Is the Dyson Airwrap really too expensive? We test it

I'm sceptical and a little annoyed by everyone's infatuation with this brand. So far, I've managed to cleverly avoid the "Supersonic" or what everyone considers to be "the absolute revolution in foehn". After all, a foehn is a foehn, I don't see what's so mind-blowing about that. Dyson has just released the Airwrap, and I agreed to give this brand and its overpriced device a chance.

The Airwrap is a multistyler, meaning it's part foehn, part curling iron, part straightening iron and part round brush. It comes in the form of a handle and various attachments, including its famous Airwrap roller, which rolls up strands on its own, as if by magic. This article gives you all its technical specifications and explains how it works without extreme heat. Me, I'm much more interested in finding out what it's really worth, given its price.

Dyson offers two versions, with accessories to meet different needs.

The "Smooth + Control"

version.
According to Dyson, this version is aimed more at unruly, frizz-prone hair. It contains four tips:

• two 30mm rollers
• two 40 mm rollers
• one hard smoothing brush
• one pre-drying nozzle

Curling irons

Dyson Airwrap Smooth + Control

12

Curling irons

Dyson Airwrap Smooth + Control

12

The "Volume + Shape"

version.
According to Dyson, this version is more for fine and fragile hair. It too contains four tips:

• two 30mm rollers
• a soft smoothing brush
• one round volume brush
• one pre-drying nozzle

Curling irons

Dyson Airwrap Volume + Shape

6

Curling irons

Dyson Airwrap Volume + Shape

6

Both kits also contain a non-slip mat, a brush for cleaning the filter and a storage box.

For my editorial colleague Vanessa Kim and I, one thing is certain: we want to test the rollers together, in front of the camera. As her hair is fine and shorter than mine, she opts for the 'Volume & Shape' version. As for me, I chose the 'Smooth & Control' kit for my thick, unruly hair.
.

Our first impression: brown and pink?! Ouch...

No sooner had we taken the device out of its storage box and opened the magnet fastener than we discovered an unidentified accessory.... Ah, it's the heat-resistant non-slip mat. It's the same colour as the big bulky box. It looks to me like a completely useless contraption. And I have to tell you that I'm not at all convinced by the colour combination: the tips and the handle are grey and bright pink, which is nice. But whose idea was it to add brown? Frankly, it makes my eyes bleed. Well, okay, that's just the box.

The rollers

Dyson advises using the multistyler on slightly damp hair. That's also why it provides a pre-drying nozzle, with which you can dry your hair after washing it. I'll be testing it later at home. As I often want to curl my hair without having to take a shower, Vanessa and I first tested the Airwrap rollers on dry hair. We soon realise that getting the same results as in the tutorial isn't as easy as you might think.

Each side of the face has its own 30 or 40 mm diameter roller. Arrows indicate the direction in which the strands are rolled. I prefer my curls to move away from my face. So I have to check which direction I'm working in (to the right or left of my face) and change rollers if necessary. It's super easy, so we can get started straight away. We go through several trials on dry hair, until I get my first strand right and get used to the machine. Unfortunately, no two curls are the same and the end result isn't great. It looks like it's blowing a gale or like I've just got out of bed. My hair is clearly too long, even for the 40mm tips; there's always a point that won't let itself be curled. I try to start lower, but the strands end up mixed in with the curls already created, and the heat doesn't really reach them any more. What's more, the air ruffles a strand of small hair at the roots as I hold the device. Raahhh!

Vanessa experiences much the same thing, but the length of her hair already suits the Airwrap much better. If you're working on damp hair, make sure it's not too wet. Otherwise, you'll end up with limp curls like the ones I showed you in my video. However, I really like the mode that cools and sets curls at the touch of a button.

So that's our first impression. To give the Dyson Airwrap a fair chance, Vanessa and I take it home and test out the rest of the mouthpieces. We swapped versions first, because the 'Volume & Shape' attachments spoke to me more than the 'Smooth & Control' ones, and vice versa. Our home test didn't manage to change our minds about the rollers.

The pre-drying nozzle

As I've never tested the Supersonic, I can't make a comparison. However, Vanessa did notice the 20% less power advertised by Dyon. I think this option is a plus, despite its limitations. It's much quieter than my hairdryer, and it directs the airflow much more precisely. What's more, it's very light, which suits me just fine, as my hand has been operated on and I get cramps whenever I put too much strain on it.

• Smoothing brushes

For my hair, Dyson recommends the Firm Smoothing Brush. Yet it's more the soft version that inspires me. Its pink bristles glide through my hair. I have to admit that I'm very pleasantly surprised by this tip. After drying my hair with the pre-drying nozzle, my locks were completely dry and silky in just a few strokes. I'd recommend brushing through your lengths first. Finish by brushing from the roots to the ends. That way, you can be sure that all those little tangles are smoothed out. This tip saves me a lot of time and brushing, as I don't need to use a medium quality foehn and then have to go back over my strands with a straightening iron. In ten minutes, I have smooth, voluminous hair.

• The round volume brush

The round brush too is very effective, but a little small given the length of my hair. I therefore use it after the straightening brush. It gives a nice finishing touch to my ends and the few shorter strands around my face. I'm convinced by the result.

The editors' other opinions

News travels fast... everyone already knows that the Airwrap is hanging around our desks. Our video producer Stephanie Tresch, Mariya Alipieva and Livia Gamper spontaneously decided to test the device and its rollers. Mariya immediately fell in love with it. The Airwrap reacted very well to her hair and gave her lovely curls. Livia, on the other hand, won't touch it again. She has very fine hair and the air in the nozzle caused her strands to slide upwards. As a result, her hair was all tangled up. Stephanie was also disappointed: "My natural curls looked better before the test. I'd love to try it on damp hair."

The verdict: should you break the bank?

All in all, I think the reputation of the rollers is overrated. The device is cool and unique, but no more practical than other foehns. You certainly don't feel the extreme heat, and it's gentle on the hair, but it creates other problems: frizz, less control, uneven curls, and a different roller for each side of the face. On top of that, you really need all the strands to have the same humidity. In the end, the Dyson Airwrap takes me longer and annoys me more than a conventional curling iron. But, and I want to make this clear, if you can get good curls with practice, they will be much lighter and fuller than with an ordinary curling iron. In our experience, it's hair that's not too fine or too thick, cut at shoulder height, that gives the best results. As Vanessa pointed out in the video, get a professional to show you how to use the appliance before you buy, because its performance depends so much on your hair. We're in the process of arranging for this option to be available in selected Digitec shops. We'll keep you posted.

I prefer the 'Soft Smoothing' brush in the 'Volume + Shape' version to the 'Firm Smoothing Brush' in the 'Smooth + Control' version. It glides through my thick hair better and is therefore more comfortable to handle. It's definitely my favourite tip and my personal must-have. I find the round brush works really well, especially on the ends and to give a finishing touch or create more volume at the roots.

As for the storage box, it's a good accessory to have (if you disregard its colour), but I feel a more compact travel pouch would have sufficed. It would take up less space and probably cost less. On the other hand, I still don't see the point of the non-slip mat. In short, I think it would be great if you could buy the accessories separately. As Vanessa and I were only really convinced by the brushes, we could save money and still get a good product, and buy other accessories if necessary. I also imagine that fans who already have the Supersonic don't want to invest in the full kit, just to get a pre-drying tip. Dylon is excluding too many potential customers to remain 'exclusive' at all costs. It forgets what's best for them.

And now, THE question: would I buy this device, given its price? Yes. Vanessa and I are actually hesitating to do so. But it certainly won't be for its rollers...