How to Choose a Premium Multi-Styler: Dyson Airwrap vs Shark FlexStyle

Dyson and Shark make some of the most convincing premium multi-stylers available. If your budget allows, I would start with these two brands: both have invested heavily in airflow-led styling, useful attachments and tools that can replace several separate appliances.

There are many other multi-stylers on the market, but this guide focuses on the models I have actually used for months—with one clearly marked exception: the Shark FlexStyle Next Generation IonCurl, which I have researched but not personally tested.

The Quick Answer

• Best overall balance: Dyson Airwrap i.d. It is my favourite for price, gentleness and day-to-day performance.
• Best for maximum speed and the newest Dyson technology: Dyson Airwrap Co-anda2x. It dried my hair in under 13 minutes.
• Best value and my preferred option for diffusing: Shark FlexStyle. It is hotter and less gentle than the Dysons, but still a very capable tool.
• Best researched option for stronger curling and ion technology: Shark FlexStyle Next Generation IonCurl. I have not personally tested this model.

Dyson Airwrap i.d.: My Best Overall Pick

The Dyson Airwrap i.d. is my favourite of the premium multi-stylers I have tested. I bought the curly-hair edition, and it is the version I would choose for curly or coily hair that is regularly worn straight—especially if reducing mechanical pulling is a priority.

My usual method is to stretch my hair with the comb attachment until it is roughly 90% dry, then finish with the round brush. The paddle-style brush can also be used for the first stage, but the comb creates less pulling on my hair. I can complete my blow-dry in just under 15 minutes.

The round brush is my most-used attachment because it smooths my roots while adding a rounded, bouncy finish. The Airwrap i.d. also lets you change the direction of the curling barrel without swapping barrels. Its preset curling sequence controls the wrapping, heat and cold-shot stages, which makes curling faster and more consistent.

Dyson Airwrap Co-anda2x: Faster, but Not My Best Value

The Co-anda2x takes much of what I like about the Airwrap i.d. and makes the airflow feel more powerful. It dries my hair in under 13 minutes, making it the fastest of the multi-stylers in this guide.

Its round brush has a firmer bristle design without the softer bristles found on the Airwrap i.d. brush. Some people may prefer that construction. On my hair it feels extremely gentle, but the Airwrap i.d. round brush gets my roots slightly smoother.

I was initially excited by the smoothing attachment because I thought it might work like the Dyson Airstrait. It does not—and Dyson does not claim that it does. It is designed as a finishing and smoothing attachment. People with naturally straight or wavy hair may get more from it, but on my hair the round brush gives a noticeably better smoothing result.

The Co-anda2x is excellent, but if I were spending my own money today, I would still choose the Airwrap i.d. because the difference in my results is not large enough to justify the higher price.

Shark FlexStyle: The Best-Value Premium Option

The original Shark FlexStyle was my first premium multi-styler. Before it, I had used more affordable hot-air brushes—including one that became too hot and pulled enough to contribute to noticeable damage. The FlexStyle was a major improvement: its brush attachments got my hair smooth with much less pulling.

I used it for about seven months, during which my hair condition improved. I only moved to Dyson after trying my sister’s Airwrap and noticing that it felt even gentler.

The FlexStyle runs hotter than either Dyson in my experience. Its medium setting feels close to the high setting on the Dysons, so it may suit someone who prefers more heat. It takes me approximately 25 minutes to dry my hair fully.

Its curling barrels are less convenient because you must change barrels to reverse the curl direction, and it does not provide the automated curling sequence available with the Dyson i.d. features. However, the body bends into a conventional hair-dryer shape, which makes it especially practical for rough drying and diffusing. When I wear my natural curls, I prefer the Shark diffuser to the Dyson options.

The round-brush attachments feel rougher than Dyson’s on my hair. Many people love them, and I did too before trying Dyson, but I now prefer a round brush without a pronounced rounded tip and with a gentler feel.

Shark FlexStyle Next Generation IonCurl

I have not personally tested the FlexStyle Next Generation IonCurl, so it would be misleading to review it as if I had. Based on its published design, it is the most interesting Shark option for someone focused on curling and newer ion technology.

It looks like a thoughtful update to the original FlexStyle, with revised curling attachments and a broader attachment set. My experience with the original FlexStyle makes me comfortable including it as a model to investigate, but I would not replace my Dyson to test it unless Shark introduced a round brush that better suits my preferences.

How to Choose by the Attachment You Will Use Most

The best multi-styler is not necessarily the one with the longest attachment list. It is the one with the attachment you will reach for every wash day.

• Choose a tension comb if you mainly want to stretch curly or coily hair with less pulling before smoothing.
• Choose a round brush if you want smooth roots, bounce and a rounded blow-dry finish.
• Choose a diffuser if preserving natural curls and coils matters most.
• Choose a curling barrel if you regularly create curls or waves and value an easier direction-changing system.

Are Dyson Multi-Stylers Worth It?

For frequent home use, they can be. My sister’s original Airwrap has been in regular use for seven years and still works perfectly. That does not guarantee every tool will last as long, but it does show why durability matters when judging the upfront price.

The newer models are better than the original in several ways, but I would not upgrade a working Airwrap simply because a new version exists. Choose the model that suits your routine, clean the filter regularly and keep it until it no longer does the job. Unless something transformative happens in multi-styler technology, that may be a very long time.

Final Verdict

The Dyson Airwrap i.d. is my winner. It combines the gentlest-feeling round-brush experience, very good smoothing, quick drying and useful automated curling features at a lower price than the Co-anda2x.

Choose the Co-anda2x if maximum drying speed and Dyson’s newest technology matter more than value. Choose the original Shark FlexStyle if you want a strong premium multi-styler for less money, especially if you diffuse or like a hotter tool. Consider the FlexStyle Next Generation IonCurl if improved curling and ion technology appeal to you—but remember that this recommendation is based on research, not my own testing.

Related Guides

• Dyson AirSmooth Review: Is It Better Than the GHD Duet Blowdry and Shark Glossi?
• How to Stop Frizzy Hair: A Routine for Every Hair Type and Climate
• The Complete Wash-Day Routine for Curly and Coily Hair

Build a routine for both your scalp and your strands. Take the Radiant Eden Hair Routine Quiz.