Expert’s Rating
Pros
- Exquisite and premium design
- Creates a whole range of styles
- Less heat damage to your locks
- Customisable versions for different hair types
Cons
- Very expensive
- Products and prep needed for long-lasting styles
- Travel pouch not included with every Airwrap
Our Verdict
There’s a reason that the Dyson Airwrap has its reputation: it’s a miracle hot air styling tool that can give you endless ways to change up your hair. But, like other Dyson beauty products, it’s expensive.
When it comes to premium hair tools, none are more distinctive than those made by Dyson, which are built with high-end materials and hair protection in mind.
Alongside the Dyson Supersonic hairdryer and Dyson Corrale hair straightener is the Dyson Airwrap. This is a hot air multi-styling tool which can be used to dry, curl, straighten, blow-dry and wave your hair in a variety of ways.
The Airwrap is splashed all over TikTok, Instagram and YouTube thanks to its salon-worthy results that can be easily replicated at home, even if you’re not a beauty guru. But is it worth the hefty price tag? Here are my thoughts.
Design & build
- Stunning premium build
- Heat reduction technology
- Heavier than some other multi-styling tools
The Dyson Airwrap has a gorgeous metal finish that both looks and feels high end. I tested out the original fuchsia and nickel option, but you can also buy it in the following colourways at the time of writing: prussian blue and copper, nickel and copper, copper and nickel, topaz orange and vinca blue and rosé.
In the box there are six different attachments. These are the Coanda smoothing dryer, the 30mm barrel, the 40mm barrel, the soft smoothing brush, the firm smoothing brush and the round volumising brush. There is also a filter cleaning brush for regular maintenance.
Hannah Cowton / Foundry
Dyson offers different sets to suit various hair types. If you opt for the long version (recommended for hair below the chest and longer), you get 1.6in curling barrels. The standard version (for any hair shorter than that) comes with 1.2in barrels. There is also a version specifically for people with curls and coils, which comes with different attachments.
If you buy directly from Dyson, you can customise what your Airwrap includes. The site even includes a quiz, so you can choose the best combination of tools to suit your hair type.
The first time I used the Dyson Airwrap, it felt like magic
Note that this is the new version of the Dyson Airwrap. The older version includes a different dryer attachment, and the barrels cannot be rotated to change the air flow direction.
Without an attachment, the Dyson Airwrap measures 272 x 41 x 48 mm and weighs 611g with the cord included. This is on the heavier side, but I never really suffered arm ache using it. It comes with a 2.62m swivel cord, and no cordless option is available.
The V9 motor is quieter than a traditional hairdryer, and doesn’t leave my head smelling like burnt toast
All the tools come in a very swish leather case, making it perfect for storage. If you want to take the entire product away with you in the case, then fair warning: it is a hefty beast. Sadly, Dyson doesn’t include a smaller travel pouch with every Airwrap.
Each attachment unlocks via a little switch on the back and is easy to click into place. The little nub on the top can be rotated to switch the air flow, or in the case of the dryer, transform the styling tool. On the front and centre is the power button, with a cool shot above.
There are two sliders for both the heat and airflow, with low, medium and high options for each. The V9 motor (powered by a 13-blade impeller) produces a much quieter sound than a traditional hairdryer, and doesn’t leave my head smelling like burnt toast.
This is because Dyson keeps the temperature under 150°C and measures it over 40 times per second. This prevents excessive heat damage, especially when compared with some products which warm up to over 200°C.
Hannah Cowton / Foundry
Performance and styling
- A whole host of different styles to choose from
- Looks like you’ve just been to the hairdressers
- Product and prep needed for long-lasting results
The first time I used the Dyson Airwrap, it felt like magic. I tried out a curly blowout, and my locks looped around the barrel with barely any manoeuvring. I simply held the Airwrap at the end of my hair, and it did all the work for me.
This is because of the ‘Coanda effect’, which is when high speed airflow in the cylinder barrels creates a vortex, thereby sucking in nearby hair via the vents and attracting it to the surface of the tool. It also means you aren’t in danger of burning your fingers like you might on traditional heated tools.
Hannah Cowton & Henry Burrell / Foundry
Before using the Airwrap, you’ll need damp and detangled hair – I usually get mine to about 80% dry. If your hair is already dry, make sure you dampen it with a splash of water. If you’re working with freshly washed hair, then you can use the Coanda smoothing dryer to blast it before styling.
I was extremely surprised by how quick and effective this dryer was, considering I have long, thick, type 2a hair. This attachment by itself would leave my hair much smoother than if I let it dry naturally. I don’t have to reach for my old, rusty hair dryer that is long past its sell-by-date – though if you have more curly or coily hair, this might not be the case.
Once you’ve dried it to damp, then you can choose your attachment. As a general rule, the barrels are used for curling and waving (the thinner the barrel, the tighter the curl/wave), the paddle brushes are used for straightening and the round bristle brush is for volume and blow-out styles.
The Coanda smoothing dryer can also be used to tame any flyaways or tame any extra bits of hair if you’re going for a sleek finish. Personally I couldn’t get the hang of this attachment – I prefer to just tame any wayward strands with a comb.
My go-to attachments are the barrels, as they’re so versatile. If you let your hair wrap around the barrel, then you’ll get more bouncy curls. However, you can also place the barrel upside down and use your hand to hold them in place, which will give you more mermaid-style waves – my personal favourite look.
Check out all the styles I managed to achieve with the Airwrap. These were beachy waves with the 30mm barrel, tighter curls with the 30mm barrel, straight hair with the firm smoothing brush, a blowout with the volumizing brush and big, loose curls with the 40mm barrel:
The Dyson Airwrap yields glossy, shiny and bouncy results that I’ve never been able to achieve with straighteners, curling irons or classic hot air brushes. My hair never got caught on the tool, and attachments glide with ease.
Changing the air flow determines which way the hair wraps around the barrel, which affects whether your hair curls towards or away from your face. It took me some experimenting to get the looks I wanted, so try out different directions to see what works for you. If you want a more natural finish, alternating the airflow between curls is a good way to go.
All those attachments are a tad intimidating, but fortunately Dyson has a series of easy-to-follow YouTube tutorials (I’ve watched several at least seven times). There, you can find the technique for various styles, as well as the recommended heat/air flow settings for each method.
Hannah Cowton / Foundry
If a particular style isn’t available here, then there are plenty of other videos from content creators available online – some of which have been instrumental in my testing process.
Influencer and Dyson Ambassador Victoria Magrath stresses the importance of prepping your hair for the longest lasting results, and I can confirm that it makes a big difference. After all, you’re trying to replicate looks that you’d see at the hairdressers, and you wouldn’t find many stylists creating ‘dos without a product or two.
We’ve established that the Dyson Airwrap is a phenomenal product… but you would expect as much for a price of $599/£479
This means using heat protection spray. Even if you’re using a kinder tool, heat is still heat. A spritz of hairspray at the end is crucial to getting the hold, but you may also want to experiment with mousse, salt spray or gels before styling depending on your hair type.
If you’re curling or doing a blowout, then make sure to use a cool shot to set each piece, and then pin each curl in place as you finish off your bonce.
When I did all these things, my hair would last well throughout the day and hold up under the grim, windy London weather. Some even had some lasting effects overnight if I put my hair in a bun with a silk scrunchie, though these styles did need a touch-up.
These things all take more time, naturally. If you don’t have that luxury, then you’ll still be able to achieve great results with the Airwrap with a quick ten-minute job, but it may drop after a few hours.
Hannah Cowton / Foundry
Price and availability – Is the Dyson Airwrap worth the cost?
We’ve established that the Dyson Airwrap is a phenomenal product… but you would expect as much for a price of $599/£479. You can buy it directly from Dyson US and Dyson UK, as well as other third-part retailers such as Best Buy, Nordstrom and Amazon in the US, and Boots, John Lewis and Amazon in the UK.
The Dyson Airwrap is a high-demand tool, and therefore stock often runs out, or (in the case of Amazon) the item is priced up. If you want to save some money, you could also opt for the older version of the product which has a discounted price, but this is quite hard to get your hands on.
The Airwrap is much more expensive than some other hot air styling rivals. However, it does boast the heat-reduction technology, which should be less damaging to your hair in the long run. It is also extremely customisable, so a great option if you struggle to find a tool that works for your hair type.
Hannah Cowton / Foundry
There are other alternatives, of course. Shark has the FlexStyle, which costs $299/£299. There is also the Revlon One Step, but this only has one brush attachment which can be used for blow drying, so is only suitable for straight, volumised and loose curl finishes.
It would be nice if Dyson offered a version with fewer attachments for a lower price, as not all users will get use out of everything and may want to save the cash.
The Dyson Airwrap is a miracle product, but it is a true investment. Only buy one if you want versatility in your styling and are prepared to take some time to achieve long-lasting looks.
For some more budget friendly styling tools, you can also check out our charts of the best hair straighteners and the best hair dryers.
Verdict
The Dyson Airwrap is by far the best styling tool I’ve used, and has, for the most part, replaced my hair dryer, straightener and curling iron. The various attachments have also enabled me to experiment with new styles, from beach waves to retro blowouts that I’ve never been able to do at home before.
It leaves my hair feeling bouncy and shiny – and far better than any other look I’ve tried to achieve with cheaper styling tools. However, there is no getting around that humongous price. Therefore, consider how important the variety of tools are to you, and the heat damage reduction.
There are other alternatives on the market, but you’d be hard pressed to find something this effective and versatile elsewhere.