Let me just start off by saying that no one should waste money on a cheap drug store flat iron!  They just do not get hot enough to do what they are meant to do - - straighten hair properly without frying it.  I love my Chi flat iron so much that I have switched all hair products and now use the entire line of Chi products.  I use the flat iron spray so as not to damage my hair and I also purchased a Chi blow dryer to use as a companion piece. I have thick, course hair and the Chi flat iron has worked very well for both smoothing and straightening.  The Chi flat iron heats up very quickly...