Best Hair Straightener for Thick Curly and Frizzy Hair in 2026?

I've always gone to the salon whenever I wanted my hair straightened but I really want to start doing it myself at home to save money. I have 3b/3c curly hair that is super thick and frizzy and honestly kind of overwhelming to deal with. I don't even know where to start when it comes to doing this on my own.

I wanted to ask what straightener you use for thick curly hair, what heat protectants actually work, and whether there's a specific routine I should be following before I even pick up a flat iron.

I'm really scared of heat damage because my hair is already on the drier side and I don't want to make it worse. I also want to actually keep my length because it took forever to grow. I don't want to straighten super often, maybe just once in a while for special occasions.

Any advice for a complete beginner would mean a lot. Even just knowing what to avoid would help honestly.