DewscopeHair Dryers & Stylers3 min read
Shark FlexStyle Review: Near-Airwrap Curls for Much Less Money
FlexStyle matches the Dyson Airwrap on curls and blowouts closely enough that most reviewers could not tell them apart at first glance. It is heavier and louder, but it costs about half as much.
Our verdict
FlexStyle gets you about 90 percent of an Airwrap for about half the money: auto-wrapping curls, a real blowout and a dryer that doubles as a styler. It is heavier, louder and less refined in the details, and the Dyson held curls slightly longer. At the sale price it is the sensible pick for most people.
Best forAnyone wanting Airwrap-style curls without the $600 price
What we liked
- Curls and blowouts that tested close to the Dyson Airwrap
- Sale price near $200 against roughly $600 for the Dyson
- Two Auto-Wrap curlers, oval brush, paddle brush and concentrator included
- Temperature checked 1,000 times per second to limit heat exposure
What held it back
- Heavier than the Dyson, around 600 g against 470 g in Which? testing
- Loud: one comparison logged about 95 dB
- Switching curl direction means swapping barrels instead of a toggle
- Curls loosened slightly faster than the Dyson's at eight hours
If the question is whether a $200 tool can do what a $600 one does, FlexStyle comes closer than any dupe we have read about. Editors who styled one side of their head with each tool report curls that looked almost the same straight on. The Dyson Airwrap wins on small refinements. Shark wins on price, and for most hair that decides it.
We did not style hair for this piece. We read the maker's specifications and several independent comparisons, and where numbers come from a test, we name the test.
The price gap is the story
On SharkNinja's own page the HD430 in Stone is $199.99, marked down from $349.99. A Gear Patrol comparison quoted $300 against $600 for the Dyson. Shark discounts heavily and often, so the realistic range is $200 to $300, still roughly half the Dyson's price.
In the box you get two 1.25 inch Auto-Wrap curlers, an oval brush, a paddle brush and a styling concentrator. Extra attachments cost $39.99 each, and a storage case is $59.99, so a fully loaded kit gets pricier than it first looks.
How the curls compare
Gear Patrol styled one side of a reviewer's head with each tool and photographed the results straight away and again after eight hours. Straight on and right after styling, the two sides were practically indistinguishable. The Dyson produced larger, more voluminous curls and held its shape slightly better at hour eight. The Shark gave bouncier, more defined curls. Both loosened a lot by the end of the day.
