Weighing up the Shark FlexFusion Straight vs Dyson Airstrait? A beauty editor's in-depth comparison of these wet-to-dry stylers
Our comprehensive guide to the Shark FlexFusion Straight vs Dyson Airstrait – which one wins in our contributing beauty editor's head-to-head?
A fairly small category just 10 years ago, combined drying-and-styling tools are now everywhere in 2026. The invention of tools like the Dyson Airwrap have made such multi-stylers a mainstream premium styling option. We now have more wet-to-dry stylers than ever before – which brings us to this Shark FlexFusion Straight vs Dyson Airstrait comparison guide.
After launching the Shark FlexStyle in 2022 as its answer to the coveted Airwrap, Shark then levelled up its multi-styler game with the FlexFusion Straight a couple of years later, offering improved curling barrels and a straightening attachment alongside the existing diffuser and hot brush attachment. Dyson then launched the Airstrait in 2024 (a year after the tool first launched in the US), billed as a way of straightening hair from wet-to-dry without risk of excessive heat damage; no hot straightening plates involved.
So, here we have two wet-do-dry styling tools with straightening capabilities, one a multi-styler and one an all-in-one tool. Weighing up the pros and cons of both but can’t decide which one is right for you? Our contributing beauty editor put both tools through a rigorous testing process, walking you through each one's design and performance in this detailed guide.
Shark FlexFusion Straight vs Dyson Airstrait
Head-to-head
RRP: £369.99
Features: Five attachments, including curling barrels, a diffuser, concentrator nozzle, straightener and hot brush; storage and travel case; five heat and three speed settings
Review: Though the namesake straight attachment is nothing to write home about, this is a versatile tool that's decent value for money considering the styling options – allowing you to dry curly hair, create a voluminous blowout or barrel curls.
Buy it if: You want your tool to give you the option to create a variety of hairstyles, not just one look.
RRP: £449.99
Features: Dries and styles hair straight in one motion; wet and dry modes; three temperature settings plus cool shot.
Review: Dries and smooths in one fell swoop for soft results that last. Though you can only really create one look – a stretched/straight, smooth blow dry – hair is left feeling soft and results last well through the day.
Buy it if: You regularly smooth out your hair and want something that dries and stretches it simultaneously with minimal skill or effort on your part.
My full review
So that I could compare both tools' design and performance in as much detail as possible, I used both the Dyson Airstrait and Shark FlexFusion Straight to dry and style freshly washed, wet hair, on separate occasions. I used each tool more than once and, in the case of the FlexFusion Straight, tested all of the attachments to get a proper sense of its capabilities.
As well as the design and user experience of both tools, I also compared the results in my hair, both initially after styling and how well they lasted me through the day.
Shark FlexFusion Straight vs Dyson Airstrait: Design
Winner: Shark FlexFusion Straight (just)
Design-wise, my biggest criticism of the Dyson Airstrait is its cable length. At just under two metres, this is shorter than any other Dyson hair tool – and noticeably so – so I often feel restricted in terms of where I can sit and use it. The plug is also incredibly bulky, which seems like an odd design choice initially, but makes sense when you learn why: the brand says that some of the tech sits in the plug, rather than the Airstrait itself, which makes it lighter to hold and use. There’s also no accompanying case for the Airstrait, which feels lacking given that it retails for almost £450. But aside from these few downsides, the overall design is pleasingly sleek, as is the signature Dyson aesthetic. The tool has curved edges and is remarkably lightweight to hold, which gives it the edge over Shark.
Shark's FlexFusion Straight, on the other hand, has a very long cable that is unlikely to feel restrictive to many, if any, users. There’s a sectioned case, which is both practical and satisfying, thanks to the compartments for each attachment. This means it can be tidied away nicely and stored without fear of gathering dust as soon as you bring it home; no need to purchase an additional case. However, when compared to the Dyson, this lightweight tool and its attachments do feel a bit flimsier and less premium than its competitor – though it is priced at almost £100 less, too.
Shark FlexFusion Straight vs Dyson Airstrait: Performance
Winner: Versatile styling
The diffuser is a decent size compared to some competitors’, with lots of holes and lengthy prongs., while the narrow nozzle fits into the roots well for precision drying. The Shark FlexFusion Straight's brush attachment is great; the larger of the two (results above) can dry and smooth large sections of hair at once, adding a nice hint of volume that could be further boosted by lifting the brush while drying.
The curling barrels now feature a twisted design, which has gone down well with shoppers in the reviews. I found the results to be nice, though it required a bit of manoeuvering on my part to get a section of hair to adhere to the curling barrel, and these attachments get extremely hot when you need to swap between the left and right directional barrels.
Interestingly, the straightening attachment that gives this tool its name was my least favourite. My hair is naturally curly (a mix of 3a and 2c curl types) and I had to pass it repeatedly over a section of hair to dry and straighten it, while the hot plates felt extremely hot and like they were frazzling my hair somewhat. I personally didn't really like the results on my hair, as they weren't particularly soft or smooth; instead, I'd use the brush attachment for a smoother style, as above.
Winner: User experience and smoothest results
For a smooth, straight finish, the Dyson Airstrait has the edge. It dries and smooths out hair simultaneously, meaning less heat on the hair, and achieves the straightest results in my hair without using an actual pair of straighteners of any hair tool that I’ve tried – and, as you can see from the above image, my hair also retains some movement rather than being fried poker straight.
Those results last well, too, especially when used with the best hair products for humidity. While I love the results, this is the only look it can create, so it’s not a tool for versatile styling options; you can either rough dry hair by keeping the tool clamped closed, or smooth hair for this straight finish. For any other look, you’ll need a different tool.
Shark FlexFusion Straight vs Dyson Airstrait: The verdict
If I was only comparing the Dyson Airstrait with the FlexFusion Straight’s straightener attachment, for me there wouldn't be a contest. The Airstrait is the clear winner for straight and smooth results alone. It’s lighter, more ergonomic and can style a larger section of hair at one time, drying mine more quickly and with a smoother and sleeker finish. Given that straight is signalled in both products names, this is significant.
However, the Airstrait is essentially a one-look tool, which won't appeal to those who like to mix up their styles. Apart from the continuous drying functionality when you close the tool – which is useful for drying the roots, or if you are someone who roughly dries their hair, but not really a styling feature – the only look you can create here is a sleek finish or stretched blow dry. Newer iterations of the Dyson Airwrap, the brand's famous multi-styler, now come with an air-straightening attachment.
Which brings me on to where the FlexFusion Straight does score points in this particular contest with the Dyson Airstrait. The straightening attachment aside, if you want something that gives you a few different tools in one – a hot brush, curling barrels and dryer with a diffuser – then the FlexFusion is the more versatile choice and better value for money. In other words, who wins in this head-to-head really depends on what you want from your new tool, and the styling results you need day-to-day.
