Best Stylers

[Niobe Hennigan]

Typicallyhair multi-stylers have at least a couple of interchangeable attachments that allow you to create multiple looks, from straight and sleek styles to voluminous body and curls. They allow you to dry and style your hair quickly so you can fake a salon blow-dry in the comfort of your home. However, not all hair multi-stylers are created equal. While some may boast a selection of attachments, others may only have a couple of key ones. Some brands toot the bespoke settings, offering tailored heat and power settings that can be tweaked to suit your hair type's needs. And while we love to talk about the tech, what our editors are really looking for is the hair multi-stylers that deliver cool hair with minimum fuss and long-lasting hold.

To find out which hair multi-stylers are the best, I recruited some Who What Wear editors with varying hair types and lengths to test the best around right now, from the most expensive to the more affordable hair multi-stylers. Ahead, you'll find our unfiltered thoughts to help you decide on the best hair multi-styler for you.

My hair type: I have long hair, but it's quite thin, which means it often sits limply past my shoulders and gets knotty very quickly. In general, I am really low-maintenance when it comes to haircare, especially as I don't have any hair color in my hair. It should come as no surprise, then, that apart from a hair dryer (does that even count?) I own zero hairstyling tools.

The Dyson Airwrap is my foray into the world of stylers, and I am pretty sure I massively lucked out when this landed on my desk. When it came to thinking about what tool might work best for me, I knew I needed something straightforward and ideally with very little room for error. I also wanted it to be lightweight, as the amount of hair I have ensured I would most likely be holding any styling device for a while.

The pros: Over the testing week, I actually found the Airwrap really easy to use. Yes, the barrel tool took some getting used to, and I am certainly no pro at it, but overall, I picked it up quickly and found every other attachment really straightforward. They say practice makes perfect, and that is certainly the case with the Airwrap, but no more so in my opinion than if you're trying to perfect a curl with a traditional tong. After watching a video or two, I got the hang of it, and then nothing could stop me in my quest for that perfect bouncy blowout.

The cons: I found it quite difficult and clunky to use, and it certainly took me a while to really get to grips with the rotating function. In fact, I think it would probably be easier to use without it, and there were a couple of hairy (sorry) moments when I accidentally wound it too far in the wrong direction. Proceed with caution.

It boasts an impressive five heat settings and three speed settings, so you can tailor it to your hair texture and needs. It also has a cold-shot button to seal in your style (the key to making all the effort of styling your hair worth it by locking in the style). One unique aspect of the styler is the IonFlow button, which delivers negative ions to the hair to minimize flyaways and deliver luster. It worked well, adding a noticeable shine and smoothness in my hair compared to when I have used similar multi-stylers. I found the straightening brush did a great job of drying, smoothing the cuticle, and adding shine while straightening my lengths and taming my stubborn flyaways.

My verdict: This is great for generally smoothing and volumizing your hair, with the added benefit of some curls, without requiring much effort, time, or a big investment like other competing products on the market.

Why It's Worth It: The Shark FlexStyle Air Styling & Drying System will become such a staple in your routine, that you'll feel compelled to Airdrop the link for this 2023 Best of Beauty Winner to all your friends. The two curlers that come with the set rely on Coanda technology, which self-wraps the hair onto the barrel while simultaneously curling and setting it. For a va-va-voom bounce, pop on the oval brush, which delivers an impressively even airflow to limit drying time and thus, your hair's exposure to heat. Silky, straight hair is brought to you by the dual bristle paddle brush that doubles as a flyaway smoother.

Why It's Worth It: The Dyson Airwrap Complete Long has paved the way for the multi-styler category (and amassed a loyal following in the process). It's no wonder: The mechanics are designed with power and durability in mind (ahem, it is Dyson after all) and it eliminates the need for using multiple tools for one look since it takes the place of a blow-dryer, straightener, and curling iron. The multi-styler comes with six attachments, making it great for all hair textures from straight to coarse.

Why It's Worth It: If you want to master at-home blowouts, Drybar's Reserve 3-in-1 Interchangeable Blow-Dryer (a 2022 Best of Beauty Award) winner fits the bill. The multi-styler comes with three attachments that'll make perfecting your blowout a cinch: a blow dryer attachment that'll dry your hair in record time, an oval brush attachment for mega volume, and a paddle brush attachment for when the day calls for a sleeker, silkier look. It also features four heat settings, three speed settings, and a cool shot button to lock in your style for days. Would you expect anything less from everyone's favorite blow-dry bar?

Why It's Worth It: The best part about the Best of Beauty-winning T3 Airebrush Duo is that you'll be able to use it no matter your skill set. With only two attachments to navigate (a paddle brush and a round brush), this blow-dryer brush is a breath of fresh air if you're just dipping your toes into the world of multi-stylers. The paddle brush is best for straighter, sleeker looks while the round brush will help you create a natural-looking bend. Both brush attachments feature teeny tiny bristles that instantly grab onto the hair, allowing you to direct the styler however you want without worrying about the hair losing its grip.

The multi-styler also features a volumizing button that allows you to turn the ions on or off, giving you versatility with how bouncy you want your style to be. Most impressive, it also has a smart microchip that's constantly gauging the heat to ensure there aren't any spikes or dips in temperature. Translation: consistent, even heat distribution, and a more polished style.

Editor Tip: There are five heat settings to toggle through, making it great for all hair types. "If your hair is fine or damaged, you might sit somewhere between a one and a three," says Jade Simmons, director of brand and product marketing at T3, previously explained. "If you've got medium-texture hair that is relatively healthy, try somewhere between a three and a four. Or if you have thicker, coarser hair or a curlier hair pattern, go ahead and try four to five."

Why It's Worth It: The BondiBoost Airburst Styler 2-in-1 is primarily a flatiron that straightens the hair using less tension (and fewer passes), even on those with coarse, curly hair types. But, in addition to giving you buttery smooth straight hair (sans crispiness), it can also be used to create stunning curls or waves. You'd use it the same way you'd create flatiron curls (by opening the clamp, inserting a piece of hair, and twisting), but unlike your standard flatiron, this has a unique shape that won't create odd lines or dents on your hair while you're curling.

There are five heat settings to choose from, and what makes this multi-styler extra special is that it features tiny air vents to deliver a burst of cool air to the hair, which reduces your hair's exposure to heat and ensures your style is locked in.

Multi-styling tools are currently in their era, with the Dyson Airwrap being one of the most talked-about stylers across TikTok and Instagram. I love that we're also in a season of really prioritizing hair health, lower heat and quality tools that minimize damage. Don't get me wrong, I still love and will continue to use my T3 tools for certain styling needs, but ever since the Shark FlexStyle has entered the chat, it's been all I've wanted to use.

The Shark FlexStyle has a few different options depending on your hair type and what you're looking for, which I find incredibly convenient. Not everybody needs every attachment, and Shark took notes. The most popular version is the "Build Your Own" FlexStyle which allows you to select any 3 stylers for $279.99.

Although the price is undoubtedly a high cost to pay for a hair tool, the fact that you're getting a hair dryer with 3 attachments to curl, straighten and blow-out your hair combined with a system that's minimizing heat damage is well worth the cost for me personally!

+ 1.25" Auto Wrap Curlers - One for each side of your hair. These wrap, curl and set automatically using Coanda Technology (which is the system of high-speed jet of air that allows the hair to wrap itself around the tool)

The auto-wrap curlers and the styling concentrator are the attachments I use most. I really don't get any use out of the paddle brush, as I don't wear my hair straight. Every so often when I'm doing a rough dry, I'll attach the oval brush to help with frizz.

As with any new hair tool, there's a bit of a learning curve but not something to be intimidated by in the slightest. Having two curling heads designated for the left and right sides of your head actually makes the process of curling really foolproof!

+ No matter how thin or thick your hair is, use sections. I find that curling with a small, 1" section gives the best results. Since my hair is on the thicker side, I separate it into 4-5 sections starting from the bottom up when I'm styling.

+ For the easiest wrap with the curlers, hold the piece of your hair that you're curling towards the end, leaving about 2" dangling to start the wrap. Once it catches, let go and let it do it's thing.

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