In the world of hair tools, Dyson takes the cake for innovation. The Supersonic hair dryer, Airwrap, and Corrale Straightener are all game-changers in their own right, and what the brand’s latest launch—the Airstrait wet-to-dry flat iron—can do is pretty remarkable. It’s essentially a giant straightener meant to style hair from just washed to dry—except it does it with hot air rather than hot plates. The new tech is intended to simplify your routine, giving you smooth, straight hair in less time—and without the heat damage traditionally associated with blow dryers and flat irons. But, like its peers, it’s priced at a substantial $500.
We know what you’re thinking—from wet hair to straight without the crackle and frizz? What kind of sorcery is this? Hear us out: The possibility is in the design. The Airstrait has the same motor as the Supersonic and Airwrap, however, there are no hot plates—just vented ones that allow hot air to flow through, reaching a maximum temperature of 320°F.
Now here’s how the device actually works: When turned on, you can select between a “wet” or “dry” mode so that the tool can operate at appropriate temperatures for each state. In wet mode, you can style your hair at 175°F, 230°F, or 285°F depending on your hair type and texture. In dry mode, on the other hand, you can bump up the temp and style at 250°F or 285°F. There’s also a boost option at 320°F for smoothing out any creases or dents that could develop on dry hair. Like the Corrale, there’s also a lock feature and small LCD screen to toggle through temperature settings.
In addition to the wet and dry modes, there’s also a “rough dry” setting, which allows you to hold the plates close enough together that they lock in place—ideal if you retain more water in your roots, as curlier hair textures do.
Dyson promises the same versatility for the Airstrait as it does its other tools, claiming to have designed a wet-to-dry straightener suitable for all hair types; however, it’s no secret that textured hair types require more heat than fine or straight hair to fully dry and remain straight. Since its May 2023 launch, the device has received mixed reviews online and across social media, which is why we were keen on putting it to the test ourselves.
We tapped three curly-haired staffers to try styling their hair from wet to dry with the Airstrait—read their honest takes on the $500 tool, below.
Hair type: Fine hair that varies between 2C and 3C curls
Courtesy of Brie Schwartz
