ghd
ghd Platinum+
$319
Released 2018
Best Hair Straighteners · head-to-head
ghd Platinum+ vs Hot Tools Pro Artist Black Gold 1" Flat Iron
A sourced, side-by-side comparison. Hot Tools Pro Artist Black Gold 1" Flat Iron is cheaper at $149.99. Every spec and price links to its source.
Hot Tools
Hot Tools Pro Artist Black Gold 1" Flat Iron
$149.99Cheaper
Which is better: the ghd Platinum+ or Hot Tools Pro Artist Black Gold 1" Flat Iron?
On the specs we track, they're closely matched. The Hot Tools Pro Artist Black Gold 1" Flat Iron is the cheaper at $149.99.
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Full spec sheet
✓ marks the stronger figure where "more" — or "less", for price and weight — is unambiguously better.
| Spec | ghd Platinum+ | Hot Tools Pro Artist Black Gold 1" Flat Iron |
|---|---|---|
| US price | $319 | $149.99 List price, Ulta Beauty |
| Brand | ghd | Hot Tools |
| Released | 2018 | — |
| Plate material | Ceramic-coated aluminum | Ceramic-titanium with Micro-Shine coating |
| Plate width (in) | 1 | 1 |
| Max temp f | 365 | 455 |
| Cordless | No | No |
| Dual voltage | Yes | Yes |
| Heat settings | 1 | 30 |
| Auto shutoff | Yes | Yes |
| Release | 2018 | — |
Sources — ghd Platinum+: ghdhair.com (verified 2026-06-15). Hot Tools Pro Artist Black Gold 1" Flat Iron: ulta.com (verified 2026-06-15).
What's the difference between the ghd Platinum+ and Hot Tools Pro Artist Black Gold 1" Flat Iron?
Where the two actually differ on the specs we track (3 of 7). Matching specs are omitted.
- Plate material: ghd Platinum+ Ceramic-coated aluminum vs Hot Tools Pro Artist Black Gold 1" Flat Iron Ceramic-titanium with Micro-Shine coating
- Max temp f: ghd Platinum+ 365 vs Hot Tools Pro Artist Black Gold 1" Flat Iron 455
- Heat settings: ghd Platinum+ 1 vs Hot Tools Pro Artist Black Gold 1" Flat Iron 30
What reviewers say
Sourced tester consensus for each — the "what people who used it think" layer, not just specs.
ghd Platinum+
Both whitelisted sources tested the ghd Platinum+ hands-on and survived verification: Real Homes (qualitative, 2020) and TechRadar (measured, within a 2024 Chronos comparison). Both praise shiny, smooth, flawlessly straight results and easy, versatile use, and both call it expensive. TechRadar's measurements flag hair-pulling, a slow-snapping hinge, and a three-to-four-hour style hold (far short of the claimed 24h). No RTINGS or independent lab data available. (2 sourced reviews, 2 lab-tested.)
Praised: Leaves hair shiny, smooth and flawlessly straight; Easy to use and versatile for both straightening and curling; Well-built, holds up over years / still excellent despite age.
Flagged: Expensive relative to other GHD models and to results delivered; Plates tug/pull on the hair; Hinge doesn't snap the arms back into place quickly.
Hot Tools Pro Artist Black Gold 1" Flat Iron
Only Reviewed (USA Today) hands-on-tested this exact Hot Tools HT7122BG Black Gold flat iron, naming it Best Overall in its 2026 flat-iron guide. Tester Jessica Kasparian praised the ~14-second heat-up, sleek frizz-free results with little visible damage, the audible ready-chime, the long 4.25-inch plates and nine-foot cord, and the wide 205–455°F range in precise 10-degree increments, and listed no cons. (1 sourced review, 1 lab-tested.)
Praised: Sleek, frizz-free, shiny results with little visible damage; Fast ~14-second heat-up time; Audible chime/beep when target temperature is reached.
Flagged: Reviewed found no downsides for this iron (Cons listed as 'None that we could find').