Both the Dyson Airwrap and the Dyson Supersonic have been spotted in celebrity get-ready videos, backstage photos, and hair stylist kits on major tours and film sets. But they are not the same tool. Before you spend $430 to $600, here is the honest breakdown of which one is actually worth it for your hair type and your life.
Dyson has done something genuinely impressive in the beauty space. They took a brand known for vacuum cleaners and turned it into a name that Hollywood hairstylists, TikTok creators, and celebrities with the best hair all swear by. The Supersonic launched in 2016 and changed how people think about blow drying. The Airwrap followed in 2018 and made the idea of a single tool that could dry, curl, smooth, and volumize all at once feel like something out of a Jetsons episode.
But here is the real question: which one should you actually buy?
What Each Tool Actually Does
Dyson Airwrap i.d. / Airwrap Multi-Styler
- Dries AND styles simultaneously
- Uses the Coanda effect to attract and curl hair around the barrel without heat
- Comes with 6-8 magnetic attachments: barrels (1.2″ and 1.6″), smoothing brushes, round volumizing brush, dryer
- Measures temp 40 times per second to prevent heat damage
- Takes 20-30 minutes from damp to finished style
- Price: $499.99 – $599.99 depending on model
Dyson Supersonic Nural Hair Dryer
- Primarily a hair dryer — the best one on the market
- Motor in the handle creates a lightweight, balanced design
- Dries hair in 5-10 minutes
- Four heat settings, three speed settings, cold shot
- Comes with 3-5 magnetic attachments: concentrator, diffuser, smoothing nozzle, flyaway smoother
- The Nural model adds scalp protection mode
- Price: $429.99 – $499.99
Which Celebrities Use Which Dyson Tool?
The honest answer is that most celebrity stylists keep both in their kit. The Supersonic gets used for fast blow-outs between appearances and on-set touch-ups when time is tight. The Airwrap tends to come out when the goal is a particular look — soft waves for a red carpet, a bouncy blowout for a music video, or coiled curls for a magazine shoot.
Kylie Jenner, Kim Kardashian’s glam team, and various musicians’ tour stylists have all been photographed or mentioned using Dyson tools on social media. The Airwrap specifically exploded on TikTok and Instagram when creators started showing side-by-side videos of themselves getting salon-quality curls without a curling iron, and many of those creators were styling celebrities or working with major labels.
The Supersonic Nural, released more recently, has been specifically praised by stylists working with clients who have fine, color-treated, or damaged hair because of its scalp protection mode and more sophisticated heat calibration. If you care about hair health above all else, that is the model to look at seriously.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Category | Airwrap i.d. ($599.99) | Supersonic Nural ($499.99) |
|---|---|---|
| Primary function | Style + dry in one pass | Fast, powerful drying |
| Styling versatility | Curls, waves, straight, volumize | Blowout only (needs separate tools for curls) |
| Drying speed | 20-30 min damp to styled | 5-10 min to dry |
| Heat damage protection | Coanda + intelligent heat | Intelligent heat + scalp mode (Nural) |
| Best for hair type | All types, especially wavy/curly | Fine, damaged, color-treated hair |
| Learning curve | Moderate (practice needed) | Easy — point and dry |
| Travel-friendly | Comes in case | No case, lighter weight |
| Price | $499.99 – $599.99 | $429.99 – $499.99 |
The Airwrap — Who Should Buy It
Dyson Airwrap Multi-Styler Complete Long
$499.99 – $599.99 on Amazon
The Airwrap is the right choice if you currently own a hair dryer AND a curling iron or wand, and you want to replace both with a single tool. It does the work of multiple styling products, and once you learn how the barrels work, the results are genuinely stunning — soft, bouncy curls and waves that look like you spent an hour at a salon. People with medium-to-thick hair who want variety in their styling get the most out of it. The Coanda2x is the most powerful version and worth the extra spend if you have thick or longer hair.
The Supersonic — Who Should Buy It
Dyson Supersonic Nural Hair Dryer
$429.99 – $499.99 on Amazon
The Supersonic is the right choice if you care most about drying your hair fast, protecting it from heat damage, and getting a smooth, professional-looking blowout. The Nural model specifically adds a scalp detection mode that adjusts heat around the delicate scalp area — a thoughtful feature for anyone with thinning hair or a sensitive scalp. It is also the right choice if you love curling irons and plan to keep using them separately; in that case, spending an extra $100+ on the Airwrap’s styling attachments does not make sense for you.
Is Either of Them Actually Worth $500?
This is the honest question everyone is thinking. The answer is yes, but with a caveat. Both tools significantly outperform any conventional hair dryer or curling iron in terms of heat protection and results. If you currently use a cheap hair dryer and you wash your hair daily, the Supersonic will probably change your morning routine in a way you immediately notice. The Airwrap is more of a luxury upgrade — it is incredible, but it requires time to learn, and it is not faster than just blow-drying and curling separately.
People who own the Supersonic for years and still think it is the best in its class are not exaggerating. Dyson’s commitment to heat protection technology is genuine, and the longevity of these tools is excellent. Reviewers who bought the Supersonic five or more years ago are still using the same unit with great results. Amortized over five years, that brings the daily cost down to well under a dollar, which puts it in a completely different light.
Our Verdict
If you dry your hair every day and care about its health — get the Supersonic Nural. If you currently use both a dryer and a curling tool and want to streamline everything into one device — get the Airwrap. If budget allows only one, the Supersonic is the safer investment for most people. Both are available on Amazon, often with Prime delivery.
