The Dyson airwrap blew all other competition away when it arrived on the beauty scene in 2018. A somewhat surprising launch from the vacuum brand, few products have revolutionised the hair styling handbook like the multi-functional tool.
Rapidly reaching revered status owing to its ability to blow-dry and style hair simultaneously, and produce a salon-quality look at home, the Dyson airwrap has seen many improvements and advancements in the years since. This includes the i.d that came with an app to help customise your routine. Most recently came the co-anda2x airwrap, which boasts double the air pressure, a more efficient motor and updated attachments.
But, with its aspirational (read: eye-watering) circa-£500 price tag, Dyson’s creation is certainly not cheap. Luckily, myriad brands have populated the beauty market with more pocket-friendly, airwrap-inspired tools that are responsible for that TikTok-viral bouncy blow dry look. From Revlon to ghd and BaByliss, dozens of tools are complete with similar curling barrels, flyaway smoothers and hot brush attachments.
But the most famous of all just so happens to hail from another vacuum brand: Shark. The appliance brand has followed in Dyson’s footsteps and launched its own multi-styler hot brush dubbed the Flexstyle. There are now a couple of iterations, but the flagship model boasts five attachments and an in-built hair dryer. While Dyson’s tool costs between £499 and £579, Shark’s styler is nearly half the price at £299.
Offering similar versatility to Dyson’s airwrap– which has six attachments – it promises different hair styles, including straight, wavy or curly. The similarities don’t end here, with both tools using an airflow design that reduces damage, as well as coanda technology that wraps hair around the barrels.
I’ve owned a Dyson airwrap for years, but have recently upgraded to the i.d. It’s my go-to for everyday drying and styling, giving me loose curls in minutes or helping achieve a big, bouncy blow dry for evenings out. When Shark launched the flexstyle in 2022, I reviewed it at the time in comparison to the Dyson airwrap complete – now, I’m pitting the two tools against each other once again. I’ve spent weeks testing the Dyson airwrap i.d and the new Shark flexstyle 5-in-1, noting both their similarities and their differences, to conclude which hair multi styler you should invest in.
Read more: Best hair dryers 2026, tested for the perfect blow dry on three hair types
Dyson airwrap i.d multi styler
Attachments: Anti-snag loop brush, airwrap barrel x2, fast dryer, volumising brush, dryer/flyaway smoother
App functionality: Yes
Heat settings: Three
Speed settings: Three
Why we love it
- Multi functionality
- Don't need to switch between barrels
- App customisable functionality
- Waves are long-lasting
Take note
- Expensive
- Tight curls fall out
The i.d launched in 2024, introducing an AI function, which works alongside the Bluetooth connected MyDyson app to create a bespoke styling sequence best suited to your hair type and preferences. You simply input your hair profile – including skill level – then the app calculates the optimum time for wrapping, styling and setting your hair. It takes the guesswork out of curling and is great for unruly, frizzy hair like mine.
Once it’s set-up, you press the power button and it begins the sequence. You can manually override the preset temperature and air flow while using the tool during a sequence, too. Like its predecessors, the tool automatically adjusts the heat to ensure it stays below 150C to prevent heat damage.
Read more: Dyson’s airwrap id promises ‘perfect curls with no heat damage’ – but did it work?
When it comes to attachments, you’ve got six to play with. There are two barrel sizes for bouncy or tighter curls, and you can change the air flow with the flick of a switch without having to change the barrel itself, saving you both time and effort. There’s also a rounded brush for a waved look, a flat brush for a smoother, sleek style, and a conanda smoothing dryer that tames flyaways (I always use it as the last step in my routine, whichever tool I’m trying).
Unlike previous models, the i.d features a blow-dry attachment that works more effectively than the smoother as a hair dryer. It’s not as powerful or as fast-drying as actual hair dryers, but it’s a useful tool in your arsenal. The sleek hair styler comes in a storage container with compartments for each attachments.
Out of the two hair brush attachments, the loop brush is my favourite – the soft but firm bristles reach close to the scalp to smooth and brush out hair from root to end. The rounded brush, comparably, boasts finer, longer bristles that add body and volume to hair – but I find this only adds frizz to my thick locks. But for thinner, straighter hair than mine, it’s a great tool for adding texture.
The use of air rather than direct heat – dubbed the “coanda effect” – styles with minimal damage. This works by attracting hair to the surface of your chosen attachment, with the tool projecting air along each sectioned strand to smooth, before you set your style with a burst of cold air. This applies to both curling with the barrels and straightening with the smoothing hair brushes.
Though this sounds complex, in practise the tool is a breeze to use (particularly with the app connectivity). The drying attachment dries my hair effectively, with reduced frizz (and any remaining is rapidly gone thanks to the smoother). The brush attachments also turn the tool into a hot brush; simply brush through your strands, pulling up and away from the head to straighten, volumise or add a flick at the end.
Curling is where the Dyson airwrap thrives. Depending on your desired volume and curl thickness, choose between the two barrels and touch it to the tip of your sectioned hair strand. The air then automatically wraps your hair around the barrel as you move upwards through your hair. Hold it there for around 10 seconds, finishing with a cold burst of air to help keep the curl’s shape. My thick hair sometimes struggles to grip around the barrel – you can easily achieve the same end results, however, by using your hand to manually wrap strands around the attachments.
Once mastered, the Dyson airwrap is a versatile, easy-to-use tool that helps to streamline your hair styling regime. Compared to a heat curler, I find that tight curls drop out far quicker with the Dyson airwrap – however, the wave definition last up to two days.
Buy now £479.99, Lookfantastic.com
Shark flexstyle 5-in-1 hair styler
Attachments: Six: curling barrels x2, paddle brush, oval brush, diffuser, styling concentrator
App connectivity: No
Heat settings: Three
Speed settings: Three
Why we love it
- Versatile styling experience
- Straightening attachment
- Excellent hair dryer
- More relatively affordable
Take note
- No app connectivity
- Curls don't last long
The new and improved Shark flexstyle, the 5-in-1 air styler and hair dryer, launched in 2025. Easily rivalling Dyson’s airwrap for multi functionality, the tool is complete with two barrels (one for each air flow direction), a hot brush-style rounded bristle brush and a flat smoothing brush. There’s also a diffuser and styling concentrator.
Setting it apart from tools like Dyson’s, Shark’s flexstyle can transform into a traditional looking hair dryer by rotating the nozzle. This is where the tool comes into its own: the dryer is and fast and effective.
Three heat settings and three airflow options offer a far more powerful blow dry experience than Dyson’s airwrap – and even some fully-fledged hair dryers (my old BaByliss included). Plus, the diffuser attachment is adjustable for short or longer length hair, just like the larger version in Shark’s hairdryers.
Another point of difference to the Dyson i.d, Shark’s flexstyle comes with a straightening attachment. It clips on easily, allowing you to straighten and dry wet hair, or smooth dry hair. This wet and dry option applies to each of the attachments, which offers great versatility.
Shark gets extra kudos for the rounded bristle brush attachment, which I found offered more grip and precision compared to the larger brush attachment that comes with the Dyson airwrap. The flat paddle brush attachment, however, had less grip in my hair and caused more frizz than Dyson’s equivalent.
Now, onto the all-important barrels. Shark deploys the same coanda effect as Dyson, meaning curls are created with air in the curling barrel rather than heat – helping to reduce heat damage. Similarly to the airwrap, I found my hair needed a little coercing to wrap around the barrel.
Dyson’s barrels are smooth, but Shark’s are rounded and bumpy. Though this didn’t help with grip, it did prevent tangling around the barrel, while creating a more undone and natural look compared to Dyson’s airwrap.
There is a cold-burst setting that helps set your curl, but there are two separate barrels for each airflow, meaning you’ll have to switch barrels for each side of your hair. Once I got to grips with the barrels, the curl’s created were bouncy, but I did find they fell out far more quickly than Dyson’s tool.
However, with the excellent hair dryer function, straightening tool, two brushes and diffuser, Shark’s tool is a multifaceted all-rounder.
Buy now £299, Lookfantastic.com
The verdict: Shark flexstyle Vs Dyson airwrap complete
When it comes down to drying alone, Shark’s flexstyle is a clear winner, thanks to its ability to turn into a powerful, fast-drying and fully-functioning hairdryer, complete with a style concentrator and diffuser. The function is not only more effective than your average hair dryer, but far better than the Dyson airwrap i.d’s drying attachments.
However, Dyson’s smoothing element to its drying nozzle is a hero attachment for those with frizz-prone hair. Dyson’s app connectivity is also a huge plus, with the preset sequences taking all the guesswork out of curling your hair.
Being someone who mostly styles their hair straight, I benefited more from Dyson’s smoothing brushes than Shark’s attachments. The airwrap left my hair sleeker and more frizz-free. It was a similar story with the barrels, where I found Shark’s attachments slightly harder to get to grips with, while hair attached to Dyson’s barrels with more ease. The results from the Shark tool are more undone and natural, which many might prefer, but the curls didn’t last as long.
However, these gripes on Shark’s tool are minor when considering the nearly £200 price difference – particularly owing to the addition of a straightening attachment. This wet and dry tool is great for touching up and smoothing hair between washes, as well as heat drying it straight after washing. Offering similar versatility to Dyson’s, Shark’s flexstyle also benefits from its powerful hair dryer. Overall, if you’re unwilling to fork out the money for Dyson’s airwrap, Shark is the best airwrap dupe you can buy.
How I tested
I’ve been using various iterations of the Dyson airwrap for years – and the i.d has become a much-loved essential in my hair routine (it’s no exaggeration to say I’m obsessed). Equally, I’ve tried two versions of the flexstyle, with the new 5-in-1 a new addition to my routine in 2026. I compared the ease-of-use, attachments, versatility and finished results on both tools, while also testing each of the speed and heat settings, app connectivity and timing how long it took to style my hair. Trying the tools on both wet and dry hair, I considered how slick my hair looked when styled straight and how long waves stayed in my hair when curly.
Why you can trust IndyBest reviews
Senior shopping writer Daisy Lester has been covering beauty at The Independent for the past five years. She’s an expert on everything from fake tan to bronzing drops, SPF and the latest and greatest hair styling tools. From Benefit and Jones Road make-up to Refy skincare, Daisy has reviewed countless products and will always offer her honest opinions to help you find the beauty products worth buying.
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