Dyson review: What can the new "Airwrap i.d. curl" do?

Dyson's Airwrap-Multistyler is my holy grail of hairstyling tools. And after the first update in 2022, I didn't think there was any room for improvement in the Airwrap. Dyson apparently saw things differently and announced a few months ago that a new generation of Airwrap was just around the corner: the "Airwrap i.d. curl" model with new attachments and app compatibility. It's been available to buy for just under two weeks. Time to experience the new features in action.

Get to unpacking

In this test, I will only cover the new features - i.e. the newly available attachments and the app function. If you're looking for reviews of the existing attachments and devices, you'll find them here. The test device was provided to me by Dyson.

Scope of delivery

• Handpiece
• Drying and flyaway smoothing attachment
• Long, conical curling attachment (new)
• long curling attachment, 40 mm diameter
• soft smoothing brush
• large round volume brush (new, at least for me)
• quick-drying attachment (was briefly removed from the range and is now back)
• Ring-shaped filter-cleaning-brush
• Storage box

App the post

I'm a bit nervous. Devices that have to be paired with my smartphone via Bluetooth are anathema to me. Nevertheless, I want to approach the test with an open mind.

The first surprise is on the inside of the lid of the storage box. It has a velvety lining and a small device that acts as a mobile phone holder. A cool detail, but one that I will hardly ever use. Because the box and its box usually end up in my cellar.

A QR code takes me to the MyDyson app. Download, create/register account (I already had one) and pair. To connect the app to the device, I first take a photo of the serial number to register the device. I then press and hold the power button on the device while the app searches for a nearby device. The small blue light on the device filter flashes. This all works on the second attempt and takes me five minutes. Another five minutes pass while I swipe through a short guide and create my hair profile (texture, length, styling experience, etc.), which the new "i.d. curl" function can later use as a guide.

I also find styling tips and tutorials in the app.

What can the "i.d. curl" feature do?

The "i.d. curl" function has exactly one purpose: it ensures that every strand is curled to the same length. And it adapts this to my personal hair profile, which I have previously recorded in the app. This should ensure regular curls all over my head.

When I activate the function in the app, the device runs through three phases per strand: Wrapping, styling and a cold setting that fixes the styling. The app recommends five seconds of curling, seven seconds of styling and five seconds of cold air. I can feel a pulsation between each phase. Once the appliance has completed all the steps, the airflow shifts down a gear and the attachment can be released from the curl. This also means that the function is primarily designed for curling attachments. However, you can theoretically use it with any attachment. The appliance does not notice the difference.

For experienced hands, this timed sequence may be superfluous. Nevertheless, I have to admit that it is extremely practical to just hold the strand of hair and let the Airwrap take care of the rest. Incidentally, the length of the individual phases can be adjusted manually in the app. Do you have short hair and need a shorter wrapping time than Dyson suggests? No problem!

What I personally like best: Once you've recorded everything in the app, activated the function and found the ideal settings for you, you don't even need to get your smartphone out next time. Your timing preferences are saved. To activate the feature, simply press the on/off control briefly upwards after switching on. If you don't do this, you can use the Airwrap as usual without the "i.d." function.

But wait a minute. Something is missing? Where has the cold shot function gone? With the previous model, the cold shot allows me to fix my hair with cold air during styling without having to change the temperature control. I do this by holding the on/off control upwards with my thumb for as long as necessary. Like a kind of shortcut. On the new model, however, this handle activates the "i.d. curl" mode. This sacrifice somehow makes sense, as the "i.d. curl", if activated, automatically switches to the cold function. However, if I don't want to use this mode, I have to fiddle with the temperature control directly.

The conical curling attachment

Until now, all curling attachments were cylindrical. A conical model has now been added. This means that it tapers towards the top. According to Dyson, this ensures that the resulting curls are narrower at the roots than at the ends of the hair, which should create a more natural look overall.

In use, the difference is visible but subtle. While the regular attachment adds a lot of volume to the roots, the conical attachment creates a more subtle transition into the curl. This could be an added value, especially for people with short hair. This is because saving volume at the roots can ensure that curling does not shorten the hair more than desired towards the top. If you have long hair, this nice-to-have won't necessarily do you much good.

The big round brush

Ok, the attachment isn't actually that brand new. The large round brush is already available to buy separately. I just haven't had the opportunity to try it out yet. At the moment, I regularly use the medium round brush with a diameter of 56 millimetres, which conjures up a lot of bounce and volume in my hair with my current shoulder-length hair. I can't find any information on the diameter of the large round brush. My (most likely inaccurate) measurement attempts suggest that we're looking at somewhere around 75 millimetres.

The brush creates softer waves in the lengths of my hair and more volume at the roots than my regular round brush attachment. It defines my hair less because of the large circumference. If you have a lot of long hair, you can benefit from this and wind up your hair in large strands with less effort. By the way: I have found that the "i.d." mode also works well in combination with the volume brush. However, it's worth increasing the winding time manually so that you have more time to wind the hair up properly.