How good are CHI flat irons? I have straight hair and I want big, loose waves. Please answer -- 10 points!?

I'm getting my first flat iron and I really like CHI's Pink Dazzle one, which has a one year warranty (do they last?). I heard CHI irons are energy efficient (20-25 watts) and cause less damage than some other brands' irons because their irons have ceramic coils instead of copper. So anyway, here's what I want to know:





1. Are they good at preventing damage?





2. How's the quality; are they sturdy and do they last?





3. Are the flat irons good for waving your hair?





And since I have no experience with flat irons, I have some questions about using them:





1. What products should I apply before using them and to maintain the curls/waves afterwards (ie. heat protectant, serums, hairspray)?





2. What is the best way/technique to curl my hair?





3. Is it easy to burn yourself and should I prevent that?





4. Can I use the flat iron on my hair when it's wet and will that lessen the damage even more and dry it, too (I know some irons have built-in blow dryers -- I don't think the one I like does, though, but wouldn't the heat still dry it a bit)?





Also, money's not an issue; I'm not searching for a cheaper alternative unless you have used CHI irons (correctly) and think they're plain rubbish.





Sorry about all of the questions and thanks to everyone who answers =].How good are CHI flat irons? I have straight hair and I want big, loose waves. Please answer -- 10 points!?
Ok..so I've been flat ironing my hair for 4 years..i have gone through many products..many flat irons and many blow dryers !!





funny enough..my last flat iron was the chi !!..i also had a years warranty but what happened was it doesn't work anymore..it wont heat up and the wire is all messed..i took super good care of it and i only had it for 8 months. since i got it from a salon..they said i couldn't get my $$ back..blah blah





chi's are really excellent flat iron..they work great on wavy to extreme curly hair..but so do a lot of other flat irons..the new flat iron i got is vidal sasson for course hair..its AWESOME :D





chi isn't worth it to me :P





to flat iron your hair.. separate it in sections..do your under hair first..clip the rest up..then your middle and then your top..it will insure you get every strand and part of your hair. go from the begging of the root to the end slowly. And use a flat brush (minimizes frizz ;D)





ALWAYS BLOW DRY YOUR HAIR BEFORE FLAT IRONING IT!!!!!! loll...flat ironing wet hair will create sooooo much damage trust! blow dry your hair in sections or as is but spray in a heat protective or a heat protective cream(apply when hair is wet)





a good trick that i do to keep frizz down, make my hair shine and seal the strands..is when your in the shower you probs shower in warm water..so before your done..put the water a bit colder..and rinse out your hair. (:





hope i helped..good luck and remember true beauty comes from confidence and being yourself(:How good are CHI flat irons? I have straight hair and I want big, loose waves. Please answer -- 10 points!?
First, please don't straighten your hair when it's wet. Sooo bad for it.





I would definately recommend a CHI. Use a conditioning product (I'd recommend Paul Mitchell's Strength Super Strong Liquid Treatment) before you blow out your hair and then a heat spray when you are styling (Paul Mitchell's Hot Off The Press). It'll help hold the style and keep your hair in it's best condition.





It's hard to explain exactly how to do it so I found a youtube video that should give you a pretty good idea. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sv-JSQbcu鈥?/a>





Hope I helped :)