Best Shark FlexStyle Alternatives

The Best Shark FlexStyle Alternatives: Get Way More Bang (And Blowouts) For Your Buck

The Shark FlexStyle is one of the most popular air-powered multi-styling tools out there right now. But it carries a pretty steep price tag (about $300) for just three styling tools of your choice.

As it turns out, you don’t necessarily have to spend that much to get the same salon-worthy results at home, and many FlexStyle alternatives provide double (if not more) the number of attachments and tools to work with!

My Best FlexStyle Alternatives (At A Glance)

Compare:Base PriceStyling ToolsBest For
Ella Bella 6-in-1$1996: Dryer, right and left curls, 3 brushesVolume, straight styles, loose curls, blowouts
Ion Luxe 8-in-1$2198: Diffuser, concentrator, 4 curling barrels, 2 brushesNatural curls/coils, straight styles, loose curls, blowouts
T3 Aire 360$2995: Dryer, 2 curling barrels, round brushBlowouts, loose curls
Dyson Airwrap i.d.$5996: Varies based on model (Straight+Wavy or Curly+Coily)Volume, curls, straight styles, blowouts
BaByliss Pro$2495: Dryer, diffuser, smoother, 2 brushesVolume, straight styles, blowouts

There are a lot of really great hair stylers that mimic the FlexStyle’s performance for a fraction of the cost, especially when you consider the number of tools you actually get with them. 

The Best Shark FlexStyle Alternatives To Try

Yes, the Shark FlexStyle is well-known in styling circles. But at that price, it should come with more than just three attachments. As they won’t necessarily satisfy every styling need if you experiment with your hair often, or if multiple people use it.

Below, I’ll share my top picks for the best alternatives that offer a lot more styling power for a lower (or at least comparable) price.

#1. Ella Bella 6-in-1 Airstyler

My top FlexStyle alternative is the 6-in-1 Airstyler from Ella Bella because of its tool range, effectiveness, and price point (especially given how luxurious the tool set is for the cost).

Ella Bella’s 6-in-1 is like having an almost complete salon toolkit at home, featuring an attachment for drying, a wide paddle brush for sleek detangling and straightening, a large volumizing (oval) brush, a smaller round brush, and two curling wands.

Best Shark FlexStyle Alternatives

The only things that are really “missing” are a diffuser and/or concentrator attachment for the hair dryer. If you’ve got naturally curly hair and you want to preserve that curl pattern, there’s not really an effective way to do that with this one.

The 6-in-1 is really easy to use, thanks to a locking ring at the end of the base that secures each attachment, and the entire thing is pretty lightweight so you experience little in the way of arm fatigue, especially if you’re using multiple tools and styling for a while.

Considering that it’s an air styler, the noise is pretty minimal compared to traditional blow dryers, and it has a low and high setting for the air flow. Three temperature settings (cool, warm, hot) give you a lot of flexibility as far as styling your hair based on its texture and health, and you can change the temp quickly to finish and set your style with a cool shot.

The hardest thing to learn with this one involves using the curling wands. If you’ve never used an air curler before, they can have a bit of a learning curve at first. I found that the curling wands pick up the hair more effectively when the air flow is set to high.

I personally love the straightening detangler brush, which is perfect for pre-styling your hair before using a flat iron. It basically makes it so you can get perfectly straight hair with a single pass of a flat iron, even on coily hair. (My niece borrowed my Ella Bella tools the other night to straighten her 4A curls, and the results were gorgeous, although I will forever love her natural curls best.)

The Ella Bella comes with a really nice hard-shell case that has a spot for every tool, whether you’re storing it at home or traveling with it. It’s a luxurious touch, and at less than $200 for the entire set, this one earns my top recommendation.

#2. Ion Luxe 8-in-1 Airstyler Pro

The Luxe 8-in-1 from Ion is a close second choice and it comes with a diffuser and concentrator attachment for the dryer. Ion’s 8-in-1 styling tool includes a smoothing brush that detangles and adds volume, an oval round brush for voluminous blowouts, and a volumizing pick that can stretch coily hair for a straight look or lift and separate curls to enhance their shape. It also includes four curling barrels in two sizes (1” and 1.5”) for auto-wrapped curls in either direction.

Basically, you can do just about anything with the Luxe 8-in-1 from Ion. Rather than having a low/medium/high temperature setting, this multi-styler has four heat settings: 100ºF, 120ºF, 160ºF, and 190ºF, along with a dedicated cool shot button.

The one thing that didn’t impress me as much, at least compared to the Ella Bella multi-styler, is the storage. The Luxe comes with a velvet bag for storing all the attachments and the dryer base, but that just isn’t as effective (or organized) as the case you get with the Ella Bella.

This isn’t the end of the world, especially if you’re a homebody, but if you take it with you during travel, it’s not as easy to pack it up in a way that protects your expensive toolkit in your suitcase or carry-on.

That said, the 8-in-1 from Ion is an effective multi-styler for every hair type, whether you’re naturally curly, coily, wavy, straight, or somewhere in between.

#3. T3 Aire 360

If blowouts or curls are your jam, the Aire 360 from T3 is a ceramic air styler kit designed to create the bounciest blowouts and soft curls imaginable. 

This particular FlexStyle alternative only comes with a dryer attachment, round brush, and two 1.35” curling barrels, but you’ll end up with gorgeous blowouts that can be set with a cool shot at the end of styling.

The Aire 360’s tools are coated in a custom ceramic blend (CeraGloss™) that provides evenly distributed heat for better smoothing, shine, and shaping of the hair shaft during styling. The results are frizz-free and volume-packed with minimal damage to your hair. It’s pretty lightweight as well, so it’s easy to wield without your arms getting tired.

Like the Ion Luxe, the Aire 360 includes only a bag (made from soft vegan leather) for storage, which is fine enough for home but not necessarily the best for travel.

Although this FlexStyle alternative doesn’t offer as many tools as the first two products on this list, if blowouts are your favorite or main go-to look, it has everything you need.

#4. Dyson Airwrap i.d.

One of the most well-known Shark alternatives (and probably the most expensive), the Dyson Airwrap i.d. is a 6-in-1 multi-styling tool that actually has two separate versions depending on your base hair type.

The Straight+Wavy comes with a dyer, flyaway smoother, soft smoothing brush, large round volumizing brush, 1.6” barrel that changes directions, and a conical barrel to style more closely to the root.

Dyson’s Curly+Coily comes with a dryer, wide-tooth comb, firm smoothing brush, large round volumizing brush, conical barrel, and diffuser.

Both variations use Coanda air flow pioneered by Dyson for better control over your styling and flyaways, so your finished look is as smooth and sleek as possible. And if you happen to have other Dyson Airwrap multi-stylers, the attachments are compatible with this one.

Like the Ella Bella, the Dyson includes a case that is cushioned with soft fabric inside to store your tools at home and protect them (effectively) when packed for travel.

The Dyson Airwrap i.d. is a great multi-styler tool, but when it isn’t on sale, it runs about $600. That’s a pretty hefty price tag, especially compared to the other equally effective FlexStyle alternatives on this list.

#5. BaBylissPRO StyleSwitch Multi-Styler

I instantly fell in love with the color of this one; it’s such a pretty shade of blue, but the BaBylissPRO StyleSwitch is a great FlexStyle alternative when you have naturally curly or kinky hair, or prefer blowout styles with straight strands or soft curls.

The BaBylissPRO includes a hair dryer, a smoother (straightener), a 1.75” round brush, a paddle brush for detangling and smoothing, and a diffuser attachment with a deep angled bowl for drying effectively while minimizing frizz and enhancing your curl pattern. The maximum heat setting is 235ºF, and there are nine heat and speed settings available, along with a cold shot button to lock in your style.

One especially cool thing about this multi-styler is that it has an automatic memory setting that recalls the last air speed and heat setting you used. Granted, you might start off by drying your hair on high speed with low heat, smoothing it with the paddle brush on low speed and high heat, and using the round brush on another setting altogether, but it’s still a nice feature if you do use the same tool (in the same way) again and again.

This one comes with a really nice zippered case for storage and easy travel, and it has a nine-foot swivel cord that gives you plenty of working space away from an outlet without ever having to worry about the cord getting tangled or twisted.

How To Choose The Right Airstyler

If you’ve been eyeing the Shark but hesitated to pull the trigger because you aren’t sure if it (or any other similar product) is right for you, some things to consider when shopping:

  • Hair type compatibility: Some tools are designed for curly or textured hair (and these will usually come with diffusers), while others are best for wavy, straight, or fine hair.
  • Attachments: The included (or chosen) attachments should be things that you can actually use to achieve the styles you want.
  • Heat control: A quality airstyler should have multiple temperature settings and, ideally, a “cool shot” option that allows you to set your style with a blast of cool air after the heat has shaped it.
  • Airflow: Strong airflow allows for quicker drying and styling without excessive heat exposure.
  • Ionic technology: This helps to reduce frizz and static electricity (flyaways) during styling.
  • Overall weight: A lightweight multi-styler is best, especially because your arms are going to be raised (a lot) while you’re using it. The lighter the tool, the less arm, wrist, and hand fatigue you’ll experience.
  • Warranty and customer support: Should any issues arise, having a warranty and quality customer support will ensure your investment is protected.

Closing Thoughts

Choosing something other than the Shark FlexStyle doesn’t mean you’re compromising on performance. There are plenty of equally effective (and way more budget-friendly) alternatives for every hair type and price point.

If you’re ready to upgrade your home salon, the multi-stylers on this list prove that you don’t need to overspend to get gorgeous results. Consider the features and tools that matter the most to you and to your styling preferences, and pick the one that fits seamlessly into your hair routine. For me, Ella Bella’s 6-in-1 is the one.

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