Shark
Shark FlexStyle Air Styling & Drying System
$349.99
Released 2022
Best Hair Dryers · head-to-head
A sourced, side-by-side comparison. ghd Helios Professional Hair Dryer is cheaper at $329. Every spec and price links to its source.
Shark
$349.99
Released 2022
ghd
$329Cheaper
Released 2020
The ghd Helios Professional Hair Dryer wins 1 of the 1 specs we compare head to head; the other wins 0. The ghd Helios Professional Hair Dryer is the cheaper at $329. The ghd Helios Professional Hair Dryer both leads on specs and costs less — the straightforward pick.
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✓ marks the stronger figure where "more" — or "less", for price and weight — is unambiguously better.
| Spec | | |
|---|---|---|
| US price | $349.99 | $329 Current MSRP at Ulta Beauty |
| Brand | Shark | ghd |
| Released | 2022 | 2020 |
| Wattage (W) | 1600 | 1875 |
| Weight (g) | 699 | 544 |
| Heat settings | 4 | 3 |
| Speed settings | 3 | 3 |
| Ionic | Yes | Yes |
| Cool shot | Yes | Yes |
| Attachments included | 2x 1.25-inch Auto-Wrap Curlers, Oval Brush, Paddle Brush, Styling Concentrator (5 total) | Contoured concentrator nozzle (1); diffuser sold separately |
| Motor (rpm) | — | — |
Sources — Shark FlexStyle Air Styling & Drying System: sharkninja.com (verified 2026-06-15). ghd Helios Professional Hair Dryer: ulta.com (verified 2026-06-15).
Where the two actually differ on the specs we track (4 of 8). Matching specs are omitted.
Sourced tester consensus for each — the "what people who used it think" layer, not just specs.
Three whitelisted testers (Reviewed, Tom's Guide, TechRadar) hands-on tested this exact model and agree it's a genuine Dyson Airwrap dupe at roughly half the price, versatile, well-built and intuitive. Common gripes: a learning curve on the auto-wrap curlers, having to swap barrels to reverse curl direction, and bulky attachments. Testers split on curl longevity. (3 sourced reviews, 3 lab-tested.)
Praised: Genuine Dyson Airwrap alternative delivering comparable blowouts at roughly half the price; Versatile all-in-one: converts to a standalone L-shaped hair dryer plus a wide range of attachments; Well-built, balanced, comfortable to hold with intuitive controls.
Flagged: Learning curve to master the auto-wrap (Coanda) curlers; Must swap separate left/right barrels to change curl direction; Curls/styles can lack staying power without hairspray.
Two whitelisted reviewers both rate the ghd Helios among the best dryers they've tried: TechRadar timed it with a stopwatch and decibel meter, Real Homes tested it hands-on. Both praise fast drying (roughly a minute to go from wet to dry) and a smooth, frizz-free finish, and both flag the high £159 price as an investment rather than an impulse buy. TechRadar additionally notes the powerful airflow strips volume. (2 sourced reviews, 1 lab-tested.)
Praised: Fast drying — took wet hair to dry in around a minute; Smooth, frizz-free finish; Well-built, attractive design with a premium silicone-feel shell.
Flagged: Expensive at £159 — an investment, not an impulse buy; Powerful airflow leaves hair lacking volume.