My first chi had broken, so my mom got me a cheap Relvon one to hold me over until christmas when I would get a new Chi. It just didn't give that same healthy shine and smoothness that my chi did. Once I got the chi, I used the Revlon on one side of my head, and the chi on the other, and the difference was even more than I had realized. To me, it's worth the price. You can find them on sale sometimes for around 70-80 dollars, and to me it is worth it. Paul Mitchell also makes a really good flat iron.