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As a commerce editor who regularly tries the latest and greatest beauty products, I put the Shark FlexStyle to the test to see if it could live up to its reputation as a usurper to the industry's most coveted product. I used every attachment on my naturally wavy, medium-textured hair over the course of two weeks and pitted it against the Dyson Airwrap in terms of attachments, ease of use and overall results. Each tool serves a different purpose, so we also tapped fellow staffers to see how it styled various hair types.
11 Best Hair Dryers: BaByliss, Dyson, Shark, Conair of 2024 - Reviewed - Reviewed
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Best for thick, dense, or curly/coily/kinky hair
I typically only use the concentrator in conjunction with a round brush, so if you're willing to spend the extra money for the round brush attachment, I found it more useful than using the concentrator with a separate round brush. After testing we can then draw direct comparison between the two hair dryers, which highlights any similarities and differences between them. By all means, the Dyson Airwrap is a must-have product for anyone who wants salon-quality hair at home for a one-time fee of $600. (If you got a blowout every time you wanted a bouncy hairstyle, you would spend a minimum of $45 each visit).
The FlexStyle is also a traditional hair dryer
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That said, if you plan to travel frequently with your dryer, you may actually prefer the Dyson because it is slightly more compact. I keep a portion of the cord wrapped in a figure eight loop to lessen any drag and make the styling ... Unlike Dyson products, which rarely go on sale, our shopping team often catches Shark products at a discount. Keep tabs on the SpeedStyle, especially around big shopping moments, and you may be able to snag it at a budget-friendly price. Of the Dyson Supersonic lookalikes, the Karrong F350 seemed the most promising to us, but it ended up being half as fast, with no way to control speed separately from temperature—the hotter it got, the faster it got.
Dyson Airwrap vs Shark FlexStyle: attachments
The different options add to the tool’s versatility and work to justify the high price tag. When using the concentrator, for example, you’ll notice the dryer changes to high airflow and high temperature, while the diffuser alters these settings to low. This takes the guesswork out of blowdrying your hair, which we found to be really useful.

After having three people with different hair lengths, curl patterns, and textures test them head-to-head for nearly a year, we’ve determined that they’re both excellent tools. As dozens of comparison videos also conclude, when one is testing the FlexStyle against the Airwrap on each side of the same head of hair, it’s almost impossible to tell which side has been styled with which tool. Like sisters from different corporate misters, the $600 Dyson Airwrap and $300 Shark FlexStyle are both multipurpose styling tools that can dry, straighten, and curl hair. They not only look extremely similar but also perform in nearly identical ways.
When I use other hair dryers, it typically takes about seven to eight minutes to fully dry my hair. With my hair at its longest, the Dyson hair dryer blows it out in four minutes flat. If I let it air dry a bit before before using it, it’s an even speedier three minutes. This hair tool from T3 uses digitally controlled ionic technology to fight frizz and power its dry, and features a slanted, ergonomic handle that helps prevent any hand cramps for those with thicker or longer hair. When shopping for a hair dryer, our experts recommend looking at certain factors including your hair type, technology and settings to help you safely dry your hair with the help of these devices.
Shark HD430 FlexStyle Air Styling & Drying System
Indeed, the Dyson hair dryer has been a game changer for curly-haired people like me. If you’re investing in this styling tool, you’ll want to protect it from unsightly scratches when storing. The hair dryer stand is a convenient way to display your hair dryer and MVP attachments; if you prefer to keep it out of sight, you can tuck it away in Dyson’s own presentation case. Alternatively, you could take a simpler route and store it in a basket or bin in your bathroom cabinet.
The oval brush accessory stood out for replicating the bouncy, sleek blowout results of a hair dryer brush. This attachment has a leg up on the Dyson, which does not have an oval brush attachment at all. Though we wish it came with a storage box like the Dyson, you can nab this case from Shark separately (plus it’s much easier to transport than the Airwrap due to its convenient top handle). As a longtime beauty reporter and user of the Dyson Supersonic (I’ve had mine for more than three years now), I’m well-equipped to give a thorough review.
In terms of using the two respective round brush attachments to add volume and bounce, the Airwrap once again outperformed the FlexStyle. Not only did its round volumising brush give our hair decent lift, this volume stayed in place for hours. The FlexStyle’s oval brush produced similar results to begin with but it fell flat within half an hour. On a related note, Shark doesn’t currently offer a case or carrying bag for the FlexStyle.
We distinguished each type that we recommend to narrow down which option is best for you. At 9 feet long, it’s an average length, but the cable feels slightly thicker than others and more difficult to maneuver. For this reason, I keep a portion of it wrapped in a figure eight loop to lessen any drag and make the styling process easier to maneuver. The Supersonic has a two-year warranty and comes in five color combinations. Dyson in 2023 introduced a pared-down package, the Supersonic Origin, which includes only the dryer and a concentrator attachment. The longest attachment on the FlexStyle is the 6-inch Auto-Wrap curler which, when in use, takes the total length of the styler to a somewhat cumbersome 17.5 inches (44.5 cm).
Holding the curl in place for around 10 seconds on your desired heat setting before pressing the cold shot button helps them set the style. To create even longer-lasting curls, switch the dryer off and catch the curl as you pull out the dryer. You can then either hold the curl at your roots until it feels cool to the touch, or wrap the curl and pin it. Despite both brands’ promises about effortless curling, neither work as well as expected.
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. But I could get my hair to look sleeker with other, more affordable options on this list. Carrie-Ann Skinner was formerly Homes Editor at TechRadar, and has more than two decades of experience in both online and print journalism, with 13 years of that spent covering all-things tech. Carrie specializes in smart home devices such as smart plugs and smart lights, as well as large and small appliances including vacuum cleaners, air fryers, stand mixers, and coffee machines. The Dyson’s diffuser bowl is not bad, it’s just not as good as the Shark’s diffuser.
Unlike other blow dryers, which use fan blades to draw in air, the Supersonic instead uses what Dyson calls its proprietary Air Multiplier Technology to dry hair. It essentially works by taking in air from all sides, then forcing it through the center of the ring for a powerful blast of air. This design feature prevents hair from getting tangled in the air inlet grille, a whole fiasco which used to happen to me regularly with more traditional, vented hair dryers. To minimize heat damage, look for tools that feature multiple temperature settings because high heat isn't always necessary—especially for fine hair types.
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