Guide · Bathroom and beauty

How long should a hair straightener last in Australia?

A hair straightener bought for around $150 should last about 5 years or more.

Straighteners that stop heating or lose a plate early are a fault. The shop that sold it is the one to go to.

That’s our guide, and plenty last longer.

The law doesn’t set a fixed number. Goods have to last as long as a reasonable person would expect, given what they are and what you paid. If it fails sooner through no fault of yours, the shop that sold it has to put it right, even when the maker’s warranty has run out.

Check yours

Takes a minute. It works out where you stand and what to say.

Is mine still covered?

Our guide to how long a hair straightener should last, by price:

Price paid	Should last about
Up to $40	2 years
$40 to $100	4 years
$100 to $250	5 years
$250 to $500	7 years
Over $500	8 years

For one bought around $150:

Under 3 years: very likely covered.
3 years to 5 years: borderline, so worth asking.
Over 5 years: harder, but it isn’t a cut-off.

These are guides, not law.

Signs it’s a fault

The plates stop heating or heat unevenly
A plate cracks or lifts, or the coating wears off
The hinge, cord or display fails

What usually isn’t covered

Product build-up left to burn onto the plates
A unit that’s been dropped or crushed
A change of mind, misuse, or a fault you knew about when you bought it.

Safety first. If it overheats, sparks, smells of burning or has hurt someone, stop using it. Then check Product Safety Australia for a recall.

What to do

Find your proof of purchase. The receipt is best. A bank or card statement, an order email or a warranty registration also works.
Go back to the shop you bought it from. Not the maker. The shop is responsible, and it can’t send you to the manufacturer instead.
Say what’s wrong and what you want. For a minor problem, the shop can choose to repair it first. For a major one (it’s unsafe, or you wouldn’t have bought it if you’d known), you choose a refund or a replacement.
If they say no, go up a step. Ask again politely, in writing if you can, and keep copies. Then contact your state or territory consumer protection agency. If you need to, your state tribunal is the next step.

What to say at the counter

“I bought a hair straightener here on [date]. [What’s wrong.] It hasn’t lasted as long as I’d reasonably expect for what I paid, so it isn’t of acceptable quality under the Australian Consumer Law. I’d like it repaired, replaced or refunded.”

A tip for a hair straightener

The plates and the heating are the main things in a straightener. A fault in either within a couple of years is worth raising, even on a cheaper one.

Check yours

It's Stuffed works out where you stand, helps you find your proof of purchase and writes what to say. It also keeps your receipts and warranties in one place, so you’re not hunting for them next time.

Check yours

Common questions

How long should a hair straightener last?

By our guide, a hair straightener bought for around $150 should last about 5 years or more, and plenty last longer. The law doesn’t set a fixed number. Goods have to last as long as a reasonable person would expect, given what they are and what you paid.

Does the consumer guarantee still apply to a hair straightener after the warranty ends?

Yes. They’re separate from the maker’s warranty and from any extended warranty, and they don’t have an end date. What matters is whether it lasted as long as a reasonable person would expect for what it was and what it cost.

Who do I go to if a hair straightener fails, the shop or the maker?

The shop that sold it. The shop is responsible for putting it right under the consumer guarantees, and it can’t send you to the manufacturer instead.

Do I need the receipt to take a hair straightener back?

You need proof of purchase, but not the original receipt. A bank or card statement, an order email or a warranty registration can do the job.

More guides

Where this comes from

ACCC: consumer rights and guarantees · Product Safety Australia: recalls