Whether you like soft waves, loose curls or well-defined curls, you want them to be flawless. Doing your curls by hand isn’t always easy. You can end up with some being too loose, while others curl perfectly or come out too tight. If this sounds familiar, help has arrived. The Rusk Engineering Curl Freak Professional Curl Machine promises to give you uniform, long-lasting, beautiful curls with minimum effort. So, is this hair curling machine for you? We give it a 4.3/5 star rating, but let us explain to you why in this RUSK Curl Freak Review:
When deciding whether or not a product is right for you, it is good to make a list of the pros and cons. Let’s take a look at some of the pros and cons of this hair curling machine.
| PROS | CONS |
| It has timer settings to ensure all curls come out uniform | It may take people with longer or thicker hair longer to complete their entire head |
| The safety feature will stop the process and release the hair if too much is inserted | It is heavier than most hair tools |
| There are 3 different heat settings, making it workable for a variety of hair types and textures | It is a little more difficult to use than other hair curlers, it may take longer to master |
Key Features
- Ceramic curl chamber
- 3 timer settings
- 3 heat settings
- curl direction control
- suitable for shorter and longer hair lengths
- safety feature
- motion sensor
- On/Off switch with indicator light
- auto shut off
- sleep mode
- 8 ft. 360° swivel cord
- limited 2 2-year warranty
Ease of Use: This is a professional grade product, and maybe a little harder to use than other curlers on the market. Its weight may also cause some issues. 3/5
Durability: A professional-grade tool with quality parts and top-rate features. Used and maintained properly, it should last a long time. 5/5
Heat Output: With 3 heat settings, you have more flexibility and can control the amount of heat applied to your hair. 4/5
Price: There are other curlers on the market more expensive that offer the same quality you can get for about $80 with this device. 5/5
Options: With 3 heat settings, 3 timer settings, and the option to curl left/right or alternating leaves you plenty of room for creativity. 4/5
Power: This powerful tool is equipped with an instant heat circuitry that reaches its operating temperature in less than 1 minute. Can handle the thickest of locks with temperatures of 375°F, 410°F, and 450°F. 5/5
Basic Features
The Rusk Curl Freak is a professional hair curling machine. It has a powerful heating system that is ready to use in seconds with ultra-fast heat recovery. The dimensions of the curler are 13.8 x 4.4 x 2 inches and it weighs 2 pounds. It has a ceramic curl chamber for a smooth curl creation. As you might already know, ceramic is better than metal because it heats evenly allowing you to use less heat. This greatly reduces the chance for heat damage.
Heating and Curling Features
The curler has 3 heat settings making it ideal for hair of any length, style, and texture. The 3 heat settings you can choose from are 375°F, 410°F, and 450°F. Combining the 3 heat settings along with its 3 timer settings allows you to create different curl effects. You can choose between loose waves, soft curls, or tight defined curls. The timer can be set to 8, 10, or 12 seconds. Your curler will beep at intervals during the curling process, and give you four beeps in quick succession when the timer is complete.
There is also a safety feature built into the curler. If too much hair is inserted into the curl chamber, the motor will automatically stop and the hair will be released. The Rusk Curl Freak also has a curl direction setting so you can either have uniform curls to the right or left, or a more natural finish by alternating the curls. Regardless of the direction you choose, the Max Life Pro brushless motor will help give you precision curls with longer lasting results.
Additional Features
There are convenient indicator lights to signal when the unit is on, and when it has reached the desired temperature. The curler has Smart Tech features for added safety and energy savings. There’s the auto shut off where after being on for a continuous 60 minutes, the unit will automatically switch off. With the sleep mode, after 20 minutes of idle time, the temperature drops to around 300°F/150°c. When you move the iron and close it, this triggers the motion sensor to reheat to set the temperature. There is an 8 ft. 360° swivel cord for ease of use, and it comes with a limited 2-year warranty.
Using the Curl Freak
It is recommended that you mist hair lightly with hairspray or setting spray before styling. Let the hair dry and then place a clean, and combed 1-inch section of hair into the unit. Position the hair where you want the curl to begin. Hold the RUSK Curl Freak positioned so that the open part of the curl chamber is facing towards the head. Your hair will automatically be drawn into the curl chamber when you close the handle. There, it is softly held and heated from all directions.
If you’ve chosen the first position which is no timer, all you need to do is hold handles closed until you’re ready to remove the hair. If you have chosen the timed settings, the Curl Freak will start counting when you close the handles. It will also beep at regular intervals while curling the hair. Next, the machine will signal four beeps in quick succession when timer is complete. Then, simply release.
Note: below is the number of beeps you will hear for each setting.
Setting 8 (8 seconds = 3 beeps) – for loose waves
Setting 10 (10 seconds = 4 beeps) – for soft curls
Setting 12 (12 seconds = 5 beeps) – for more defined curls
What Are The Best Alternatives?
The Curl Freak isn’t the only curling machine on the market. Let’s take a look at some of the competition.
Rusk Curl Freak vs. InfinitiPRO Curl Secret by Conair
The InfinitiPRO Curl Secret is very similar to the Curl Freak in appearance and functionality. Let’s take a closer look.
Similarities:
- 3 timer settings to create 3 curl types: loose, medium and tight
- brushless motor
- ceramic curl chamber
- sleep mode
- auto shut off
Differences:
- only 2 heat levels max temp 400 degrees
- only weighs 1.5 lbs
Rusk Curl Freak vs. BabylissPRO Nano Titanium Miracurl Steamtech Professional Curl Machine
Another curling machine you might find out there is the BaByliss Miracurl. It uses steam technology and offers 4 heat settings with 3 different timer settings. This is a professional level tool, so you should definitely be well seasoned if you are going to choose this one.
Conclusion
Hopefully, this Rusk Curl Freak review has been helpful. If you’re ready for effortless, smooth, beautiful, long-lasting curls get your very own Rusk Engineering Curl Freak Professional Curl Machine. Happy curling!