Oh, the power of hair. At the dawn of time, who could have known that something so simple could turn out to be so significant in American culture? A good or bad hair day has the power to make or break a girl.

However, in order to have amazing locks, in many cases, you've got to take the heat. Thankfully, you don't have to burn a hole through your wallet to get these modern wonders.

Flat Irons

Channel your inner Jennifer Aniston with straightening irons that work to protect your hair from heat damage.

Splurge: CHI Ceramic Flat Iron ($79.99, www.folica.com) has ceramic heat plates that won't pull on hair. It comes with a one-year manufacturer's warranty.

Save: Conair 1 inch Professional Ceramic Straightener ($26.49, drugstores) features a 30-second heat-up and 30 different heat settings that cater anyone's hair, no matter how fragile it is.

Hair Dryers

Gone are the days when hair dryers existed only to get rid of wet hair. These advanced versions allow heat and airflow control to help actually style tresses.

Splurge: Bespoke Labs T3 Overnight Dryer ($130, Sephora) is half the size of a regular dryer but still produces the same amount of heat. With a swivel handle and lightweight body, it can fit into any bag as well.

Save: Infiniti by Conair Professional Styler ($48.99, drugstores) comes with two different attachable diffusers to style curly and wavy hair.

Curling Irons and Hot Rollers

Shirley Temple had the right idea. Curly hair has long been a coveted coiffure, but there is no need for expensive perms with these effortless and inexpensive tools.

Splurge: Braun Smoothstyler Cordless Styler ($22.99, drugstores) runs on battery power so it can make you look fabulous no matter where you are.

Save: Remington SuperSmooth Instant Heat Curling Iron ($12.99, drugstores) is simple to use and heats up in fewer than 30 seconds. It also comes in various sizes for different types of curls.

Save: VS305 Hot Rollers Dual Voltage 5 Roller Set (16.99, appliancesource.com) have a ribbed texture to hold them in place and feature non-heating sides to prevent burning your fingers.

Hair Crimpers

Waiting for braids to give you waves isn't always an option, and these easy-to-use crimpers can cut the waiting game in half.

Splurge: Solano Variable Heat Interchangeable Flat Iron ($150, www.folica.com) comes with four interchangeable plates: crimping, medium wave, straight and wide wave.

Save: Hot Tools 3-Barrel Hair Waver ($33.95, Ulta) features three gold barrels that create big waves on any type of hair.