Dyson Airwrap vs Shark FlexStyle: This is which sizzling air tool is worth your money

To dupe or now not to dupe?

This is the place a query to of 1 must place a spot a query to of to themselves when taking a undercover agent on the $600 Dyson Airwrap(opens in a unique tab), a hair tool with hundreds of hype and a hefty label to compare. Even though there are many Airwrap dupes accessible, none have come so shut to recreating the Dyson expertise as the Shark FlexStyle(opens in a unique tab), which begins at a grand extra manageable $279.ninety 9.

They undercover agent in general an analogous, however the similarities place now not factual waste there. The Shark FlexStyle performs factual as smartly, and in some cases even outperforms the Airwrap — but Dyson silent has somewhat of an edge. We’ve been testing both merchandise for months, and have performed a deep dive in comparing them in account for to salvage out once and for all a winner on this fight of the unique air tools. (And when that you need to even very smartly be into deep dives, place now not neglect try our fleshy critiques of the Airwrap and FlexStyle).

How is the Shark FlexStyle the same as the Dyson Airwrap?

The FlexStyle bares a striking different of similarities to the Airwrap, potentially due to the truth that the normal Airwrap dropped in 2018, and the extra fresh expertise in June 2022, totally building on the product’s reputation. In pure dupe timing, Shark’s iteration came out in September 2022.

The noteworthy arrangement of the FlexStyle used to be that it makes spend of the same Coanda air expertise that Dyson gave the impact to have on lock for so a long time (and from its internet characteristic appears to give it some belief silent has sole issue over). With that tech and the curling barrels, long previous are the times when of us needed to persuade themselves they’ll even accumulate Airwrap curls with their Revlon One-Steps.

In terms with what comes with every multi-styler out of the box, Dyson does offer a chunk extra tools. On the different hand, Shark charges a decrease heed ($279.ninety 9) for fewer tools — but tools which that you need to even pick out. Or, for $299.ninety 9, that you need to even make a option from the region for straight and wavy hair(opens in a unique tab) or curly and coily hair(opens in a unique tab). Every stylers have attachments on hand for further have, which we will contact on extra under.

What attachments are included with the Dyson Airwrap:

• Coanda smoothing dryer

• 1.2-plod Airwrap lengthy barrel

• 1.6-plod Airwrap lengthy barrel

• Company smoothing brush

• Soft smoothing brush

• Spherical volumizing brush

Present off: I in actuality have lengthy hair, so Dyson despatched me the “lengthy” model of the Airwrap (which in general factual applies to the curling barrels), on the opposite hand it’s far the actual same heed.

What attachments are included with the Shark FlexStyle:

• Styling concentrator

• Two 1.25-plod auto-wrap curlers (for outward and inward curl instructions)

• Oval brush

• Hobble brush (straight and wavy) or diffuser

Clearly, Dyson offers some diversity within the curl sizes and Shark is accessible in sizzling for textured hair with a diffuser (which even within the array of further choices, Dyson would now not have). Even as you happen to’ve gotten got curly hair, Dyson does offer a curly/coily model of the Airwrap(opens in a unique tab) that swaps one among the smoothing brushes for a huge teeth comb.

The FlexStyle additionally has a twisting mechanism in its hideous, which permits you to spend to tool extra love a weak hair dryer. It does indicate that you need to even spend the attachments and multi-styler in a technique that you merely can now not with the Dyson, which helps originate up for the truth that it comes with fewer attachments general.

For the attachments which could well maybe well maybe be in general the same between the two tools, I regularly seen a incompatibility between their efficiency when reviewing the FlexStyle (which I reviewed after the Airwrap). To substantiate their similarity, I feeble primarily the most an analogous attachments yet again to trend one half of of my hair every, to accumulate a correct aspect by aspect comparability. This is what I stumbled on:

The curling barrel attachments

As I discussed, the Dyson curling barrels are a chunk longer, where Shark remains to be a one size totally operation. When in actuality styling my hair, on the opposite hand, I did now not in actuality idea the Shark feeling extra annoying to work with or extra limiting within the sizes of sections I could well also receive.

The greater incompatibility comes from the truth that the Shark barrels are extra equivalent to gen-one Airwrap barrels — for switching the course of the curl, it’s far mandatory to swap the barrels. As I renowned in my FlexStyle review, this used to be in actuality intention less of a bother than I anticipated, but I did idea the adaptation extra when styling my hair aspect by aspect.

I love a rather extra undone undercover agent, and curls going toward and away the face assist kind that — the Airwrap made that swap gleaming easy. Gentle, on its personal, it’s now not enough of an disaster to spring the extra $300. On the waste of the day, curling my hair took roughly an an analogous quantity of time (with the Airwrap being a instant time sooner) and produced the same undercover agent.

Every wands additionally produced kinds that held for an an analogous quantity of time, which is to issue now not all that lengthy — in both of my prior critiques, I renowned how even with prepping the hair and using hair spray, sizzling air curls factual place now not set up the same intention these from a curling wand or iron place. For me, these attachments are now not the motive to accumulate either of these multi-stylers, but some of us appear to in actuality love them. Either intention, between the two tools, the efficiency is sort of an analogous.

Styling concentrator and smoothing dryer attachments

For drying down my wet hair to the 85 p.c dry fluctuate for many of these kinds, I feeble every multi-styler’s dryer attachments (innovative). Right here is where the Dyson’s rob on the Coanda tech in actuality shined.

The smoothing dryer affords an all-over tough dry, and then can even additionally be switched to a smoothing aspect, which makes spend of the Coanda air drift to rob your hair, drying it and taming frizz on the same time. Or now not it’s gleaming simple to spend, and while it’ll also now not totally rid you of frizz (or place as factual a job as the devoted smoothing brush), it does elevate the tough dry job.

The Shark, on the different hand, has a leg up in that it’ll also additionally be feeble to dry hair sans any attachments. The air drift is under no circumstances concentrated, on the opposite hand it gets the job performed, and positively provides to its dart-friendly philosophize. The styling concentrator itself works gleaming, is nothing all that special, and kind of appears love a vacuum attachment.

By job of dry time, Dyson once extra has a miniature edge, proving to be a pair minutes sooner.

Oval and round brush attachments

It’s good to well maybe well maybe also be greatly greatly surprised (in which we indicate under no circumstances) yet again to be taught that for primarily the most section, it used to be exhausting to discern an valid incompatibility between the round brushes of the Shark and the Dyson. Most obviously, they shatter a chunk varied results because they are accessible in varied sizes.

Technically, the FlexStyle is an oval brush, which has a wiser, oblong diameter. The Airwrap is a pure round brush, with a 2.21-plod diameter. The smaller size makes for getting a miniature curl or flip on the waste of your hair more uncomplicated, as that you need to even ogle under, where I styled the beautiful aspect of my hair with the Dyson.

Shark has lately released a correct round brush(opens in a unique tab) that appears love an even extra one-to-one reproduction of the Dyson brush. For what I examined although, both had been moderately easy to transfer thru my hair. The Shark has the classic combo of nylon and boar bristles while the Dyson makes spend of totally tinier nylon bristles, and general gave the impact to have extra venting, which did a chunk tempo up the drying job.

The totally other incompatibility here is that the Shark brush can set up a chunk of further stress, which is in particular noticeable within the twisting mechanism within the hideous. It by no intention felt love it used to be going to ruin, on the opposite hand it did originate the final Dyson expertise feel better.

Smoothing brush attachments

In my normal review of the Dyson, the smoothing brushes had been my personal well-liked of the attachments, as they proved enormous for taming frizz (a godsend on my wavy, dry hair) and achieving a straight silent undercover agent, all with factual the effort it takes to in general brush my hair.

The FlexStyle trot brush offers a an analogous undercover agent, but has extra rounded edges when it’s top to kind extra flip on the ends of your hair. The set up the Dyson offers two brushes, every with a singular soft and company bristle form respectively, the FlexStyle brush makes spend of boar and nylon bristles, factual love its round brush.

Honestly, these variations weren’t that noticeable within the actual efficiency of the brushes. Correct to kind, the Dyson dried my hair a limited bit sooner — although both stylers had been using the middle heat and total fan tempo — taking a chunk over 5 minutes where the FlexStyle took nearer to 10. The Dyson used to be per chance a chunk of lighter, which felt extra noticeable as I slowly moved the comb down my hair.

When it used to be all acknowledged and performed, my hair regarded and felt the genuine same — straight, shimmering, and at ease — and held the trend all day (although that is now not fresh for my hair to place when straightened).

Further attachments supplied

The opposite indispensable attachment that comes included in Shark’s curly hair region is the diffuser, which affords Shark a noteworthy advantage over the Airwrap. Wavy- and curly-haired of us gradually spend diffusers, so it appears love barely the oversight for the Airwrap now not to have one.

This is where Shark’s twisting mechanism in actuality comes into play, because it permits you to spend a diffuser in a technique that is extra natural, and that Dyson merely can now not replicate. We will set up our fingers crossed for the future, but within the within the intervening time, when you desire a Dyson diffuser, that you need to have to stir with its Supersonic hair dryer.

Shark further attachments for have:

• Spherical brush(opens in a unique tab)

• Wide teeth comb(opens in a unique tab)

• 0.95-plod auto-wrap curlers(opens in a unique tab)

Factoring in these further attachments, Shark offers a enormous total of eight varied attachments, priced personally at $29.95 every.

Dyson further attachments for have:

• 0.8-plod Airwrap barrel(opens in a unique tab)

• Minute at ease smoothing brush(opens in a unique tab)

• Minute company smoothing brush(opens in a unique tab)

• Minute round volumizing brush(opens in a unique tab)

Dyson’s particular person attachments cost a chunk of further per allotment at $39.ninety 9. Overall, the Airwrap has 10 like minded attachments, now not accounting for the doubles between the “lengthy” and well-liked variations of the barrels (because that you need to likely accumulate one or the different).

Neither worth offers the rest that varied with the extra attachments, but Shark offers extra diversity veritably with the supposed just of the tools — offering a diffuser and a huge comb, to illustrate, feels better than Dyson’s four varied smoothing brushes. Even as you happen to can even very smartly be into micro-customization although, the Airwrap will you have gotten got you lined.

Differences in heat injury

One of many elephantine advantages of using sizzling air tools is that they don’t expose your hair to as excessive, inform heat as weak sizzling tools love flat irons or curling wands.

Dyson’s heat set up a watch on system measures the Airwrap’s temp over 40 times per 2d to make certain the hair will by no intention be hit with air hotter than 302 degrees Fahrenheit. A Shark representative told Mashable that the FlexStyle tops out at 203 degrees and measures the tool’s temperature up to 1,000 times per 2d.

Clearly, that is a grand better number, and now not which that you need to even take into accounts to measure while using it. What I might train is that I place now not idea a vast incompatibility between the tip heat on the Dyson and the Shark, and positively now not a 100 diploma one.

Even though particular person injury is additionally nearly most now not prone to measure, I place now not salvage my hair within the muse feels extra fried using one tool over the different. I might train that the FlexStyle has extra heat choices, offering a warm, medium, and sizzling heat to boot to the frigid shot button. The Airwrap, on the different hand, has a cold, warm, and sizzling air drift, as smartly as a groovy shot swap, although there is now not a discernible temperature incompatibility between the frigid surroundings and frigid shot swap. Every tools have three air speeds.

As a instant aside, although the controls are a chunk varied, neither felt better than the different, although I did a chunk pick on the frigid shot swap mechanism of the Dyson to the button of the Shark. On the different hand, I place now not deem that is a originate or ruin characteristic.

Overall, both feel better for hair smartly being than weak sizzling tools (and felt considerably better than more cost effective sizzling air tools love the One-Step). As with all heat styling, it’s top to always be using a heat protectant when using either.

The greatest perks of splurging on an Airwrap

So why would anyone spend double the worth? As with all costly luxury product, Dyson does surpass Shark when it comes down to the details.

As an illustration, Airwraps have always come with a carrying case. Or now not it’s far a chunk full, but its velvet inside of and soft exterior feel good, and much beat storing your multi-styler in its normal box, as I in actuality have with the FlexStyle. It is worth noting on the opposite hand, that Shark has lately come out with its personal storage case(opens in a unique tab).

Gentle, Dyson has the leg up, additionally offering a model stand(opens in a unique tab) and a dart case(opens in a unique tab) for taking your Airwrap on the stir.

Past storage, as renowned above, the Dyson does dry a limited bit sooner. Personally, I’m extra keen on its colours than the beige Shark. At final, the Dyson is a tad quieter, but now not so grand so that it could possibly maybe well originate any functional incompatibility in train, waking up a roommate over the Shark — primarily, it’s factual a chunk extra gratifying to listen to as you place your hair.

Which is a wiser value?

Even as you happen to can even very smartly be taking a undercover agent in the case of pure value, the acknowledge within reason evident: Budge for the FlexStyle. Over again, it’s at least half of the worth of the Dyson, and largely performs the same. Yes, there are some minor areas where the Dyson is known as a chunk of better — and per chance if it had been $50 or $100 extra I’d train stir for the Dyson.

But that you need to even aquire two FlexStyles for the cost of 1 Dyson. It’s good to well maybe well maybe also aquire extra attachments for more cost effective. Over again, I’ve had both for months, and neither feels love it’s performing any worse than the day I purchased it.

Even as you happen to can even very smartly be willing to let stir of factual a chunk of of that luxury feel, and in its set up factual desire a tool that will trend your hair and place it smartly, the FlexStyle is the components to stir.

Is it more uncomplicated to salvage the FlexStyle in stock?

Every the Airwrap and the FlexStyle are on hand at diverse retailers, together with:

• Most effective Aquire: Airwrap(opens in a unique tab) and FlexStyle(opens in a unique tab)

• Sephora: Airwrap(opens in a unique tab) and FlexStyle(opens in a unique tab)

• Amazon: FlexStyle(opens in a unique tab)

• Dyson internet characteristic (opens in a unique tab)

• Shark internet characteristic (opens in a unique tab)

Even though stock can silent succeed or leave out with both tools, the Airwrap is now not nearly as elusive because it once used to be. On the time of writing, it’s in stock on Dyson’s internet characteristic, at Sephora(opens in a unique tab) in its special model color, and at Most effective Aquire(opens in a unique tab). The FlexStyle is additionally broadly on hand.

The final verdict: Shark FlexStyle vs. Dyson Airwrap

This likely comes as no shock in retaining with all the pieces above, but when that you need to even very smartly be now not anyone who wants luxury for the sake of luxury, that is a obvious stir for the dupe — the FlexStyle offers nearly all the pieces the Airwrap does, and then some extras that the Airwrap would now not, for half of the worth.

In step with the FlexStyle’s additions up to now, from the storage case to the expanded fluctuate of attachments, it appears no topic Dyson does next with its multi-styler, Shark is prone to have a study. So why now not stir for innovation at a grand extra cheap heed?