By now, any beauty lover has heard of the Dyson Airwrap and likely has a strong opinion on it, whether it's positive or negative. After its 2018 launch, it immediately became a fixture of beauty society. The temperature-regulated hot tool that's designed to be better for your hair than a classic heat styling tool like a blow dryer or curling iron went viral quickly. The proof? It’s consistently sold out. And, its reputation precedes it—every single Dyson owner seems to be a walking Airwrap advertisement.
Though drugstore curling irons and blow dryers have served me well in this life, I was curious to try the Airwrap for myself. Would it really deliver the same results as a hot tool? Does it leave my hair feeling and looking less damaged? Is it actually that easy to use? Trading in my trusty $19.99 devices for a $600 contraption had me questioning how good it could really be, but the claims inevitably got the best of me.
The reduction of heat damage sounded enticing, the extensive attachments had my hair styling wheels spinning, and the colorway options look really, really pretty. Long story, short: I caved. The Dyson Airwrap came home with me for a pretty intense testing session. I’ve tried every attachment in the box and am sharing my very candid Dyson Airwrap review, ahead.
Table of Contents
- How Does the Dyson Airwrap Work?
- Dyson Airwrap Attachments
- My Honest Dyson Airwrap Review
- Is the Dyson Airwrap Worth It?
- Why Trust Marie Claire
Here's the TL;DR: The Dyson Airwrap is totally worth it if you style your hair every day and have straight or wavy hair, but consider if you want to take the plunge if you don't style your hair often (is it really worth the investment?) or have coily or kinky hair that you wear naturally (the Dyson Supersonic may be best for you).
But keep reading to learn all the details. And don't just take my word for it—I asked my fellow beauty editors and writers with varying hair types their honest thoughts, too. Read on for what we all think of the Dyson Airwrap.
How Does the Dyson Airwrap Work?
The scientists over at Dyson are top-notch, there’s no denying it. When they created the Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer in 2016, it was the biggest innovation the hair styling industry had seen in years. The Airwrap Multi-Styler possesses the same high-tech design and continues to innovate. It leverages the Coanda effect, which is what put this tool on the map. That essentially means that the right pressure and speed are combined to create a spinning vortex of air that can be used to either to curl, shape, smooth, or dry.
There are three heat settings and three power settings to choose from, all of which are monitored up to 1000 times per second in the newest Airwrap model (and over 40 times per second in older models). Intelligent heat control keeps the air under 302 degrees, which is ideal for preventing any kind of heat damage or breakage on the hair shaft. For reference, other hot tools hover around 390 to 450 degrees. This means that you'll enjoy healthier, happier hair that's more heat-regulated than traditional hot tools.
Dyson Airwrap Attachments
The attachments that come with your Dyson Airwrap depend on which version you buy. There's one Airwrap designed for straight and wavy hair, and there's one for curly and coily hair.
Here's what you'll get when you open up that shiny new box:
Fast Dryer
This attachment is what you'll likely want to reach for first: It works to give hair a rough dry at the start of your blowout process. The airflow is concentrated and pretty powerful, but it still won’t dry your hair as quickly as the Supersonic. It’s great for a quick, 80-percent-of-the-way rough dry that converts your hair from wet to damp. Pro tip: The air vent clicks in to keep it in place—make sure you hear the snap.
Large Round Volumizing Brush
My personal favorite attachment, the round volumizing brush is the closest thing I’ll ever get to a salon blowout. I can use a round brush and blow dryer in tandem (it’s a skill I worked long and hard to be able to do, though it's far from perfect), but the round brush attachment provides five times more volume and makes it ten times easier. It gets close to the root, effectively providing that coveted lift. You can roll up and twist out hair for a bouncy blowout, too. It’s really the MVP.
Smoothing Brushes
In every Airwrap box you’ll find at least one smoothing brush. For straight and wavy hair, you'll receive the soft smoothing brush and the Dryer + Flyaway smoother. For curly and coily hair, you'll receive a firm smoothing brush.
The Dryer + Flyaway is a multitasker, helping to smooth hair while it dries and hide flyaways. You can either blow dry or rough dry hair with the dryer setting, or switch to the flyaway mode to get a sleek finish.
For the soft and firm smoothing brushes, the bristles of each are designed to work with your particular hair type. Soft is ideal for straightening finer hair, while firm smoothes curly hair. These are ideal for brushing through every texture, from straight fine hair to coarse, curly hair. The best part is, you don’t have to possess any kind of crazy skill or technique to get a smooth blowout. They’re pretty intuitive attachments.
Conical Airwrap Barrel
Easily the most popular attachment (and the tool’s namesake), the Conical Airwrap Barrel is Dyson's version of a curling iron, but with less heat damage. It uses the Coanda technology to swirl a chunk of hair around the barrel and create a soft, bouncy curl.
Airwraps for straight and wavy hair will also come with the 1.6" Long Barrel, which is an upgraded version of the brand's original Airwrap barrels. In newer Airwrap iterations, the airflow’s directionality can be switched by simply turning the knob on top of the device, rather than needing two separate barrels.
Diffuser
While this attachment doesn’t come with every Airwrap, you will find it in your box if you buy the Airwrap that’s created specifically for curly and coily hair. It sends air evenly around your curls to reduce frizz and define curl patterns. Use this and you’re good to go if you want natural, air dried-like curls—no other attachments needed.
Wide Tooth Comb
You can never go wrong embracing your natural curls, but if you have curly or coily hair and want to give yourself a blowout, this attachment is a must. It comes with the curly and coily hair Airwrap. The wide tooth comb helps detangle and lengthen your hair while providing a burst of heat to assist in the drying process. It prevents a lot of the tugging or tension you’ll find with some of the other attachments. Pair this with the smoothing attachment and you’ll be in business.
AirSmooth2x
The newest Airwrap is the Coanda 2x, which is supercharged with air pressure twice as strong (hence the 2x name) to help dry hair faster and deliver a more salon-like finish. If you opt for this one for straight and wavy hair, you get this new AirSmooth attachment. It's like having a baby Dyson Airstrait, but it should be used at the end of your styling session if you want straight hair. It's designed to finish dried hair to create straighter styles.
My Honest Dyson Airwrap Review
It's clear that I started out an Airwrap skeptic, so I’ll cut to the chase: I’m a convert. Since getting my Airwrap, I’ve retired my Supersonic. My hair is undoubtedly healthier. And I finish styling in approximately half the time. But the viability of the tool really depends on the end result you’re after.
My styling process starts the second I get out of the shower. I apply a detangler of my choice (I have a handful on rotation) and a leave-in conditioner with heat protectant. Just because the Airwrap gives less heat damage doesn't mean that you can skip heat protectant. The duo lays the groundwork for healthy hair growth—and, as an added bonus, give my hair a gorgeous shine.
After I've prepped my hair, it's time for the star of the show. I bring out the Airwrap and place the Fast Dryer attachment on the end of the tool with the goal of rough drying my hair to about 80% dryness. That takes no longer than ten minutes, which, with long, thick, wavy hair, is pretty impressive. Then, I switch over to my tried-and-true, most-commonly used attachment: the round volumizing brush. If you want a bouncy, voluminous blowout in under twenty minutes, this is the attachment for you. Without fail, it delivers a 90s-inspired bombshell blowout every single time, regardless of how dry or humid the air is.
I've trusted the Dyson Airwrap to give my photo-ready hair for work events, work headshots, holiday parties, and even weddings. It's let me down a grand total of zero times, and has given me shiny, soft, smooth hair every single time I've used it.
As for the famed Airwrap Barrel? It has a purpose, but it’s not for everyone. If you like a classic, very voluminous and bodied curl, it'll absolutely do the trick, without the need for much styling skill. It makes a wave easy to achieve—a godsend for people who have historically struggled to learn their way around a curling iron. That said, the curl is one-size-fits all and versatility is not one if its strongest points. Sure, you can slightly alter how tight the curl is depending on how long you hold your hair against the heat. But overall, it gives a standard swirl—there’s no creating beach waves or twist-and-pull curls in the way that a traditional curling iron with a clamp permits. For that reason, I still frequently reach for my curling iron.
The Airwrap is 100 percent worthwhile if you want one tool that can give you a sleek finish, bouncy blowout, or standard curls in a quick and easy manner. If you require versatility in your styling though, don’t expect this to create every look in the book. Instead, think of it like a nice addendum.
Is the Dyson Airwrap Worth It?
Is the Airwrap actually worth the $600 price tag? In my opinion, absolutely. But make sure it's right for your hair type and hair goals. Here's what each beauty writer and editor has to say about it.
"I have medium thick, fine hair. I grab the Coanda Smoothing Dryer, which is perfect for my fine hair. I get through a rough dry in approximately eight minutes (not too shabby), at which point I switch over to the round volumizing brush. The latter, dare I say, is my favorite invention in the history of hair. I’d buy the Airwrap for this attachment alone. It’s eons easier to operate than a brush-dryer combo, gives my roots unbelievable lift, creates insane volume for my face-framing layers, and allows me to do a bouncy blowout in a fraction of the time. I can get a swoop inward on my ends or create a loose curl by spinning the round brush counter-clock wise while holding the machine upside-down. The flyaway attachment is what I typically reach for to seal the deal. While there’s a bit of a learning curve on how to hold the device (it should blow airflow out and down), it really does push those straggly little hairs into place better than any product. I have a lot of new growth and baby hairs, and one shot of heat with this attachment keeps them down and out of the way all day." — Samantha Holender, Senior Beauty Editor
"My Dyson Airwrap is one of the best investments I've ever made for my hair. As someone with natural, type four hair, it is hands down the best blow dryer I've ever used, and it's easily cut my blow-dry time in half since I've started using it. As someone who also loves to wear hair extensions, the curling barrel gives me bouncy, voluminous curls with ease, which is deeply important as someone who (embarrassingly) barely knows how to use a traditional curling iron. In the Dyson lineup, this is the tool that works best for me and the way I wear my hair, but if I were to recommend one to someone who strictly wears their hair in its natural state, and who is also a type four person, I'd recommend the Supersonic." — Ariel Baker, Beauty Writer
"I have thick, wavy hair that holds a curl well but frizzes up easily. I use the Fast Dryer and round volumizing brush almost exclusively, though you'll occasionally see me reaching for an Airwrap Barrel. Whether I want a Cindy Crawford-esque blowout or a smoother, straighter style, my two go-to attachments never lead me astray. While it can take some time to get used to the Barrel and how to hold it to get your hair to firstly, wrap around it and secondly, hold the curl, the dryer and volumizing brush couldn't be easier. I'm done in under 30 minutes when I whip out my Airwrap, and I'm not one who's naturally gifted at doing my own hair (read: that's impressive it only takes me that long). I won't lie: $600 is a lot of money. But if you think about how much you'd spend over the years on salon blowouts, it's a lot more palatable. If you have straight to wavy hair, will use your Airwrap consistently, want either a sleek blowout or loose curls, and are willing to spend the money, the Airwrap is absolutely worth the buy." — Catharine Malzahn, Contributing Beauty Writer
“I have wavy to straight hair. Before becoming a Dyson Airwrap convert, I thought they were just anther glorified tech tool in the beauty space. Cut to February when I moved in with my roommate and now I’ve exclusively switched from my Revlon to the Wrap. My hair has never felt softer, dries in half the amount of time, and I love how sleek it is in my hand. Not to mention, its six attachments, clips, brush and comb are fabulous. I truly credit my saved, fine hair to the Dyson Airwrap!” — Malcia Greene, Contributing Beauty Writer
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