We Tried the Viral Dyson Airstrait on Four Different Hair Types — Here's What We Think

Welcome to Skimm Tested, where we put products to the test and then give them a report card. (Check out all of our tried-and-tested faves here.)

What we tested…

The new Dyson Airstrait ($499.99) uses powerful, controlled hot air to both dry and straighten hair at once. That sets it apart from traditional flat irons that use ceramic plates at super-high temperatures, which can damage your hair if you use them regularly. The Airstrait can also be used to straighten dry hair, so it can basically replace both a blow dryer and flat iron. 

The testers…

• Caroline: I have long, Type 2A hair (fine with a loose wave). Even though my hair is fine, I have a lot of it, so it usually takes about 30 minutes to straighten with a flat iron. 

• Margo: Margo has mid-length, Type 1B hair. It’s fine and air dries with light waves, but falls to straight after a couple of days.

• Ali: Ali has long, type 2C hair — thick, coarse, and air dries wavy with frizz.

• Kitana: Kitana has long, Type 3B hair. It’s thick, super curly, and usually takes her over two hours to fully straighten.

Straight A’s in…

• Results. When I use the Airstrait, I get more enthusiastic compliments on my hair from family, friends, and coworkers over Zoom meetings (thanks, guys) than I ever have in my life. In short: The Airstrait works really well for my hair type. Margo and I give it points for longevity, too. Our hair stays perfectly sleek for two to three days, with minimal touch ups required. 

• Speed. It took my just-out-of-the-shower wet hair to bone-dry and super-straight in just about 20 minutes, using two-to-three passes per section. Ali achieved the same results with about five passes per section on her thicker, curlier hair, and it shaved a full 45 minutes off Kitana’s straightening routine. 

• Sleekness and shine on finer hair. My hair is prone to frizz and flyaways when I hit it with heat, but my hair is smooth after using this, both when I use it wet-to-dry and on dry hair. It won't give you that high-shine finish that a flat iron will, but I do like that it creates more volume and movement than a traditional flat iron. Margo agrees, and she loves how soft it makes her hair feel.     

• Ease of use. I’m easily intimidated by gadgets, but this is foolproof. It only has four buttons, three heat settings, and an easily navigable digital screen. Kitana dove right into using the Airstrait without reading the directions or watching a tutorial first and had no problem figuring it out. (Well done, Kitana.)  

• Technology. The tech here is the perfect example of “quality not quantity.” Our favorite feature: If you set it down for a couple of seconds, it turns off automatically to save energy and reduce noise. It'll start when you pick it back up again. And since this uses hot air rather than plates, you don’t need to wait for it to heat up to use it.

Room for growth…

• Sleekness and shine on curlier, thicker hair. Kitana says her hair came out puffy, frizzy and dull, and even applying a smoothing oil afterward didn’t get her the sleekness she wanted. Her hair type typically needs a bit more support with stretching (by using a round brush or comb) and a higher heat to see better results. The style also only lasted two days for her, as opposed to four-to-five days with her typical blowout and flat iron routine.

• Versatility. Margo says, “I like to use my straightener for bends and waves too. This tool is incapable of doing that because it only straightens and the airflow isn't strong enough to hold a shape for a curl. It doesn't even do a blowout kind of bend — it really only smooths.” She also notes that she needs the heat and precision of a flat iron to smooth areas closer to her face and on some ends that tend to get flippy.

• Price. You can’t talk about the Dyson Airstrait without talking about the price. At nearly $500, it’s simply not feasible for many shoppers.

• Size. This is a lot bigger than a regular flat iron, so it gets heavy when you're using it for an extended period of time. We also find the cord to be a bit awkward, especially with the battery pack sitting right in the middle. The size makes it difficult to get right at the roots, so you can’t get them pin-straight.

• Storage: We all wish it came with a storage case. It’s a shame to throw such a beautiful (and expensive) tool in a drawer without protecting it in some way. And it’s way too clunky to travel with.

Works best for…

• People who prefer straight styles. As mentioned above, this isn’t going to give you anything other than straight hair. Of course, the ease and speed with which it achieves that style depends on your hair density and texture, too. If your hair is thicker and curlier, this likely isn’t going to be a miracle tool.

• Anyone who styles their hair regularly. If you wear your hair straight once a week or less, this is probably too much of an investment — more than that, and this could be your lifesaver. The price is also justifiable if you regularly get professional blowouts.

• Those invested in their hair health. This is a nice option for people with color-treated or otherwise damaged hair (hello, fellow bottle blondes) who still don’t want to sacrifice heat styling (👋). The highest temperature only goes up to 285 degrees Fahrenheit (as opposed to flat irons that can reach up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit), so it’s a more sustainable option than blasting your hair with direct heat multiples times per week. We also didn’t notice any steaming, frying, or a burning smell. And since it doesn't use plates, it won't pull out your hair.

• Gifting. Can’t swing the price yourself? Ask someone else to do it for you. For close friends and family, this would be a holy grail product for a special occasion.

Pro tips from a hair stylist…

I took the Airstrait to a recent hair appointment so that my stylist, Meaghan, could weigh in with her feedback. Here are her tips (and ours) on how to use this tool most effectively.

• Even though the Dyson uses relatively low heat, you should still use a heat protectant. Our recs: I like Amika The Wizard, Margo uses RŌZ Hair Milk Serum, Ali likes Color Wow Dream Coat, and Kitana likes Moroccanoil Perfect Defense.

• Before you start straightening, you can lock the arms together and do a rough dry, focusing on the roots. When your hair is damp or dry, rather than soaking wet, you can get away with using a lower temperature. You won't get nearly the same volume at the roots using the blow-dry feature as you would with a round brush and a regular blow dryer with a nozzle, but you'll still get some lift.

• Go slow. It’s more effective when you take your time and pause at certain parts of your hair for a few seconds. If you don’t rush, and pause at the crown and ends, you get that straight style faster so you don't need as many passes. And of course, fewer passes = better for your hair health in the long run. You never want to put a lot of tension on wet hair, and this is a heavy tool.  

• When you’re done, use the “cool shot” setting to lock in the style. 

How we did our homework…

My three colleagues and I tested the Dyson Airstrait on our varying hair types for over a month. We used it on wet hair and timed how long it took to completely dry and straighten, and took note of how our hair looked and felt. We also used it on damp hair, air-dried hair, and for touch ups. I also brought this along to my hair appointment so that my stylist could try it out and offer her take on it.

Footnotes...

• $499.99, Dyson

• Available in Prussian Blue/Rich Copper and Nickel/Copper