thing about the CHI is that it is made in the USA (real ones sold at salons, not the fakes). I am keeping the CHI as a backup iron in case my Solia ever stops working. It's not horrible and I could be happy with the results, it's just that it takes longer to straighten your hair with it and it gives more flyaways than the other two. Overall quality grade: C
The Solia 1" gives similar results compared to the Runway. For less than 1/3 of the price I can't really be picky here. The problem with the Solia is that it still gives flyaways and some unwanted bends, while the Runway seemed just about flawless. The Solia heats up faster than the Runway though. I don't think the Runway is worth buying after trying the cheaper Solia. It is made in Korea, same place as the Runway, and looks very much the same as the Runway except the plates are blue and not white. Overall quality grade: B
In conclusion, the Runway is -technically- the best flat iron I've ever tried and gave me "A" quality results that were close to what one could achieve with Japanese hair straightening (thermal reconditioning), but I would not recommend purchasing it due to it possibly breaking and the price you are paying to get one. You can spend a 1/4th of the price and get something that is only a hair or two worse, literally. Basically, it is not in a league of its own.
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FHI Heat Runway Professional Ceramic Tourmaline Styling Iron 1" with I.C.H.S.+Nano Ti+NanoTiO2+Nano Ag Technology
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