Choosing between the TYMO CURLPRO and the CURLPRO PLUS

AD (but I am a genuine customer). I love having curls in my hair, the extra body and movement makes me feel more stylish and beautiful than straightened hair or a neat bob.  I have curled my hair for special nights out and even my wedding day, but it was always an occasional thing because it was so time consuming and difficult to get right. Using an automatic curler has been a game changer though. 

I bought the TYMO CURLPRO PLUS last year. I spent a while trying to work out which model to get, but thought the 'premium' version would be better. I didn’t get great results with my shorter hair and it quickly got “borrowed” by my teenage daughter who has beautiful long hair and she has been using it ever since. 

When TYMO offered me the chance to review one of their products I decided I wanted to try the Basic CURLPRO as I had heard it’s better for shorter hair like mine. Now having tried them both I thought it would be helpful to compare them to help you choose which one would be best for you (providing the clear information that I couldn’t find when I was deciding what to buy).

Hair on left curled by CURLPRO PLUS, hair on right curled by CURLPRO

What is an Automatic Hair Curler?

The TYMO CURLPRO and CURLPRO PLUS are both automatic curlers which are so much easier to use than traditional curling wands. You just need to take sections of dry hair, place the hair over the top of the barrel (with the buttons facing towards your head) and press the top button. 

The middle part of the curler on the TYMO models rotates pulling the length of the hair in and wrapping it around the heated barrel in the centre. You leave the hair in place for 8 to 16 seconds after it finishes rotating and then gently pull the curler away, leaving perfect curls. Let the curls cool down before touching or shaking them out to help them stay for longer.

Series of images showing hair being wrapped around TYMO CURLPRO PLUS

The Core Features Both the TYMO CURLPRO and CURLPRO PLUS Share

The CURLPRO PLUS is listed on the site as premium and the CURLPRO as the basic model (and they are priced accordingly) but I think this is a little confusing and the premium model is not going to be the best option for everyone. Before looking at what sets them apart, it's helpful to know what you get with both models. 

Both curlers are incredibly easy to use and come packed with great safety features (which means I can relax while my teen is using it).

Heat Settings

They both offer three heat settings ranging from 160°C/ 320°F for fine or delicate hair, the default setting of 185°C/ 365°F and a high of 210°C/ 410°F for thick or coarse hair. This means you can use the lowest heat setting that works for your hair, minimising the inevitable damage that heated hair tools do to your hair. 

For comparison GHD straighteners heat to 185°C and Dyson Air Wrap has a maximum heat of 150°C. Most people will not need to use the highest heat setting on the TYMO CURLPRO, but for thick coarse hair eg Type 4 the higher heat might be helpful. Using heat protection spray is advisable for all temperatures.

To turn on or off you press and hold the power button for 2 seconds. A short press switches between heat levels (indicated by the length of the light on the indicator). When you turn the curlers on they heat up in about 70 seconds to the medium temperature. The white light flashes while it is heating and remains steady when it is ready to use. When testing them out side by side our CURLPRO PLUS which has been used for about 6 months heated up in roughly the same amount of time as our newer CURLPRO. 

The TYMO CURLPRO PLUS (left in gold) and CURLPRO (right in dark grey)

Smart Design

The website says they feature an intelligent anti-tangle mechanism. If you accidentally feed too much hair into the chamber, the device is meant to sense the tension and immediately reverses the rotation to let your hair go safely.  I haven’t experienced my hair getting caught or snagged when I have been using it so I haven’t been able to check this, but that should be reassuring in itself. If at any point you want to stop it rotating you just press the top button. 

There is a built-in timer that beeps and lets you know it’s time to take your hair out of the curler ensuring consistent results. On my CURLPRO it rotates for about 7 seconds then beeps after 8. On my CURLPRO PLUS it rotates for about 14 seconds and beeps after roughly another 2 seconds, so with both the hair stays in the chamber for the same amount of time. If your hair is coarser you can leave it on longer. The website says both have an 8 second smart timer, so I don’t if the reduced time after it stops rotating on our CURLPRO PLUS is due to it being older. Even with taking both off my hair at the beep the curls looked great, but the PLUS curls seem to hold a little better.

Both the CURLPRO and CURLPRO PLUS have a switch so you can choose which direction the barrel rotates (and which way the curls go). Generally it is recommended that you curl your hair away from the face (so wrap clockwise on the right of your head and counter-clockwise on the left), but it depends on the style you are aiming for.

Power Source

Both curlers are mains powered and the cord is a decent length (about 2 metres) so you should be able to reach a mirror. The cable on our PLUS is slightly longer. They both have a bit of velcro on the cable so you can coil it up neatly when not in use. If you prefer a non-corded version you could go for the CURLGO, although this is also lower spec model and I haven't tried it so can't advise if it works as well. 

When you order your automatic curler on the TYMO site you can choose whether you want the version with a US, UK, AU or EU plug. 

Auto-off Safety Timers

For the easily distracted or worriers amongst us it is reassuring to know they have an automatic shut off feature. Both models turn themselves off after 10 minutes of non use. I have tested this and even after the 10 minutes of no activity (when they did indeed turn themselves off) the surface I placed them on wasn’t worryingly hot.

When my daughter uses the curler I get her to put it down on a heat mat as I think this is good practice, but unlike straighteners or curling tongs the heating element is in the middle. Not only does this mean you are less likely to burn yourself, but when you put it down the hottest part isn’t directly on the surface. We have the TYMO Heat Resistant Mat Pouch which is great for home and travel as you can pop it inside if you need to pack and go before it's completely cooled.

Curling long hair with TYMO CURLPRO PLUS

The Key Differences Between the TYMO CURLPRO and CURLPRO PLUS

Cosmetically the CURLPRO currently comes in a golden colour and a dark grey, the PLUS comes in the gold and a pale pink. There is also a small difference in appearance and the shape of the part you hold. Personally I prefer the standard one, but this shouldn’t be a deciding factor on which model you choose. The main differences between the two models are the design of the barrel and the slightly improved specs on the PLUS version, but what does that actually mean and is the CURLPRO PLUS worth the extra money?

Barrel Differences and Hair Suitability

There are 2 key features on the CURLPRO PLUS which make it better for those with longer hair. 

Firstly the heating element is longer. That means that as hair is wrapped around it there is more space for the hair to distribute so you don't get some sections of hair right next to the heat and some a lot further away. This helps make the curls more consistent.

The TYMO website says the heating area is 110mm for plus and 66mm for the basic model. When I measure them I think the standard model heating area is longer than that. You can’t easily see where it ends, but I think it’s about 90mm. You definitely get extra length with the plus and there is also more space around the barrel for thicker hair to wrap.

The other key difference is that there is a second heating element on the PLUS. This just a thin strip, but it means that as your hair is wrapped it is briefly sandwiched between the two heating elements. This probably makes the biggest difference on thicker hair, but I also think the curls seem to stay in slightly better on the PLUS because of it.  

Unsurprisingly with the dual heating elements and the longer length of the barrel, the CURLPRO PLUS uses more electricity. The PLUS is 43 watts versus 32 watts for the basic model.  Used for the same amount of time this makes the PLUS slightly more expensive to use (although we are talking pennies per use), however if you have longer or thicker hair the PLUS should make the job faster for you so it will balance out.  

When I first tried the CURLPRO PLUS my hair was too short for it (roughly chin length). The hair didn't get pulled in far enough so I barely got any curls. Now my hair is a couple of inches longer (just above shoulder length) I can use the PLUS, but the basic model makes better curls for me. My daughter with long, fine hair is better suited to the PLUS (anything other than very small sections overfill the chamber).

Comparison of barrel length on CURLPRO PLUS (left) and CURLPRO (right)

The PLUS has a second heating section visible if you look from the top

Ionic Output and Shine

I'll be honest and say I don't understand this and couldn't honestly see a noticeable difference, but according to TYMO the curlers have a smooth ceramic tourmaline coating to protect your hair which combines with millions of negative ions to lock in moisture, eliminate frizz and give a sleek, shiny finish to the curls. 

While both tools use ionic technology to boost shine and combat flyaways the basic CURLPRO apparently releases 500 million negative ions per cm³ during styling, whereas the CURLPRO PLUS pumps out 600 million.  This might make a difference to frizz prone hair, but I haven't noticed a difference with our hair. 

Before and after of inexpertly curling my own medium length hair with the CURLPRO

Left section curled with CURLPRO PLUS and right section with CURLPRO

So Should You Buy A CURLPRO and Which Model? 

I genuinely love this the CURLPRO and I bought the initial one long before TYMO got in contact with me to work together. If you like having curls in your hair the automatic curlers make the process much easier and faster. I still need to work on ensuring I curl all sections of my hair and getting small enough sections at the back, but that isn't unique to an automatic curler. When it comes to choosing between the CURLPRO and CURLPRO PLUS I would recommend you choose based on the length of your hair. 

Short Hair: If you have short hair eg chin length bob or shorter (when straight) I don't think either tool will work very well.  I would suggest a wand tool like TYMO CUES which has different size barrels that you can get close to the roots with. Likewise if you want the curls to start right at the root of your hair, the CURLPRO tools won’t work for you; the top inch or two doesn’t come into contact with the heat.

Medium Length Hair: If your hair is chin length to shoulder length the TYMO CURLPRO should work well. Thicker hair may benefit from the CURLPRO PLUS.

Longer Than Shoulder Length Hair: Go for the TYMO CURLPRO PLUS.  

Disclosure: All opinions are my own unless otherwise stated. This post is in partnership with TYMO. Links are affiliate which means that if you click through and make a purchase I may receive commission at no additional cost to you. If you prefer to browse and buy from the TYMO site without this you can access it here.