I Tried The £95 Dyson Airwrap Dupe & It Gave Me The Sleekest At-Home Blowdry

Like many, I try to prolong my trips to the hair salon as often as possible. It's not because I don't enjoy it — trust me, those head massages whilst having your hair washed are heavenly. It's because they often leave a sizeable dent in my bank account; just like everything right now, salon prices are soaring. The one thing I miss the most? Salon-fresh blow dries. You know the feeling, walking out the door with an extra bounce in your hair (and to your step), with smooth, glossy strands and the feeling that you can conquer the world. Luckily, the beauty tech industry is now well equipped with plenty of products promising to achieve this at-home.

The first that comes to most minds is the OG — the Dyson Airwrap which dries and styles hair simultaneously. But with all its gizmos and gadgets (it currently sells for £479.99), it's on the expensive side. Not ideal when you're trying to save money. So when my carefully curated TikTok algorithm started serving me glowing reviews of the Amika Round Blow Dryer Brush 2.0, which combines an extra big, round hairbrush and a blowdryer for only £95, I was intrigued. Could this be the more budget-friendly answer to my sleek, salon-worthy, bouncy hair dreams? Read on for my honest thoughts.

My first thought was Damn, this is one chunky tool. My second? Thank God it’s not as heavy as it looks. In fact, the 2.0 is lighter than many hairdryers I’ve tried and just as light as the Dyson Airwrap (which I have borrowed from a friend in the past). It is corded but has a 360° swivel mechanism so it's easy to manoeuvre around your head. Unlike other blowdry brushes on the market, Amika’s is oval-shaped (rather than round) to boost root lift. It also has two types of bristles: long nylon, ball-tip bristles (like you would find on a normal hairbrush) to detangle and smooth the hair and short, spiky bristles to increase bounce. This is all embedded in a smooth, tourmaline-coated barrel to further minimise frizz. This is a must for me — my hair is very fine and naturally dries with a wave and plenty of frizz, especially during the humid summer months. I was hoping that the 2.0 would be able to smooth some of this frizz down, cutting out my need for straighteners, and help add some oomph and volume to my ends.

Perhaps foolishly, I was so excited to receive my 2.0 that I decided to use it for the first time when I was already running late for a friend’s birthday drinks. Fresh from the shower and with my makeup half-done, I sectioned my towel-dried hair and worked in a heat protectant as suggested (Amika Blockade Heat Defense Serum, £26). Then I got to work brushing through my hair, using the hottest temperature, hoping it would be the fastest drying. I was right — this brush is powerful. It took about 10 minutes to fully dry and style my hair, adding body and volume while keeping it sleek and shiny. I was very impressed, especially considering how much it cut down on my getting-ready time (and how much it defused my frizz).

The 2.0 is noisier than the Airwrap but no more so than your usual hairdryer. Given that it only takes minutes to dry and style your hair, it’s a small price to pay.

Yes! Over the last few weeks, my daily routine has completely changed. Now it takes me mere minutes to achieve sleeker hair, which is a dream during the hot summer months. Even better, my hair still looks great two days later, which means I’m using less heat on my hair week after week, minimising damage. I've not thought about my straighteners once. I’ve also learned that using volumising products with the 2.0 (I like Amika Perfect Body Mousse, £13, and Brooklyn Bombshell Blowout Spray, £13, which I also received) really amps up the volume and hold of your blowdry.

If you're after that flippy, Matilda Djerf, curtain bang look, I think you might need to go in with a curling iron or hot rollers as well. This is where the Dyson Airwrap triumphs because it comes with curling attachments. But since the Round Blow Dryer Brush 2.0 is a fraction of the price, I can’t help but give it the crown.