Making sure you bought an authentic Chi iron

Fake VS Real

Plug

In most cases, authentic Chi irons will have a GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter) with a reset button on the plug. This is the easiest way to tell if your iron is fake or real. The exceptions to this is the Chi Digital Nano 1.25", CHI Mini 1" and the CHI Volumizing Iron which do not have a GFCI with the reset button, but come with a UL-Certified power cord instead.

It is important that you purchase an authentic CHI with either the GFCI plug or UL-Certified power cord because these are the only cords approved for use by CHI, and as such have far better safety features compared to generic and counterfeit irons.

Here's a simple thought: you may save a few dollars buying a counterfeit iron instead of an authentic one, but how much would it cost if something were to happen to the power cord? The cheap, generic power cords found on counterfeit irons may catch on fire and cause thousands of dollars in damage, or could also pose an electrocution risk - you could easily be injured or killed by a faulty power cord. It simply isn't worth it - there is no substitute for an authentic iron.

Tag/Label

Another common way to tell if your CHI is a fake is by the label. Again, in most cases, authentic CHI irons will have all caution/warning labels and any iron information engraved into the iron. Any Chi iron that has a sticker with the iron information on it is more than likely a fake. All Chi original irons will never have any sticker on the iron unless it is a fake. With the exception of the CHI Nano irons which will have a clear sticker with warning and iron information.

Switch and LED

CHI Original 1" irons will have an LED light next to the on/off switch. When the iron is in the off position, the LED will be clear. If you have a Fake CHI Original, the LED when in the off position will stay red.

Also note in the following photo - the fake iron does not have the proper labeling, and there is no engraving next to the power switch.

Logo and Other Fake Characteristics

CHI takes pride in the way their irons look. A fake CHI iron may have an offset logo, where the letters "CHI" will appear in the wrong position. An authentic CHI iron will have the logo printed directly in the center of the round plastic cap of the handle. Manufacturers of counterfeit irons often have sub-par manufacturing equipment which results in inconsistent quality.

 



In the following photo, we can see that the counterfeit iron on the left is poorly made - in this case the counterfeit manufacturer simply decided to forgo the floating plates on the iron; they simply attached it with cheap household screws. One of the great features of an authentic CHI iron is that it has "floating" plates, which are far superior because they do not snag hair and they are also able to distribute heat more evenly whilst ironing.



 
By following this guide, you should now be able to tell whether an iron is counterfeit or authentic. Remember, CHI irons are often imitated but never duplicated - there is simply no substitute for the real deal!

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