Is the Shark FlexStyle Really a Dyson Dupe? I Used Both for a Month

For years, the Dyson Airwrap ruled the world of at-home hair tools. It had the aesthetic, the cult following, and the price tag to match. Enter: the Shark FlexStyle—a more affordable, suspiciously similar alternative that promises salon-level results without the bank-account burnout. Naturally, I had to find out: Is it actually a dupe, or just a knockoff? Over the past month, I used both the Dyson and the Shark side-by-side. Here’s the good, the bad, and the totally unexpected truth.

First Impressions: Packaging & Build

Let’s be honest: Dyson still wins on presentation. The Airwrap comes in a sleek storage case that looks like it belongs in a luxury spa. The Shark? Functional, but nothing fancy. The attachments feel slightly lighter and less polished—but the device itself is surprisingly solid and well-designed.

A major plus for the Shark: its wand bends into a 90-degree angle, transforming it into a regular hair dryer. That small detail? Genius. It saves counter space and makes it easier to travel with—something the Dyson, bulky case and all, can’t compete with.

Performance: Styling Power

The Shark FlexStyle brings the heat—literally. It gets hotter than the Dyson, which means faster drying times for thick or coarse hair. But it also means you have to be more mindful of heat damage. The Dyson, with its fancy airflow technology, is gentler and better for frequent styling if you’re trying to protect your strands.