Dyson Airwrap vs Airwrap i.d. – what's the difference?

Dyson's Airwrap shook up the hair styling market when it launched in 2016, because it offered a way to create curls that didn't rely on extreme heat. Despite a slightly painful price tag, it became hugely popular and is widely considered to be one of the best hair styler tools around. In 2024, Dyson added an upgraded version: the Airwrap i.d. If you've spotted this on sale and are wondering about the difference, I'm here to compare the Dyson Airwrap to the Airwrap i.d. for you.

The styler tool itself is almost identical on the Airwrap and the Airwrap i.d. The major difference is that the latter has an i.d.curl switch on the barrel. Flip this, and the styler will kick off a wrapping, styling and cold shot cycle, with timings based on your specific hair type. This routine is created using a companion app, connected via Bluetooth. If you're typically using your Airwrap to create curls, it looks like a worthwhile upgrade, taking some of the fuss out and streamlining the process.

Both the Airwrap and Airwrap i.d. version are compatible with a wide range of styling attachments. The i.d. has three new or upgraded pieces – including a conical curling barrel. These are all available to buy separately and are compatible with both Airwrap versions, so on their own they aren't necessarily a reason to go for the Airwrap i.d.

When we start to look at pricing and availability, it becomes clear that Dyson is pushing the Airwrap i.d. as a replacement rather than an alternative option. In the US, you can still buy both versions directly from Dyson, and both have the same list price. In the UK, the older Airwrap is listed but out of stock on the Dyson website. (In Australia, both versions are out of stock.)

Read on for a closer look at the Dyson Airwrap vs Airwrap i.d., or head to our Dyson Airwrap review to see how we got on when we tested one out.

Dyson Airwrap vs Airwrap i.d. specs

Dyson Airwrap vs Airwrap i.d.: price

• Both are high quality, premium products
• List price for Airwrap i.d. is more expensive, except in the US
• The Airwrap is no longer available from Dyson in the UK and AU

Both the Airwrap and Airwrap i.d. sit firmly in the premium price bracket. Dyson is known for its cutting-edge engineering, so you can expect a high quality product in both cases – while there are plenty of Airwrap dupes, none can quite match the Dyson version when it comes to performance.

There are a few bundle options of the Airwrap, with different combinations of tools, to suit different hair types and lengths. To keep things simple, these all tend to have the same list price. Being newer and techier, you'd expect the Airwrap i.d. to be pricier than the original Airwrap, but it's a little more complicated than that.

Head direct to Dyson US and you'll find both the Airwrap and Airwrap i.d. version. Weirdly, both have a list price of $599.99.

At Dyson UK, you can only get the i.d. version, with a list price of £479.99. (We have seen some strong discounts on this model though: over Black Friday, we saw prices drop to £399.99.) The original Airwrap is still available from third party retailers, and has a list price of £399.99.

Finally, Australia. Dyson AU has the older Airwrap listed from AU$749, but are all out of stock at time of writing. The Airwrap i.d. is in stock, and comes with a list price of $849.

Dyson Airwrap vs Airwrap i.d.: design

• The Airwrap launched 2018; Airwrap i.d. was released 2024
• Main machine is pretty much identical in size and power
• Airwrap i.d. has an i.d.curl switch that launches a curl routine

The original Airwrap was launched in 2018, and superseded by an updated version in 2022. Gen 1 had separate barrels for clockwise and counterclockwise curls, while the newer model included the option to switch curl direction without having to swap over the barrel, as well as adding new attachment options. We're mostly focusing on the 2022 Airwrap in this article. The Airwrap i.d. joined the lineup in August 2024.

In terms of the core design, the Airwrap i.d. and Airwrap are almost identical. All the key specs are the same, save for a difference in weight that is very minor. It's essentially a tube-shaped hair dryer onto which attachments can be added to create different styles.

The main focus is the curling barrels, which use a phenomenon known as the Coandă effect to shape the hair into curls as it dries it. When the first Airwrap launched, the main selling point was that it offered a healthier way to create curls; one that didn't require the extreme heat of traditional curling tongs.

The big difference between the Airwrap vs Airwrap i.d. is that the latter works with a companion app, and also comes with three new attachment options.

Dyson Airwrap vs Airwrap i.d.: app

• Original Airwrap does not have a companion app
• i.d. has a Bluetooth-connected app
• This is used to create a curl routine based on your hair type

Let's look at the app first. You take a short quiz the first time you use it, inputting information about your hair type and length. Based on this information, the app will then create the ideal wrapping, styling and cold shot timings for your hair specifically. Pair the app with your Airwrap i.d. over Bluetooth, then the styler will launch your curl routine when you press the i.d.curl button.

If you're using the Airwrap mostly for curling, this is a worthwhile, time-saving addition. It also takes the fuss out of creating and setting curls. On the non-i.d. version, you'll need to adjust each setting manually for each curl.

Dyson Airwrap vs Airwrap i.d.: attachments

• Both have a wide range of compatible attachments
• 3 new or upgraded attachments launched with the i.d.
• New attachments can be purchased separately and used with the original Airwrap

Both versions of the Airwrap have a broad range of compatible attachments for different styling tasks. The tools you'll get will depend on the Airwrap bundle you've opted for – there are different options geared towards different styling needs. So you could pick a Straight+Wavy Airwrap set, or a Curly+Coily one, or a Complete Long Volumize set.

There are tools for curling, smoothing, and volumizing. If you just want to use the Airwrap to dry your hair, there's also a compatible fast dryer attachment – this makes it a potential alternative to the Dyson Supersonic (head to our Dyson Supersonic vs Airwrap article to see exactly how the two match up).

Many of the attachment options are the same with the Airwrap vs Airwrap i.d., but Dyson added three new attachments when it launched the latter.

There's a Conical Airwrap barrel for creating tighter curls that start closer to the root, and a Blade Concentrator for sleek styles. Dyson also upgraded its diffuser, shifting the Airwrap's fairly standard diffuser to a two-part diffuser (similar to the one included with the Supersonic Nural) that can be used to shape and define curls, as well as for drying them. All of these new attachments are available to purchase separately from Dyson, and will work with either version of the Airwrap.

Here's a full list of the tools that work with the Airwrap:

Barrels:

• 40mm long Airwrap barrel
• 30mm long Airwrap barrel
• 20mm Airwrap barrel
• New with the i.d.: Conical Airwrap barrel

Smoothing brushes:

• Soft smoothing brush
• Firm smoothing brush
• Small soft smoothing brush
• Small firm smoothing brush

Round volumizing brush:

• Small round volumizing brush
• Round volumizing brush
• Large round volumizing brush

Dryers:

• Dryer+Flyaway smoother
• Fast dryer
• Wide-tooth comb
• Diffuser
• New with i.d.: Blade Concentrator
• New with i.d.: Wave+Curl diffuser