The 6 best Dyson Airwrap alternatives that create salon-worthy styles at a fraction of the price
After testing dozens of multi-stylers, our beauty team deems these the best tools for sleek straight styles to bouncy blow dries
With decades of testing experience between us, it's safe to say that we know a thing or two about knowing how to spot a stellar hair tool – including the very best Dyson Airwrap alternatives on the market.
The Dyson Airwrap undeniably changed the world of hair styling in 2018 with its revolutionary air-powered technology and the ability to create an variety of hairstyles with just one tool. In fact, its versatility even gives the best hair dryers and best curling irons a run for their money. So, it's no surprise that many other brands followed in Dyson's footsteps to launch their own multi-stylers in the years after the Airwrap's launch.
As pro hairdresser and JOICO ambassador Gill Berry, says "[The Airwrap has] made a significant impact on the world of hair styling and has become essential within homes across the UK. However, with a high price point, many [others] look for alternatives."
Which is exactly we put a selection of different stylers to the test, in order to scout out the very best devices that deliver the most comparible salon-worthy results for far less than the Airwrap's £500 price tag. These are the alternative tools to know about.
The best deals on Dyson Airwrap alternatives
These deals were last checked on 07/10/26 and we will continue to do so to ensure that all of the products below are still in stock, still discounted and, most importantly, are the very best deals around at the moment.
Best Dyson Airwrap alternatives: The quick list
RRP: £249.99
Equipped with six styling attachments, this Bellissima tool offers the most similar experience to the well-loved Dyson Airwrap. Though the airflow wasn't overly powerful, this styler delivered impressive long-lasting results in our tester's fine hair, which usually struggles to hold styles.
RRP: £220
While this Beauty Works styler is admittedly slightly noisier than the Airwrap, it does bolster stellar results. Our tester noticed it is quick to dry strands, boost volume and impart bouncy salon-worthy curls that those with fine and flat hair will appreciate.
RRP: £75
Already a steal at £75 for four attachments, the Air Style 1000 from purse-friendly hairstyling brand BaByliss is often discounted even further, making it extra good value. Sure, it may not be the quietest or most technologically advanced option, but it's a decent styler and great for those on smaller budgets.
RRP: £299
Well-equipped with attachments for styling versatility, Shark's multi-styler is a nice reasonably-priced tool that can create a range of different looks. It also comes with a brilliant zip-around case with sections for each attachment.
RRP: £99
With three styling options, this Barbie pink tool really impressed us. It's lightweight, smooths hair pretty easily and quickly, plus the results last well – and all for just under £100.
RRP: £179.99
Though quite a noisy tool, the T3 AireBrush Duo is a very smooth operator. It is, however, very fast and packs in a volume boost function that those with fine and flat hair will appreciate.
The best Dyson Airwrap alternatives, reviewed by our beauty experts
The best Dyson Airwrap alternative overall
Reviewed by: Sennen Prickett
Firstly, I love that this tool comes with a soft velour storage bag rather than a solid hard case, like others on the market. It’s both chic and makes the tool easy to store, especially with its specific sections designed for each attachment. While we’re talking aesthetics, the chocolate brown and bronze colourway also looks extremely luxe.
As for the user experience, one of the first things I noticed is that the airflow isn’t particularly powerful (especially when using the dryer attachment), meaning drying can take a little bit longer than with other tools. But on a more positive note, this means you can be more precise with your styling. While I do have naturally straight hair, the detangling brush only took one pass through my strands to take the puffiness out of my locks to leave them sleek, smooth and shiny.
The curling attachments did a great job at creating bouncy ringlets; my hair doesn’t hold air-styled looks very well, thanks to it being straight and long, but it still boasted a flicked, blowdry-esque appearance a day after styling. This is particularly impressive when you consider that even my Dyson Airwrap doesn’t do this. If I'm being super picky, one slight negative is that the attachments can get quite hot, which isn't great for changing mid-styling. That said, I can easily overlook this for the results are very much worth it.
I tend to find round brushes don't do much to my straight strands, but both the round and oval brush attachments created impressive volume, body and bounce. Neither was too bulky and they passed through my hair without snagging, allowing for a manageable styling session. All in all, if you want a multi-styler that can deliver an array of salon-worthy hairstyles, this is a stellar option. But for those after a fast and fuss-free drying experience, it might be worth opting for a more powerful tool like the Beauty Works Aeris Multi-Styler.
The best Dyson Airwrap alternative for styling attachments
Reviewed by: Sennen Prickett
At a glance, this air styler from Beauty Works has a few similarities to the Airwrap, from its oval hard storage case to the attachments. The specs are also comparable, including weight, dimensions, cord length (2.5m), speed options and temperature settings. So at half the price, it comes as no surprise that the Aeris makes a great alternative multi-styler.
When I tested this tool, I found it evenly distributes the airflow, making for a fast drying experience without overheating and comfortable drying near the scalp. In all honesty, the uncanny results between the two tools took me by surprise. I've curled half of my hair with the Airwrap's curling barrels and the other with the Aeris', and I genuinely couldn't tell the difference. It's that good. I'm left with that 'just stepped out of the salon' volume and bounce, which is impressive for someone with fine, limp hair like mine.
I find the wider and longer attachments are ideal for effortlessly styling longer locks, just like mine, without getting into a tangled mess. However, I imagine they might be slightly too bulky for those with shorter hair.
There are also some noticeable differences between the two tools, one being that the Aeris is noisier than the Dyson – but that noise is nothing the average hair dryer wouldn't produce. What's more, the Aeris doesn't come with a diffuser, nor is there the option to buy one, so I'd suggest an air styler like the Shark Flexstyle if you have curly-textured hair.
Read our full Dyson Airwrap vs Beauty Works Aeris review for a detailed analysis of this multi-styler.
The best budget Dyson Airwrap alternative
Reviewed by: Stephanie Maylor
With four attachments, not only is this similar to Dyson's styler, it’s a great value option, too. The downside? It’s a lot louder, but not many can rival Dyson’s quiet motor. There's no Coanda effect here either – isntead, the Babyliss Air Style is a more traditional blow-drying tool that requires you to wrap the hair around the barrel yourself, which does take a little time to master.
The brand advises hair is 80% dry before styling. It’s more time-consuming than blow dryer brushes, but it does come with a drying nozzle, so you have everything you need to take hair from sopping to smooth. Attachments also click in and out of the base with ease. The paddle brush didn’t do as much as I’d hoped in terms of smoothing out frizzy hair at my roots, but it did get my hair in a better position to use the conical curling tong afterwards. The attachments do get hot, so the heat-proof glove proved very useful in changing them without scalding.
I think this tool is excellent value for money overall. It’s lightweight, straightforward and, as pro hairdresser and BaByliss ambassador Syd Hayes puts it: “If you blow dry often, this styler makes it so much easier as you don’t have to hold a dryer and a brush. It does the hard work for you and gives the perfect result."
The best Dyson Airwrap alternative for a bouncy blowout
Reviewed by: Fiona McKim and Lucy Abbersteen
If you’ve used – or even heard of – the Shark Hair Dryer, you’d probably be just as excited as we were to try its multi-styler, the FlexStyle. The Shark Flexstyle vs Dyson Airwrap debate is common for a reason – after all, it's the only tool here that uses the Coanda effect, the same hair-wrapping airflow technology as the Airwrap. It also has the biggest range of attachments of any competitor tool that we’ve tried (five, to be precise). It's hardly surprising, then, that it's also the most expensive Dyson Airwrap alternative in this guide.
Our beauty channel editor Fiona McKim has tested the Shark FlexStyle and says she could achieve pretty much everything that she can do with the Airwrap. "From a bouncy blow dry with the oval brush to beachy waves with the auto-wrap curlers, it's all here," she says. "There is a bit of a knack to it, but if you know how to use the Dyson Airwrap, you'll have this down in seconds. I found styles were just as easy to create and lasted a similar amount of time." Though heavier and noisier than the Airwrap, McKim notes that you won't get much closer to a close, affordable alternative.
Our contributing beauty editor Lucy Abbersteen agrees that it's a well-equipped tool that dries and styles pretty well for a nice, smooth finish. "The case is also a standout," she says. "With a smart design, sections for each of the attachments and zip-around closure, it's definitely a huge plus point in terms of storage and travel functionality."
The best Dyson Airwrap alternative for waves and curls
Reviewed by: Stephanie Maylor
I was blown away by how good this tool is and I have to say, I'm also quite taken with the hot pink design. The first thing I noticed (besides all the pink) was how light it is; I didn’t get the usual arm ache while blow-drying.
As with similar tools, your hair should be mostly dry before styling with this one, but the drying attachment did this in just five minutes. The 60mm oval barrel then did so nicely; it is quite large but still managed to curl my hair under at the ends. I was a little concerned that the bristle tufts, while flexible, would tangle in my hair, but it didn’t knot up at all – neither in mine nor my daughter's daughter’s slightly finer hair.
Of all tools on this list, I created the best ringlets with this one's 32mm curling attachment; they were so bouncy and didn’t drop as quickly. Sure, this tool doesn't swirl your hair around the barrel like the Airwrap, but the cool tip is a good enough size to avoid burning your fingertips as you wrap sections around the barrel. Really, it's a great bouncy blow-dry in a box, creating a silky-smooth finish that won't have you reaching for your best hair straighteners to finish the job.
The best Dyson Airwrap alternative for smooth results
Reviewed by: Stephanie Maylor
This blow dryer brush gives you options. There's a rounded brush head for creating curved, bouncy styles with added volume, plus a flatter paddle brush head that's purely a smooth operator.
But where this tool really sets itself apart is with its plentiful heat and speed settings; there are five temperatures and a cool shot, which is far more precise than the usual two or three, plus three speed settings. This makes it very customisable, which we love to see. Not only that, ceramic and ion technology are both incorporated into this impressive brush, meaning frizz is countered and shine boosted to contribute to salon-like results. And for those with finer and flatter hair, there's also the same volume booster shot seen on some of T3's hair dryers, which creates brilliant lift.
If we are being super picky, in the interest of balance, the 64mm rounded brush head might not be large enough for those who like to use a big brush head to get lots of volume. It would be nice to have a larger option available, even as a separate purchased. But it's not a particular hang up of ours; you can create so much volume while retaining a smooth finish that the AireBrush more than earned its place here.
Read our full T3 AireBrush Duo review for a more detailed breakdown
How we tested the best Dyson Airwrap alternatives
A selection of the hot brushes tested for this guide
To write a definitive guide to the best Dyson Airwrap alternatives, I tested lots of different tools over several weeks, washing and styling my hair with all of the various attachments in each kit. I also tested a few of them on my daughter to see how they performed on her shorter, finer curly hair versus my long, coarse and wavy hair, and included some of the opinions of fellow woman&home beauty contributors, too.
When testing, I assessed how each tool felt to hold, the number of attachments, the heat and speed settings, how easy it was to switch attachments and the technical specifications such as weight and warranty. Each one was used on freshly washed hair (where possible, as not all of them work on wet hair) and dry hair to thoroughly assess how they worked in different scenarios. To curate this edit of the very best Dyson Airwrap alternatives, I also evaluated each one's ability to smooth, volumise and curl hair – and, of course, affordability was taken into account too.
How to choose the best Dyson Airwrap alternative
The tools in this guide are the closest you can get to the Dyson Airwrap – and a hair stylist’s blow-drying technique – without buying the real deal. Any one will help you create a salon-worthy style from home but, naturally, they are all slightly different. To find the right one for you, it's important to consider what you need from your styler, based on the below.
- Attachments: Check the included attachments to ensure your tool will be able to create your desired styles, be it barrel curls, smooth blow dries or diffused coils and curls. While the Airwrap comes with six – with more available to purchase separately – some rivals still come four to six to give you multiple styling options.
- Settings: A range of heat and speed settings means you can adjust the tool to your hair type. For instance, if your hair is fine, lower temperatures may suffice, while thicker and/or curly hair often requires a higher setting.
- Extras: Many air stylers simultaneously dry hair and minimise frizz while styling, meaning you don’t need to splurge on the best hair dryer as well. If you'd like replace your dryer at some point soon, this could save you money.
- Hair type: The best tool for you will largely depend on your hair type. Very straight, fine hair that doesn't curl easily can require oomph to persuade it into place, while naturally curly hair will likely need a tool that creates good tension to achieve a lasting sleek finish. Finer and fast-drying hair often doesn't need as high heat and airflow as thicker hair, so when choosing your styler, think about how well your hair can hold a curl, too.
- Hair length: Your hair length factors in, too; some attachments may work well on Rapunzel-esque lengths, while others won't be quite so effective or easy to use on a shoulder-skimming bob, for example.
- Price: It may sound obvious, but consider how much you can (and want to) spend before you set out to shop. This will help you to refine a list of possible options – and avoid disappointment.
The best Dyson Airwrap alternative FAQs, answered
What is a cheap alternative to the Dyson Airwrap?
There are plenty of tools out there that offer similar wet-to-dry styling to the Dyson Airwrap for less, as well as volume-boosting and smoothing dry styling through different attachments – in fact, many of these tools made this guide.
If you can stretch your budget to £100, then you have plenty of choice, including the BaByliss Air Style 1000 (£75) and the Mermade Hair Interchangeable Blow Dry Brush (£99). Meanwhile those who can spend up to £250 can bag a near-like-for-like alternative, such as Bellissima's The Prodigy, which is equipped with almost identical styling attachments and capabilities, or a Shark FlexStyle if discounted.
Is the Dyson Airwrap worth the investment?
This isn't a clear cut a yes or no, as it depends on your hair's type and needs, as well as your styling preferences. There's no getting around the fact that this tool has a hefty price tag. But if you can afford it and you're going to use the tool on a daily or near-daily basis, then it's well worth it. It is an incredibly versatile styler, essentially combining one of the best hair dryers with smoothing tools curling barrels and one of the best hair dryer brushes, meaning you do get more value for money than a one-and-done tool.
So, if you have a bigger budget and are in the market for styler that covers almost everything, the Airwrap might just be the answer. That said, if you're unsure whether it will work for you, we recommend trying the air styler out for yourself first before purchasing – either at a Dyson store, borrowing a friend's or making use of Dyson's 35-day money-back guarantee.
How similar are hot brushes to the Dyson Airwrap?
How similar a tool is to the original Dyson Airwrap will depend on the brand and model, and whether it’s more important to you that your tool simply looks like the real deal or gives you like-for-like results. Many tools have a similar design, but as the only other tool on our list to use the auto-suctioning Coanda effect, the Shark FlexStyle Air Styling & Hair Drying System has the most comparable results.
Our expert panel
Sennen Prickett is a Digital Beauty Writer for woman&home where she covers the latest beauty launches, celebrity-approved trends and puts an array of beauty products to the ultimate test to see if they're worth investing in. She is also a judge for the annual woman&home Beauty Awards.
Stephanie Maylor is an established beauty editor with more than 15 years of experience in the industry. She has written and edited for a wide range of titles, including Grazia, OK! and woman&home.
Fiona McKim has been part of the woman&home beauty team for more than a decade. During that time she has interviewed countless experts, reported backstage at Fashion Week and judged the woman&home Beauty Awards.
Lucy Abbersteen is a freelance beauty editor and one of woman&home's contributing beauty editor. With close to a decade of experience in the industry – and with hair as one of her specialisms – she's tested a lot of hair tools on her curly hair during her career. As such, she's also shared her insights on some of the top-rated dryers in this guide.
Gill Berry is a highly experienced creative hairdresser and an ambassador and educator for haircare brand JOICO.
Syd Hayes is a renowned hair stylist and the owner of the Q Cut salon in Kew Gardens, London. He is also an ambassador for BaByliss and has worked on countless photo shoots and fashion week shows during his career.
