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ghd Chronos Max: wide plates that straighten, curl and wave
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The ghd Chronos Max puts ghd's newest motion-responsive heating onto wide plates, which the maker says are 85% larger than the ghd Gold's. It is built for long, thick and curly hair, but the listing also makes a point of saying it can straighten, curl and wave. What separates it from other wide plate tools is the close-edge plate design, which ghd says lets it style right from the root despite the extra width.
- Body shape
- Wide, close-edge plates
- Plates
- Ceramic, 85% larger than Gold
- Heat
- 185°C, motion-responsive
- Weight
- 489 g
In its favour
- The listing explicitly states it can straighten, curl and wave, with technology that adapts to your styling movements.
- Close-edge plates are designed to style right from the root, which helps start a curl high up.
- A 10-minute sleep mode switches it off when idle, according to the maker.
Good to know
- Wide plates make tight curls harder, so expect looser waves and big curls.
- There are no adjustable temperature settings; it holds 185°C.
Our take
Wide but close to the root
Wide plates usually sacrifice precision near the scalp because the housing gets in the way. ghd's answer on the Chronos Max is close-edge plates, so the heated surface runs nearer to the edge of the tool. That helps start a curl high up and smooth the roots on thick hair.
The listing promises one-stroke HD results with up to 90% more shine and 2.5 times less frizz, three times faster than before.
Heat and safety
Like the standard Chronos, the Max uses HD motion-responsive technology that adapts to your styling movements, at a fixed 185°C. Smart sleep mode switches the styler off after 10 minutes of inactivity. ghd quotes a figure of 82% agreeing that styles last 24 hours, which comes from its own survey rather than a measurement.
Weight and what to expect when curling
Amazon lists 489 g, which is light for a wide plate tool, although the listed dimensions look like packaging. Wide plates make loose, big curls and waves rather than tight ones, because the hair wraps around a broader body. The listing does not give cable length, voltage or plate width in millimetres.
For straight styles on very dense hair, the wide plates mean fewer sections, which is the main time saving ghd is pointing to. For curls, expect broad, glossy waves that suit long lengths best.
Chronos Max against its rivals
The ghd Max is the older wide plate ghd, using dual-zone heat with plates 70% larger than standard and a 30-second heat up. The standard ghd Chronos has the same technology on narrower plates, which suits shorter hair and tighter bends. The Faszin 42 mm titanium offers adjustable heat up to 230°C for coarse curls.
Verdict
Choose the Chronos Max if you have long, thick or curly hair and want ghd's latest heating on wide plates that still reach the root. Those with shorter hair or who want tighter curls should consider the standard ghd Chronos, and anyone wanting adjustable heat on wide plates can look at the Faszin 42 mm.
Compared with alternatives in: Best straighteners for curling and waving hair, Best straighteners for curly and afro hair
Amazon listing title: Chronos Max Wide Plate Hair Straightener & Styler for Thick Hair