Dyson Airwrap vs Shark FlexStyle: Which is the right one for you? | The Sun

BOTH the Dyson Airwrap and the Shark Flexstyle are in high demand this Christmas, but it can be hard to know which one to go for.

If you're not sure which styling tool to invest in, then don't panic as we've done the hard work and compared the two stylers.

• Shark FlexStyle 5 in 1 Hair Styler & Dryer, £300, Argos – buy here
• Dyson Airwrap Multi-Styler Complete in Vinca Blue, £499.99 from Boots – buy here

The iconic Dyson Airwrap has many fans, but comes with a super high price tag yet, despite this for hair health and ease many would argue it can't be beaten.

In recent months, there's been many a rival popping up, and Shark's FlexStyle takes the crown as one of the most frequently compared.

The two multi-stylers look incredibly similar, and it's pretty clear who's inspired who, but there are some key differences shoppers should be wary of.

So if you've been thinking of treating yourself this Christmas and to figure out, which is the right styler for you, we've tested both models to fully decide which one you should buy.

So without further ado, let's get to testing.

What we tested?

Dyson Airwrap,was the first of the two stylers to launch, and the styler many dupes are now modelled on.

We've compared it to the Shark Flexstyle, which has an undeniable likeliness to the Airwrap, and a number of similar features.

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Both stylers combine a number of styling attachments with heated air to style your hair, and create gorgeous, bouncy curls, smooth blow dries and more without burning or damaging your hair by exposing it to high heat like traditional stylers e.g. curlers or straighteners.

How we tested?

I set out to test out the question on everyone's lips – which of the two power tools should you invest in, after all there's a considerable price difference.

Both the Airwrap and the Flexstyle use hot air to power their tools, to style and dry your hair in one swoop.

We tested the tools by using on wet hair, to make sure we fully tested both stylers full potential, using all smoothing, curling and volume attachments.

Performance

Dyson has recently released their latest Airwrap, what can easily be referred to as the new improved model. 

The new Airwrap includes new attachments, such as their flyaway Conanda smoothing dryer, and the 30mm and 40mm Airwrap barrels as standard. 

And alongside these are significant changes that many beauty fans will love.

There is now the option to choose between the Complete Long as opposed to the normal length – good news for those with longer or thicker hair that are looking to invest. 

The best, and newest feature is that now, most stylers can be changed with a click, a smart feature that makes it much easier to use.

There's now no need to switch between right and left curlers, instead you twist the top, which changes direction – and takes away a cumbersome step, saving you time and energy.

This is also the case with the Coanda smoothing dryer, which replaces the older dryer attachment, and can be twisted to open and close – depending on the style you want and need. 

Again this reduces unnecessary steps – it really does feel like the whole process has been fine tuned. 

The performance is still as strong as ever, the Airwrap uses hot air to style your hair results in less damage.

Shoppers can currently choose between three models, the Multi-Styler Complete Long, Multi-Styler Complete and Multi-Styler Complete Coily/Curly – but I tested the Multi-Styler Complete Long.

On wet hair, I started with the Coanda smoothing dryer attachment, which not only dries your hair with ease, but can easily twist on the flyaway attachment for a smooth, frizz free finish.

Once about 80% dry, it's then time to move on to the styling attachments.

The smoothing brush, which was the easiest tool to use by far, and perfect if you want a sleek finish without resorting to straighteners – it's perfect if you're short on time.

Next the volume brush, which made styling bangs a breeze. No more hard coordination with a brush and hair dryer, the volume brush gives you a glam, blow dried finish on the front of your hair.

Then it was on to the famous Coanda curls, in our review we said "The curls it produced were smooth and slick, perfect for a bouncy blowout" – and we couldn't agree more.

With their 30mm curl attachments, and a bit of research and practice, it didn't take long to Airwrap the curls and the whole process is much easier than with a traditional styler.

I was lucky enough to be treated to a styling session at Dyson's salon on Oxford Street who shared a number of tricks to ensure your curls lasted, and looked their best.

Firstly, it's recommended to keep sections small, and start from the middle.

Although people often say the curls don't hold, it's really all about the prep. Prep your hair correctly and use hairspray as you usually would when styling, and set with cold and those curls will stay.

Dyson also showed me when testing this, that the best way to do curls was to hold in the middle and let the barrels curl it, do this for 10 seconds, cold blast and pull down. 

The new styler has taken everything we loved about the original Airwrap and improved it, so if you're deciding between the toy this is the one to go for. 

But if you're on a budget the original is still strong – and iconic. 

One thing to note, whilst longer barrels are helpful for those with longer hair, it is down to preference – but we love that the new model means you can choose your set.

Then we turned our attention to the FlexStyle.

The Shark FlexStyle is a great hair tool and thanks to its multitude of stylers it’s a great option for those looking to invest in just one product. 

And thanks to the fact it uses hot air rather than heated plates your hair suffers less damage and you’re able to see this from the start, my hair looked sleek and shiny. 

It’s easy to use, so even the most unpractised hair stylists amongst us will be able to grasp it and style blow dries with ease. 

I was a huge fan of the lightweight, large design and powerful performance, which translated into fabulous, modern results. 

And the storage, and vanity case means you’ll be able to use it at home and on the go. 

However, due to some design choices, I can’t help but compare it to the Airwrap – which whilst smaller and more expensive was slightly easier to use. 

That said, I was very impressed with it's styling powers, the curls where lovely and bouncy, my hair looked sleek – overall, it was a dream to use.

However, whilst the curls looked defined to start with I noticed that the curls would drop quickly and it was fiddly trying to find the cold blast button to set the curl when in use as was at the bottom of the styler. 

This was a common problem, so if you were switching between heat, power it was harder to find the right setting.

However, with these small choices resulting in a £200 saving, it’s a must for beauty fans who want to create beautiful, salon fresh blow out looks with ease. 

Value and Price

There's a big difference in price between the two but firstly, let's be honest, neither is cheap.

The Shark FlexStyle is priced at £300, whilst the Airwrap is a hefty £479.99, or £499.99 if you go for the new Vinca Blue and Rose colourway.

Depending on what you want, will be a big factor in which one you go for, I couldn't help thinking I preferred using the original Airwrap, with a slicker finish and easier to use controls, and less swapping between attachments.

But this is an easy thing to forgive for a £170 price difference – as we're literally splitting hairs comparing the two (if you'll pardon the pun).

Both tools combine a number of tools, so it's much cheaper than buying a styler, hair dryer, curler and straightener altogether.

The Airwrap has legions of fans despite it's huge cost, but it's a real investment, this is where we can argue the Shark has it edge.

Our verdict

The Shark Flexstyle is a worth competitor for the mighty Airwrap, and has the lead on price.

However, we get the feeling that the Dyson is a more finessed tool.

With certain design changes between the two, the Dyson is a slicker tool to use, but the FlexStyle is a worthy competitor, and undeniably better value for money.

The difference on the finish on the two tools was small, again we preferred the curls on the Airwrap, but the FlexStyle's styling power was still pretty good.

If you're looking to invest, then it all comes down to your budget, and even what deals you'll be able to find.

Whilst I'm swaying towards Dyson as the winner, Shark's put up a pretty good fight and I'd happy use both.

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Where to buy the Dyson Airwrap?

• Boots
• Amazon
• Currys

Where to buy the Shark FlexStyle?

• Argos
• Shark
• Currys
• Very
• John Lewis
• Boots

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