My cheapie hair straightener is just not cutting it so for Christmas I'm hoping for a good hair straightener. Initially I was looking at a GHD but then came across the Cloud Nine which seems to be promoted as the 'new ghd', so I'm now confused.

I asked my new hairdresser but she turned out to be GHD stockings, so I don't think I got an unbiased view From what I read, the main difference with the Cloud Nine is the variable temperature, but the one I currently have (granted a cheapie) I always need to use at the highest setting anyway, so is this really something to be sold on?

On a side issue, what heat protective treatments are good when using hair straighteners?