Dyson Airwrap Styler Review: How does it compare to cheaper hair stylers?
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DYSON’S Airwrap is one of the most popular hair tools on the market, with many of us coveting the wet-to-dry styler.
The hair styler from Sir James’s design firm promises to do everything your straighteners, hairdryer, rollers and brushes do, all in one without fierce, damaging heat - there's just one thing, they cost a whopping £450.
- Dyson Airwrap, from £399 at Selfridges -
- Dyson Airwrap, from £399 from Boots -
- Dyson Airwrap, from £399 from John Lewis -
But could the Airwrap be worth the money? To find out, JENNY FRANCIS pitted it against individual styling tools in a series of tasks and names a winning and losing gadget in each showdown.
Her overall verdict: “As much as I don’t want to admit it of a product with a £450 price tag, I think it’s an absolute wonder-tool.”
Bouncy blowdry
Beats normal hairdryer by 40 minutes
Jenny Francis
WINNER: Dyson
I WAS honestly a bit emotional when I first used the Dyson barrel attachment.
The air flows out hot and fast, in a circular motion. So the minute you section a piece of hair and hold it up to the product, it sucks it round for you, so all you have to do is move the styler closer to your head and hold it.
And here is the magical bit – you can do this with ONE HAND.
In just 20 minutes, I have got a blowdry even some £50-a-pop salons can’t achieve.
LOSER: Hairdryer and brush
For me the curls are never tight enough, I’m for ever ripping bits of my hair out on the barrel brush and it usually takes about an hour.
Straight
No damage... unlike the straighteners
Jenny Francis
WINNER: Dyson
MY hair doesn’t go straight easily, so I’m sceptical about the Dyson’s claims that it can do the job.
This attachment is a large brush with air that is forced out from within. Just section hair and pass it through the brush.
Thanks to the speed the air comes out at, it dries really quickly even though the product will never get hotter than 150C. The whole job takes 16 minutes.
LOSER: Straighteners
Once I’ve washed my hair I have to dry it with a hairdryer before I can straighten it. The whole job takes 32 minutes.
The result is just as straight as the Dyson, but the straighteners’ 200C heat leaves my hair dry and damaged.
Loose waves
Not great - curling tongs do a better job
Jenny Francis
LOSER: Dyson
FOR a loose curl or wave, Dyson suggests using the smaller barrel attachment. Twist the hair slightly before letting it wrap itself around the styler.
While it does a great job of drying it, the styler just wants to curl my hair again rather than wave it.
I don’t think this style is the Airwrap’s strong point.
WINNER: Curling tong
I have to dry my hair before using the tong, which isn’t as handy as the Dyson. But the curling tong is not too fiddly and all I have to do is wrap sections of hair around it, hold for eight seconds and release.
It achieves a better wave than the Dyson and stays in place for longer.
Volume
A lot less faff than rollers, by a long way
Jenny Francis
WINNER:
I ATTACH the Dyson volumising brush and hold at the roots as it fires out the heat and fast air.
I drag it to the end of the hair, wrap hair into the root and hold for about 20 seconds before releasing.
My roots have an instant lift and it holds well after. It’s a lot less faff than rollers by a long way.
LOSER: Velcro rollers
I section off the hair, wrap it around the roller and pin it in place. Then I blast with heat, leave for at least 40 minutes, spray with hairspray, then remove.
It gives good volume and a smooth finish. The only problem is that it is almost impossible to do the back by yourself. It’s good but tech is better.
