DYSON has a plethora of hair tools, but six years after the mighty Dyson Airwrap Styler launched we are still obsessed.
The main flaw many note with the Dyson Airwrap - if you can call it that - is its staggering £479.99 price tag, hence why we are on the lookout for the best Dyson dupes that are affordable.
The Dyson Airwrap Styler is a genius hair tool that can dry and style your hair with its powerful airflow in seconds and aims to prevent intense heat damage.
When shopping for a dupe of a luxe product you need to get acquainted with the specifications.
My verdict of the original Dyson Airwrap
The Dyson Airwrap is super lightweight, which is perfect for avoiding the dreaded arm ache when drying or styling your hair.
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The main body of the styler features adjustable heat and speed settings, and the clever technology allows you to dry your hair using lower temperatures (advised by hair experts to avoid heat damage).
The Dyson Airwrap comes with numerous attachments, which include the Coanda smoothing dryer, brushes and my favourite attachments — the barrels, which create soft, sleek and voluminous waves in my hair.
During my trial run of the OJ Airwrap, experts recommended blasting my hair when curled with a cool shot to set it in place, but whether it made a difference to the hold of the style I'm still unsure.
Admittedly, when I dry my hair I usually just blast it with hot air to dry it rather than style, so while the Coanda smoothing dryer or brushes are ideal for a sleek finish, if you are styling afterwards it's not essential.
Of course, some of the attachments can be used on damp hair which is time-saving.
Dyson Airwrap™ multi-styler, from £399.99
But what truly makes the Dyson Airwrap stand out from the crowd is the Coanda technology, which works to draw in the segment of hair you are styling without knotting or tangling it.
It ensures the style is sleek with no flyaways.
But many shoppers on a budget are looking for the best Dyson dupes to save the pennies and achieve the same salon-worthy look.
Numerous Dyson Airwrap dupes on the market are multifunctional and can dry and style hair efficiently, but they are also A LOT less expensive.
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Some of our personal favourites from Shark, Nicky Clarke, Revlon, ghd, and Babyliss.
Keep reading to get the full lowdown on my thoughts and final verdicts.
Best Dyson Airwrap dupes UK
Shark FlexStyle 5-in-1 Air Styler & Hair Dryer with Storage Case
Shark FlexStyle, £269.99
Pros: Lots of identical features to the Dyson Airwrap. Can change position on styling head. Lots of
Cons: N/A
Rating: 5/5
The Shark FlexStyle Air Styler is a total game-changer in my roster of hair tools, and the one I rely on every day, for any occasion, to create any style.
I receive the most compliments about my hair after using this tool, which is always a confidence booster.
I am no hair styling expert, but the Shark FlexStyle Air Styler is the tool that helps me to achieve the closest finished look to a salon-worthy blowout.
The full set comes complete with a styling concentrator to sleek your hair down in a straight do, two barrel attachments for Hollywood waves (which are my personal favourites), a diffuser to enhance coils and an oval and paddle brush for a soft blown-out looks.
I receive the most compliments about my hair after using this tool, which is always a confidence booster.
The main difference between Shark's Air Styler and the Dyson Airwrap is the latter's handset does not bend, with the Shark design there is a nifty switch to turn the device from a pole-like tool to an L-shape, which makes it easier to style my hair, especially when creating curly or wavy styles.
I didn't have to stretch my arm meters away from my head because the tool was too long.
The Shark has numerous speed and heat settings, including a cool shot, similar to the Dyson Airwrap, and it looks almost identical.
As I mentioned the barrel tools are my preferred attachments because they create a bouncy curl, similar to a Hollywood wave, that is super long-lasting, which is difficult with my finer hair as most styles tend to drop out.
I can use the attachments on slightly damp hair to dry and style simultaneously with the Shark design, though I find drying my hair thoroughly creates a tighter and bouncier curl.
Nicky Clarke AirStyle PRO Dryer and Styler
Nicky Clarke AirStyle PRO Dryer and Styler, £249.99
Pros: Using barrel attachments curls hold for really long time, uses infrared and ionic technology to combat frizz
Cons: No brush attachment, fixed L shape design makes it more awkward to hold when styling.
Rating: 4.5/5
Nicky Clarke recently launched the AirStyle Pro Dryer and Styler, another firm favourite of mine in the hair tool category.
The Nicky Clarke AirStyle is similar to the Dyson Airwrap because it dries and styles hair in one session and is propelled by a powerful airflow.
It also features adjustable heat and speed settings too.
This design is super lightweight and compact, perfect to take on the go.
It comes complete with similar attachments to the Dyson — it includes two concentrators, two barrels and a diffuser, but the only attachment missing is a brush.
The Nicky Clarke design is fixed in that L-shape unlike the Airwrap or Shark designs, this means when the barrels are fitted the shaft is particularly long.
It is super quick and efficient to dry my hair with it, but unsurprisingly it is the barrel attachements used to create tight curls that win me over.
It is a slight bugbear of mine because it can make the tool too long, and I have to stretch my arm further away from the piece of hair I am styling.
Not only does the Nicky Clarke styler use a powerful airflow to dry and style hair, but it also uses infrared and ionic technology to reduce frizz, add shine and leave a finished look.
It is super quick and efficient to dry my hair with it, but unsurprisingly it is the barrel attachments used to create tight curls that win me over.
It really does hold for an incredibly long time - even overnight.
READ MORE:
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Silk'n SilkyAir Exclusive 5-in-1 Hair Dryer and Styler
Silk'n SilkyAir 5-in-1 Hair Dryer and Styler, £249
Pros: Various heat and speed settings, autowrap technology (similar to Coanda feature), lightweight, numerous attachments, includes a case
Cons: No diffuser tool, expensive
Rating: 4/5
The Silk'n SilkyAir Hair Dryer and Styler comes with a hefty price tag, but we think it is well worth it considering how similar it is to the Dyson AirStyler.
This creation comes with numerous attachments, similar to the Shark design, as it features the concentrator for a sleek straight blow dry, a round volumising brush, as well as a paddle brush, and two barrels.
In some sense this design is a hybrid of the Dyson, as well as the Shark and Nicky Clarke creation. The handle can fold, similar to the aforementioned to dry the hair. But where the Nicky Clarke tool folds with the barrel attachment fixed, this does too, though you can still work as an upright device also.
There are three speed settings and four heat settings to help dry and style your hair easily, but the most important part is the barrels have an autowrap feature, similar to the Coanda feature on the Dyson design to pull in all the hair being styled in a segment for a sleek do without any pesky flyaways.
A powerful, but lightweight tool, we have come to love.
Revlon Salon One-Step Hair Dryer and Volumiser
Revlon One Step Hair Dryer and Volumiser, £49.99
Pros: Time-saver as you can dry and style simultaneously and easy to use.
Cons: No additional attachments.
Rating: 3/5
Revlon's One Step Hair Dryer and Volumiser was one of the first Dyson Airwrap alternatives I tried before the pandemic hit, so I have been using it for many years.
The Revlon Volumiser has garnered huge attention on social media, with many calling it a must-have hair tool, and it absolutely is for anyone wanting to dry and style their hair simultaneously.
It is ideal for anyone not so "au fait" with creating hairstyles, as it does all the hard work for you.
It is ideal for anyone not so "au fait" with creating hairstyles, as it does all the hard work for you.
The Revlon styler can dry and style your hair, whether you want a soft and straight blow dry, or bouncy curls.
However, unlike the Dyson Airwrap, the Revlon doesn't come with additional attachments.
It's fitted with what I would liken to the round volumising brush featured on the Airwrap.
ghd Rise Professional Hot Brush
ghd Rise Professional Hot Brush, £179
Pros: Bristles on brush good for combing through knotty hair and tangles.
Cons: No interchangeable attachments, no adjustable heat settings. Cannot be used on wet hair.
Rating: 3.5/5
The ghd Rise Professional Hot Brush works seamlessly to style, tame pesky flyaways (of which I have many), create a sleek straight do with soft ends, or a subtle curl.
Similarly to the Revlon dupe, it does not have interchangeable attachments like the Dyson Airwrap.
I am a longtime ghd fan and rely on the brand's hair tools and products to create long-lasting styles that will tame my hair in seconds.
The hot brush works effectively to style my long hair, though I believe the slimline barrel version would also work a dream on shorter locks too.
However, compared to the Dyson Airwrap there are some glaringly obvious differences.
The hot brush works effectively to style my long hair
The ghd design does not have adjustable heat or speed settings, though it does heat up to 180 degrees.
But it does feature an ultra zone technology to ensure there is even heat distribution and prevent heat damage.
The brush on the ghd Rise is hugely different to those on the Dyson attachments, as the bristles are like small pronged teeth that glide through the knottiest hair seamlessly.
But the main difference between the ghd Rise and the Airwrap is that it cannot be used on wet hair and cannot dry your locks.
BaByliss Hydro Fusion Air Styler
Babyliss Hydro-Fusion Anti-Frizz 4-in-1 Hair Dryer Brush, £48 (was £60)
Pros: Targets frizz, has a selection of attachments, multiple heat settings.
Cons: Can easily get hair tangled when styling.
Rating: 3/5
The Babyliss Hydro-Fusion Anti-Frizz 4-in-1 Hair Dryer Brush is similar to the Dyson Airwrap because it is multifunctional.
You can use it to dry and style your hair using the selection of attachments included with the hair tool.
We have tested out the Babyliss hair tool, which has been touted as a bargain dupe for the Airwrap.
This design targets frizz and flyaways thanks to the anti-frizz technology and ionic system, which works to release positive and negative ions that attach to each strand of hair for a sleek and shiny finish.
Our tester noted, "There are a number of heat settings which is good to stop damaging your hair with excess.
It comes with a drying nozzle, which is similar to Dyson's concentrator nozzle, a straightening brush and a soft smoothing brush.
The only attachments missing are a diffuser and barrel tong.
It's a fierce rival to the Airwrap, and when you factor in the £390 price tag you can't go wrong
During our test, our reviewer shared, "You're supposed to move the appliance down your hair and start rotating the brush away from your head, this will create tension throughout the strand of hair; thus giving that blow-dry finish.
"This motion in itself takes a bit of practice, and you're better off starting slow as you can easily find hair tangled around if you're not careful."
But despite these snags with using the tool, overall our tester's final verdict was: "It's a fierce rival to the Airwrap, and when you factor in the £390 price tag you can't go wrong."
Drybar
Pros: Lightweight, adjustable heat/speed settings, easy to use, smaller barrel than Revlon Volumiser
Cons: No attachments, heat and speed settings are combined,
Rating: 4/5
Drybar's Double Shot Blow Dryer Brush I would say is most similar to the viral Revlon Volumiser rather than Dyson's Airwrap, as it is one device and does not have interchangeable attachments.
The Drybar creation also doesn't feature the Coanda technology, which wraps hair around the barrel, though it does use airflow to dry and style the hair.
But instead of focusing on what the Drybar device doesn't have, let's pay attention to its assets because it is an impressive tool.
The handheld brush works to dry and style the hair in one full swoop. You can alter the settings to suit your needs, but the heat and speed settings are combined in one, which makes it easy to use, especially for beginners. Though if you want a hotter temperature on a lower speed, that isn't quite possible.
What we love is the bristle and nylon prongs make it easy to glide through the hair, dry and style all in one swoop. This tool makes it easy to create a soft, smooth and straight do, or a bouncy blow dry.
Drybar The Double Shot Blow-Dryer Brush, £100 (Was £125)
What is the closest thing to a Dyson Airwrap?
In my personal opinion the Shark AirStyler or Nicky Clarke's AirStyle PRO are the most similar Dyson dupes.
Though if I had to pick my absolute number one spot it would be the Shark AirStyler.
I have used my Shark device for many years and it has stood the test of time, with no faults or issues at all, unlike other hair tools I have used in the past that can overheat or smell like burning when in use.
The Shark model's attachments, Coanda technology, combined with the numerous speed and heat settings, are the most similar to the Dyson Airwrap.
Are Dyson Airwrap dupes worth it?
If you are unsure whether or not to invest in the Dyson Airwrap, or are on a budget but need an effective hair tool to help dry and style your hair at home shopping a Dyson dupe is definitely worth it.
Plus, if you are not the most skilled at styling your hair the dupes make it super simple for you to do so, as some do not have as many attachments and are less overwhelming for beginners.
There are numerous Dyson Airwrap dupes on the market from leading hair brands, such as Shark, Revlon, Babyliss, and many others.
Some Dyson dupes cost as little as £50 and achieve similar styles efficiently, so you don't have to spend a small fortune to get impressive results.
Is Shark Airwrap as good as Dyson?
I rank the Shark AirStyler as high as the Dyson Airwrap, and while it is still expensive, it is less than the original hair tool.
The Shark AirStyler effectively dries and styles my hair quickly and efficiently, it leaves my hair silky soft and holds a style for hours on end.
When I have had my hair styled with the Dyson Airwrap it creates a sleek, frizz-free finish, and holds a style fairly well, though I think this is often down to the preparation and finishing products used on my hair.
The Shark AirStyler and the Dyson Airwrap both use Coanda technology and a powerful air flow to dry wet hair.
Styling is easy thanks to the numerous attachments, all without blasting your hair with extreme heat that could cause heat damage and breakage.
For me, the outcome of using the attachments, especially the barrels, is the same.
So why wouldn't you buy the one that is cheaper?
Why is Dyson Airwrap so expensive?
Most Dyson tools come with hefty price tags, but many shoppers question why the Dyson Airwrap comes with the £479.99 ticket.
There are some tentpole sale events throughout the year, or some Dyson Airwrap stockists may launch a promotional offer, which sees the price drop for a limited time only.
In some cases, the Dyson Airwrap could be reduced by £200.
It is assumed the Dyson Airwrap is so expensive because of the complex technology and in-depth research carried out to create the tool, which delivers an effective salon-worthy finish.
However, other tools offer some of the same technological features, such as Shark, but cost a fraction of the price.