Is the New Airwrap Worth $750?
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Another year, anotherAirwrap. I won’t lie — when I heard Dyson had released yet another version of its admittedly beloved hair tool, I rolled my eyes. Especially after seeing the price tag: $750, more than a car payment.
Before I get into testing, here’s a little history on the Airwrap and its many iterations. It’s useful context. I got the very first Airwrap as a Christmas gift in 2021 and then upgraded when the brand sent me the new-and-improved model two years ago. The biggest difference in that update was that it came with curling barrels: With the original model, each barrel could direct the airflow only in one direction, so you had to swap the barrels out mid-style when you moved between the left and right side to make sure your hair was curling the right way. Now you simply twist a knob on the same barrel to change the airflow from clockwise to counterclockwise. The brand still offers that model, now called the Airwrap Origin, for $550, though it comes with only three attachments: a brush, a curling barrel, and a dryer head.
After that came the Airwrap i.d., whose biggest upgrade was the app compatability, which enabled it to set the heat and airflow settings as well as timing. The i.d. also introduced a conical curling wand to the attachment lineup. The i.d., which is available in either a curly-straight or curly-coily model, is priced at $650.
In July, the brand released the Co-anda2x, which is supposed to be lighter, faster, and more powerful than its predecessors. To see if that’s really true, I called it in to put it through its paces (and even tested it out on my mom).
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It is a lot lighter …
The Co-anda2x is noticeably lighter and slimmer than all of the previous models. The battery pack on the power cord is heavier than the tool itself. Compared to the i.d., which weighs in at a heftier 1.4 pounds, the Co-anda2x is a diminutive .9 pounds. And if we’re being real, every ounce counts when you’re mid-blowout.
… And faster …
The most exciting feature in the Co-anda2x is the brand’s new Hyperdymium motor, which is the same one found in its recently launched Supersonic r hair dryer that I tested out last month. Dyson says this motor can harness double the signature airflow pressure — hence the namesake Co-anda2x — and is 30 percent more powerful.
What that means became extremely apparent when I first plugged it in and it immediately blasted my sectioning clips and a few attachments across my kitchen counter. When I actually started blow-drying my hair, the process was so quick that I accidentally ended up with my hair completely dry in minutes. I had to dampen my hair to get it back down to the 80 percent dry state Dyson recommends before curling. And when it came time to curl, each section needed only 30 seconds before it was set.
… But it’s also hotter.
The Airwrap’s biggest claim to fame was its commitment to reducing heat damage. The trade-off there was always that styling took longer and didn’t hold up as well over time, which is why I was pretty shocked to find that the Co-anda2x getshot. Even with the intelligent heat control, there were times I very nearly burned my scalp, which was an unpleasant surprise since I’m used to holding the Airwrap tightly against my roots to make sure they are completely dry. I even needed to give the attachments time to cool off before I could pack them away. Ultimately, I do still think the heat damage is less than using regular hot tools like acurling iron. However, if you’re really paranoid about heat damage, I’d recommend sticking to the lower heat settings only. And please learn from my mistakes and dry your roots thoroughly before swapping in the curling barrels.
The curls do last longer.
I am famously on record as an Airwrap-curl hater. In fact,I wrote a screed encouraging our readers to just buy a curling ironfor a fraction of the price and be done with it.
So I was skeptical of the Co-anda2x’s claim that the curls would last longer than previous models. Interestingly, the Co-anda2x does away with the conical barrel altogether, opting for a shorter, fatter barrel. I was doubtful it would be able to curl my long, chest-length hair, but the hair wrapped around the barrel no problem. And it was undeniable that the curl was tighter and bouncier than the curls I had managed with past Airwraps. They actually looked like curls made by a clamp iron. While they did eventually fall, as all Airwrap curls do, the result was much more voluminous and lasted longer than the older Airwraps I’ve used. I chalk this up to a few things: the shape of the barrels, the power of the new motor, and the hotter settings.
The straightening attachment is a dud …
The straight-wavy Co-anda2x comes with six attachments: the dryer head, a round brush, a smoothing brush, two curling barrels, and the brand-new AirSmooth2x straightening attachment, which resembles the brand’s Airstrait in miniature. (The curly-coily kit replaces the AirSmooth2x and one of the barrels with a diffuser and comb instead.) This is for good reason, because when I tested the AirSmooth2x out on my mother, who has very curly, coarse hair, it left her hair quite frizzy and puffy. The other mild annoyance with the AirSmooth2x is that it relies on a smart sensor to turn off after each pass, but I found it was accurate only about 90 percent of the time. While it didn’t cost me that much styling time, I couldn’t help but get annoyed each time it turned itself off halfway through drying a section of hair. In the end, I was able to create a smooth and shiny result on my naturally straight hair, but because I could work on only inch-long sections at a time owing to its small size, it took longer to style than if I had just used the smoothing brush.
… But the brush attachments are a great upgrade.
Speaking of brushes, the new bristles are virtually snagproof. They even glided through my mom’s thick hair without pulling, even at the root, where her hair is coarsest.
The app is actually helpful.
Like the i.d. before it, the new Airwrap has an accompanying app, which you can use to preset styling settings after you fill out a hair profile. The app also includes tutorials and other tips. Of all the features, the i.d. curl is the best I found because it tells you exactly how long to hold the curl and automates the cool-shot button.
The verdict: It’s worth it (if you don’t own an older model).
If you don’t already own an Airwrap, investing in the Co-anda2x is worth it. The versatility of styles, speed, and ease of use is unmatched. Especially if you heat-style regularly, the time you would save each day aloneplusthe reduced cumulative heat damage on your hair make the investment worth it. Alternatively, if you’re new to styling your hair, the app removes the Airwrap’s learning curve and makes it easy to learn new styles quickly. Obviously, nobody everneedsto spend $750 on a hair tool, but this iteration of the Airwrap does remain in a class of its own.
Having tried each generation, I do feel that the Origin is no longer worth buying owing to its lack of extra attachments and app compatibility. And since the i.d. also costs a very steep $650, the extra bells and whistles you get with the Co-anda2x are worth the additional hundred bucks you’d be spending. However, if you already have the i.d. or a different styler that you are happy with, I don’t think the upgrade is necessary.
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