Shark Flexstyle vs. Dyson Airwrap: We Tested Both to Find Which Is Better (2024)

If you’re anything like us, your hot tool arsenal is jam-packed with styler after styler. You may own a traditional blowdryer, flat iron, curling iron, curling wand and round brush blowdryer, just to name a few. While all of those products undoubtedly serve a purpose and may even get used multiple times in your hair styling routine, the desire to condense your product load and streamline your hair styling overall may have led you to consider trying out a multi-styler instead.

Launched in 2018, the Dyson Airwrap became the prototype for one styling tool that can do it all. With features including drying, curling and smoothing capabilities, it delivered salon-quality results all from the comfort of your home. Not long after, vacuum company Shark tried its hand at a similar tool, the Shark Flexstyle, albeit at a much lower price point.

While both products inevitably stand heads above your average dryers and straighteners when it comes to minimizing potential hair damage as a heat tool (both deliver heat at well below 350 degrees, which is the average for most hot tools on the market), they may not be created equally. To get to the bottom of the key differences between both stylers, Good Housekeeping Institute Deputy Editor, Jessica Teich, and the Beauty, Health and Sustainability Lab put them to a side-by-side test.

Shark Flexstyle vs. Dyson Airwrap: Price

When looking at both of these multi-stylers purely based on price alone, the Shark Flexstyle is clearly the more affordable option. It sells for about $299, which is nearly half the price of the newest version of the Dyson Airwrap, which retails for close to $600.

In terms of getting the most bang for your buck, the purchase of the Shark Flexstyle includes the system, up to three attachments of your choice, a storage case and a two-year limited warranty when purchased on the Shark website. Additional attachments are sold separately for around $30 a piece. On Amazon, shoppers can get the multi-styler with six attachments (round brush, oval brush, two auto-wrap curlers, concentrator and diffuser) for about $320.

The Dyson Airwrap, clearly the more expensive option, is sold with seven attachments and a storage case. The Dyson website also offers free shipping, a two-year warranty and 30-day free return policy. The entire kit, including the storage case, is sold on Amazon as well, for about $510 at the time of this story’s publishing.

Shark Flexstyle vs. Dyson Airwrap: Dryer

The dryer function on each of the multi-stylers are pretty unique. Both are designed to seamlessly dry wet to damp hair, with concentrating tools focusing the air to blow your hair in one direction.

The Dyson Airwrap has a dual use hair dryer attachment that allows users to use the tool as a blowdryer when the air vents are facing forward and then as a smoothing tool when the vents are turned toward the back. Alternately, the Shark Flexstyle has a swivel function that allows you to hold the tool in the same way you would a traditional blowdryer. It also has a concentrator that focuses the airstream and ultimately helps to reduce frizz or can be used to smooth flyaways.

Shark Flexstyle vs. Dyson Airwrap: Round Brush

Depending on how you personally like to style your hair, both the Dyson Airwrap and the Shark Flexstyle offer great options with their round brush attachments.

The newest version of the Dyson has a new larger round brush that is outfitted with tightly packed pin bristles. This allows the brush to be able to get hair smooth without the need for boar bristles. Shark’s offering features a more oval-shaped round brush that has both boar and pin bristles. The more elongated oval shape allows the brush attachment to function as a paddle brush and round brush in one — it gets hair smooth and straight but the wide edges also allow it to add volume to your hair.

Shark Flexstyle vs. Dyson Airwrap: Paddle Brush

A defining feature for Dyson’s paddle brush attachment is that it makes use of the brand’s Coanda effect, which tames flyaways and delivers a smooth and sleek finish. As Teich used the product on her hair, she noted that the air flow phenomenon keeps the air blowing downward no matter which angle you are pointing it. The flexible bristles also allow for more control when styling, though Teich said that the round brush attachment provided more tension.

On the other hand, Shark’s paddle brush features both boar and pin bristles and does not have the Coanda effect, making it prone to creating more frizz. However, Teich said that because the paddle brush attachment features side bristles, it can also be easily used in the same way you would use a round brush.

Shark Flexstyle vs. Dyson Airwrap: Curlers

With the newest version of the Dyson Airwrap, users can expect a single, reversible curling barrel that can be simply twisted to change directions of the curls. The Shark Flexstyle utilizes two curling attachments, each featuring an arrow to notify users of which way it will curl their hair.

Teich noted in her use of both brands that the Shark Flexstyle has noticeably shorter curling barrels, which may leave users with longer hair with less real estate for styling purposes compared to the Dyson Airwrap.

Bottom Line: Should you buy the Shark Flexstyle or the Dyson Airwrap?

Teich said that both the Shark and Dyson are effective multi-stylers that deliver on their promise to style and dry hair in one easy step. She noted that the Shark’s price point is hard to beat and it has thoughtfully designed attachments. However, she said, “I wish there were longer barrel options and a brush option without boar bristles.”

When it comes to the Dyson, the multi-styler is more expensive, but Teich appreciates that it was found by the Beauty Lab to operate at a cooler temperature, compared to the Shark, which makes it less damaging to hair over time. “Because I have such curly, thick hair that I style often, the Dyson is my personal pick to decrease excessive damage, but I think the Shark is highly effective for those with shorter hair, those who don’t style hair as often or those with hard-to-style hair (the higher heat can mean greater style memory!),” she said.

Why trust Good Housekeeping?

GH Staff Writer Cameron Jenkins has written several beauty stories for Good Housekeeping, providing her unfiltered opinions on haircare products, interviewing industry leaders and taking into account consumer needs when selecting top picks for beauty product roundups.

Good Housekeeping Institute Deputy Editor Jessica Teich has over a decade of experience in the beauty industry and is a long-time product tester, reviewer, writer and editor of beauty and lifestyle content. She tested both the Dyson Airwrap and Shark Flexstyle multi-stylers first-hand and reported her genuine experience in addition to findings from the Good Housekeeping Beauty Lab.