The name Dyson may immediately trigger visions of hi-tech vacuums, but its haircare tools have taken over as its most popular category - and the innovations are about to start coming in thick and fast.
The electronics company has invested £500 million for 20 new devices to hit the shelves over the next few years, solving common concerns for well-coiffed consumers, and no doubt adding to the already 30 million Dyson hair tool owners.
Joining its lineup of the Supersonic dryer, Airwrap multi-styler and Corrale, the Airstrait is its latest innovation.
It was created to solve two challenges detailed as the most pressing by its customers: lack of time and straightening prowess. It follows suit in the collection with its use of the V9 motor, but straightens faster and sleeker. Dyson has been working on solving this over the last four-plus years and always with its signature MO to minimise and prevent damage.
So here’s the thing: there are no hot plates involved in this straightening product. It breaks away from any hot iron preconceptions, instead opting for high-velocity jets of air to create straight, natural styles. And here’s another thing, you can style from wet.
This game-changing device can be used directly on hair wash day, while still protecting fragile wet strands. There are two modes; wet-to-dry and dry-to-dry as well as a range of temperatures that never exceed 150oC (the limit to prevent hair damage). This hair tool aims to dry and style your locks - no matter your hair type - and do so in a far quicker time than it would take than the old hair dryer and iron combo (yes, even if you’re using the brand’s Supersonic and Corrale). Less time styling is less time damaging, but it goes beyond that to protect the locks.
How does the Airstrait work?
Dyson is once again turning traditional heated hair styling on its head, foregoing hot plates and instead harnessing the power of focused airflow - without sacrificing speed. A precise pressured blade of air is funnelled through the length of each side of the machine and directed downwards to create a smooth, sleek finish as it dries and to set the style in place.
This is achieved through the brand’s trademarked Hyperdymium motor that is powered by 13 blades spinning up to 106,000rpm and thrusting 11.9 litres of air through the device per second, creating pressure large enough to dry and straighten simultaneously, yet remaining surprisingly lightweight. There’s also Intelligent Heat Control that consistently monitors, measures and regulates the heating element so it doesn’t exceed that maximum temperature.
What are the different modes?
The five buttons that you’ll find on the Airstrait control either the Wet and Dry styling modes, offer a Cool shot and allow you to switch up the temperature. There’s also a boost for when you need a little extra flow and arrows to move between the functions.
When is the Airstrait available in the UK?
The Dyson Airstrait launched in the USA, Canada and Mexico on May 11 and has now finally become available in the UK on February 5.
Is the Airstrait worth the investment?
The first thing to notice about the Airstrait as you turn it on is that it compares more to a dryer than a straightener when it comes to noise level. We wanted to make the most of the wet-to-dry feature, so tried it on freshly washed locks to see just how quickly it could convert my long yet fine locks to poker-straight glory.
When you close the Airstrait, it mimics a dryer and you can lock this in place to give your hair a once over. Unlock it to place the hair through the middle of the device (remember, there are no hot plates) and you can run it extremely close from the scalp to the roots: the slower you go, the fewer passes are required. I was able to dry and style my hair with just one pass but this will depend on how thick and porous your hair type. It doesn’t pull on the strands and you can even use it single-handedly.
One thing that struck me immediately (as an incredibly clumsy and unskilled person) was that there is no thermal discomfort aka no burning plates coming into close contact with your neck or ears. There’s a diffuser that catches and redirects the air so that even when you are styling on shorter locks, it averts potential mishaps. These are removable and easily cleaned if they start to get clogged by hair serums and other products.
This multitasking device is a must for those who typically will dry and then straighten their hair. It transforms two tools into one seamless and speedy process where the total time taken was around 10 minutes (granted, my hair is thin in nature so it may take longer on thicker hair). The Corrale may straighten but it does only on dry hair and the flat brush on the Airwrap works well too but the Airstrait provides a smoother and more shiny look in a fraction of the time.
The finish is bouncy and slightly unfinished rather than poker straight, giving that effortless look without eliminating texture and volume. It also requires less concentration. When you’re using a regular hair dryer, the hair tends to fly around but this propels the air in just one direction.
It does take some time to finesse - not a lot but will require a few uses before you get the hang of it. The handy LED screen guides you through when changing the modes and temperature with a cute design of a person with diagrams and arrows to show you exactly what it will do.
Buy now - £449.99, Dyson
Shop the rest of the Dyson haircare collection below
12 best hair dryers for all hair types
Best heat protection sprays to reduce hair damage
Best heated rollers to give your hair salon-worthy curls
Best hair straightening brushes to get your hair looking smooth and sleek
Best hair straighteners for every hair type that will transform your styling game
Best curling wands: tongs for beach babe waves
Best travel hair dryers to accompany you on your next holiday
Best cordless hair tools to style, straighten or curl your hair
Dyson Airstrait
Buy now £449.99, Dyson
Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer
Best for: a sound(less) investment piece + using around small, slumbering children
No. of temperature settings: Four
Power: 1600W
Cable length: 2.8 metre
Weight: 0.56KG
Cool shot: Yes
Accessories included: Yes
Dyson has used the bladeless technology used in its fans and transplanted it into this unconventional-looking grey and fuchsia hair dryer.
The designers have also cleverly moved the motor from the head to the handle, taking the strain off your arms and making it far more comfortable to hold while drying sections of hair. Airflow is fast and even thanks to the V9 motor which propels at an astonishing 110,000 times a minute, pushing out 41 litres a second. More air equals a faster dry.
The motor design also means that the Supersonic is so quiet you can hold a conversation while using it; something of a game changer in itself. It comes with smoothing and diffusing attachments that connect magnetically while a microprocessor monitors air temperature every 40 seconds to ensure you’re not damaging your strands with excess heat. It takes getting used to when making the switch from traditional looking dryers, but once you’ve mastered the new way to hold the machine for maximum drying power, you’ll be converted.
The gold standard for hair dryers (which incidentally now comes in very fetching a limited edition Prussian Blue), the only downside is the cost which admittedly is far more than the average. But if you’re one for regular salon blow dries anyway, you should quickly recover the cost of Dyson’s Supersonic within weeks. What cost to keep the gleam on your crowning glory?
Buy now £330.00, Argos
Dyson Corrale Hair Straighteners
Best for: multi-use
While it may be a splurge, here is a double-whammy that works wonders as a straightener and a curler for both smooth and sleek, and curly and textured. With three precise heat settings - 165°C, 185°C, and 210°C - there’s a temperature for each and every hair type, and with the Corrale’s flexing copper plates, more hair is swept up by the straightener, meaning less heat and less damage.
Buy now £399.99, John Lewis
Dyson Airwrap
And finally... the tool that inspired a hundred (or seven worth noting) dupes. The Dyson Airwrap remains as popular today as when it first launched back in 2018 and has only become more advanced with additional attachments in all shapes and sizes. Older devices are still compatible with newer add-ons, the latter of which come complete with a cool tip to aid in the styling process.
The Airwrap boasts the high-pressure motor pioneered from the label that creates the Coanda effect to form curls, waves, dry and smoothed styles with extreme heat removed as part of the equation - thus promoting healthier, strengthened strands.
Buy now £479.99, Boots
