I swapped my old hair dryer for the Shark SpeedStyle 5-in-1 — and my hair's never felt this good
So when the Shark SpeedStyle 5-in-1 Hair Dryer landed on my radar, I was cautiously optimistic. It promised power without the arm ache, faster drying without the damage, and a bunch of attachments to make styling feel less like a chore and more like... an actual possibility.
It's not often I get excited about a hair dryer — and yet, here we are. The SpeedStyle is Shark's answer to high-end styling tools, and while it doesn't come with AI or Bluetooth, it does come with smart attachments that work shockingly well, especially for the price.
There's the RapidGloss finisher for flyaways, a quick smooth brush, diffuser, turbo concentrator, and an express touch-up brush for your bangs. And sure, it's not silent. But when something cuts my drying time in half and doesn't leave my hair feeling like straw afterwards, I can live with a little extra noise.
So, is the Shark SpeedStyle worth considering over the other hyped-up tools on the market? For me, a former air-dry devotee who's voluntarily blow drying her hair, the answer's a very enthusiastic yes.
Here's everything you need to know in this full Shark SpeedStyle 5-in-1 Hair Dryer review.
Price
$259 / £179
Power
1700 watts
Cord length
8 feet
Accessories
7 (including dryer)
Dimensions
1.97 x 6.50 x 7.87 inches
Weight
1.65 pounds
Noise (dB)
Quietest: ~76 dB Loudest: ~85 dB
Heat (°C / °F)
Low: ~65 °C (149 °F)
Medium: ~80 °C (176 °F)
High: ~100–110 °C (212–230 °F)
The Shark SpeedStyle 5-in-1 Hair Dryer is $259 from Amazon U.S. and £179 from the U.K. Shark website.
However, there are a few different versions you can get, depending on your hair style and the accessories you want. The version I have is the original Shark SpeedStyle hair dryer along with the styling accessories and a storage bag.
There's also the Shark SpeedStyle Pro 5-in-1 High-Velocity Hair Dryer, which offers a black and copper design. This model delivers high-velocity airflow reaching up to 100 mph.
It incorporates a Scalp Shield Mode to protect new hair growth from extreme heat and features IQ Speed Styling & Drying Suite, which automatically adjusts settings for each accessory to ensure optimal temperature and airflow.
You can find this model on Shark for £219 in the U.K. There doesn't seem to be any retailers selling the dryer with all 5 accessories in the U.S. but you can build your own package on the Shark website for just $179 by choosing the 3 styling heads you want.
Shark also has two packages available for different hair types. There's one for straight and wavy hair, which comes with the RapidGloss Finisher, QuickSmooth Brush, and Turbo Concentrator ($159 / £149).
The other is for curly and coily hair, which includes the RapidGloss Finisher, QuickSmooth Brush, and DefrizzFast Diffuser ($158 / £149).
Unfortunately, there don't seem to be any Shark-brand accessories for short hair, so keep in mind that the styling heads may be difficult to use if you have shorter locks.
The Shark SpeedStyle 5-in-1 Hair Dryer isn't the most expensive hair styling tool on the market but I understand that the price tag is still hefty.
If you're looking for a more affordable option, the Revlon One-Step Hair Dryer & Volumizer is a popular choice at just $32 / £34, offering great styling power at a fraction of the price, though it lacks the multiple attachments that the SpeedStyle provides.
The design of the Shark SpeedStyle 5-in-1 Hair Dryer is sleek and modern. With its lightweight build, it's easy to maneuver, even during extended styling sessions.
Even the various attachments have been thoughtfully designed for easier styling and storage. However, there are a couple of issues that I had with the dryer and attachments, which I'll get into below.
When I first tried the Shark SpeedStyle and its attachments, I was honestly impressed by how well-thought-out the styling heads are. Each one serves its own purpose, and it feels like they really considered every need for different hair types and styles.
The Turbo Concentrator quickly became my go-to for sleek, straight hair. The focused airflow does an excellent job of smoothing things out and leaving me with a frizz-free finish. Then, there's the QuickSmooth Brush, which I loved for adding volume to my dull straight hair — it gave me that fuller, polished look without much effort.
I was also pleasantly surprised by the RapidGloss Finisher, which tamed my flyaways and left my hair with a shiny, glossy finish. After every use I felt like I had just walked out of the hair salon.
For those 'I need to fix this right now' moments, the Express TouchUp Brush has been such a time-saver, especially for smoothing my bangs and ends. I'm often on the go, so that quick fix made all the difference. This styling is even more effective when I put my bangs in a roller afterwards.
Since I don't have curly hair, I didn't need to use the diffuser. However, my colleague Kaycee Hill tested the diffuser, and commented on how easy it was to use to maintain her curls and keep her hair feeling fresh:
"The Shark hair dryer and its amazing diffuser transformed my 3B hair into perfectly defined curls that lasted for two days, banishing frizz and enhancing my natural texture."
What I really appreciate is how intuitive the attachments are. Unlike other dryers I've used in the past, the SpeedStyle is so easy to navigate, and every piece has a clear purpose.
Shark really nailed the convenience factor, and honestly, that makes styling a whole lot easier. I'll dive deeper into how all these attachments performed in the 'Performance' section, but for now, it's safe to say I'm hooked.
One thing I really love about the Shark SpeedStyle dryer is how easy it is to handle. It's super lightweight, so I didn't get the dreaded arm ache halfway through styling like I do with heavier dryers.
That alone makes a big difference, especially when you're spending a good chunk of time smoothing and curling.
Luckily, I have a power strip under my desk where I can plug in multiple things, so I was able to set up my mirror and do my hair at my desk without any trouble. But that's not always the case for everyone.
If you don't have a setup like that, the relatively short 8-foot cord could be a bit annoying, since you really do need to be near a plug socket. It's not a dealbreaker, but a slightly longer cord would definitely make the SpeedStyle even more convenient to use.
Now I'll walk you through how each attachment performed here, along with photos of my results. For context, my hair type is 1B (naturally straight with a slight wave) and it's highlighted and color-treated, which means it's a little more prone to dryness.
Drying my hair with the Shark SpeedStyle was a dream. My long, thick hair normally takes at least 15 minutes to dry with a regular dryer, but with the SpeedStyle, it was fully dry in just 5 minutes using the highest setting. Heaven.
I loved being able to tweak the airflow and heat settings depending on how wet my hair was — but for full dryness, I cranked both to high. It's also super gentle: the dryer constantly measures and regulates temperatures 1,000 times per second, never going above 110°C (230 °F), so it doesn't hit the damaging 150°C (302°F) mark like some dryers.
In terms of noise, the dryer is more of a smooth, consistent air-whistle instead of a rough, droning sound. It's around 85 dB on the highest power/heat setting, so might be a little louder than dryers like the Dyson Supersonic Nural, but it won't disturb the rest of your house or give you ear ache.
Considering my hair was dry within a matter of minutes, I didn't even need to use the dryer for long.
The Shark Turbo Concentrator head was pretty much perfect for my straight hair. Since I have naturally straight hair anyway, it helped me achieve a super sleek finish without any flyaways.
I tend to get some flyaways if I let my hair air dry, but this attachment concentrated the airflow so precisely that it smoothed everything down. The turbo setting also made my drying time faster, so I didn't have to spend ages fighting with flyaways.
It's a perfect match for my hair type and one that I use often when reaching for this product.
The RapidGloss Finisher ended up being one of my favorite attachments. After drying and styling, I ran it over the top layer of my hair and was genuinely impressed by how well it smoothed everything down.
I usually get pesky flyaways around my part and hairline, but this used a soft, controlled stream of Coanda airflow to tame them without flattening my volume. It added a nice glossy sheen too, which made my hair look way more polished than usual.
The QuickSmooth Brush surprised me with how much I ended up reaching for it. It's meant for straight styles with volume, and since my hair is already straight, I wasn't sure how much I'd need it — but it actually gave me that soft, bouncy, blowout look I usually can't be bothered to attempt.
It dried and styled at the same time, so I could skip using a separate round brush and dryer. It added just the right amount of lift at the roots and smoothed the mid-lengths and ends without making my hair look flat.
The Express TouchUp Brush ended up being the attachment I used the most especially for shaping my bangs. It's small, lightweight, and really easy to rotate, which made it perfect for flicking the ends of my fringe under just the way I like it.
I found it worked best when I blasted my bangs with the cool shot option on the dryer to help set the shape after using the attachment.
For extra volume and hold, I'd finish by popping my bangs into a velcro roller right after styling them and letting them cool completely before removing it. I also sprayed it with some hairspray for lasting power.
That combination gave me smooth, bouncy bangs that actually held their shape all day. It's become part of my go-to routine now, and I love that I can do a little refresh without having to fully rewash or blow dry all of my hair.
I didn't use the DefrizzFast Diffuser myself since it's not designed for my hair type, but my colleague Kaycee — who has beautiful, naturally curly hair (mixture of 3A and B) — was more than happy to give it a go.
She loved how easy it was to attach and how lightweight the dryer still felt, even with the diffuser in place. The diffuser works by distributing air evenly and gently through its extendable prongs, which helps to dry curls without disrupting their shape or causing frizz.
According to Kaycee, it helped her achieve soft, bouncy curls with great shape and volume, without flattening or puffing anything out. It didn't take her long to dry her hair either, and the ionic airflow seemed to help lock in the shine. It's safe to say she was seriously impressed (and so am I, just looking at the photo).
The Shark SpeedStyle comes with a surprisingly roomy and thoughtfully designed storage bag that makes organizing everything way less of a hassle. It's made from soft yet durable neoprene and has enough space to fit the SpeedStyle unit along with all six attachments — or even the FlexStyle and its eight, if you own both.
I found it super handy for keeping everything in one place and avoiding the usual drawer chaos. Inside, it's lined with a soft peach-skin fabric that helps prevent scratches, and the bag folds down with snap buttons if you want to save space or carry it by the makeshift handle.
There aren't any cleaning tools included, which would've been a nice touch, but there is a clear and helpful guide in the manual on how to clean the unit — especially the filter at the back, which is the main maintenance task. Shark recommends using a toothbrush to gently clean it, and it's easy enough to incorporate into your routine.
I'm someone who thrives on routine since I find comfort in doing things the same way every day, so the fact that the Shark SpeedStyle 5-in-1 Hair Dryer has effortlessly become part of my daily lineup says a lot.
I used to dread drying my long, thick hair because it took forever and left me feeling overheated and tired before I even started styling. But now, I actually look forward to it.
This dryer is fast, lightweight, and incredibly easy to use, and the styling attachments each serve a real purpose (especially the Express TouchUp Brush, which I basically live for).
That said, it's not without its faults. The airflow is definitely on the louder side — not a dealbreaker, but worth noting if you're noise-sensitive. And while the attachments work beautifully on longer hair, I can see them being a bit trickier to use on short styles.
Still, it's earned a permanent spot on my vanity.
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- Forbes
Shepherding Data To Its Eventual Destination
What does it mean to engineer data transfers in the age of AI? More than a few top professionals would say that this sort of thing is even more important now than it had been in the past. After all, artificial intelligence works on the principle of taking in information and processing it – in ways that are eerily similar to what happens in our human brains. So the information itself is valuable, and the processes are valuable, too. Also, modern advances in large language models have given us different ways to look at data transfer. I'll get into some of that with thoughts on three lightning talks given at Imagination in Action in April, in the Lightning Talks section of the wide-ranging program. Unlocking Siloed Data The first such presentation was from William Lindskog Munzing who was talking about an application called Flower, suggesting that traditionally, data has been trapped in siloes. The goal, he said, is to move AI to where the data is. That's much easier in times when work on quantizing and foundation models and lower-bit systems has ushered in edge AI – the ability to locate the AI where the data already is, rather than porting it to centralized data centers. With that in mind, the Flower community numbering some 5800 developers, with 2000 active projects, is working on what Munzing calls the 'Collective-1' user-owned platform. 'What we believe in is that data should stay where it originates,' he said. 'It's … never transmitted. It stays in your device, in your car, whatever it is, or in the hospitals.' The ISO-certified project, he added, is also versatile. 'We have done a lot of things in the deployment runtime,' Munzing explained. 'So it's very easy for you now to run your experiment on CPUs, GPUs, and then scale it to actual real world deployment if you want to add secure mechanisms, authentication and much more.' AI for Leads The next talk came from Marco Cello, who worked on a project called Meshify. He explained that data suggests small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs) are on average about 50% as efficient as corporations, and that collectively, SMEs lose up to $500 billion in revenue from poor lead management alone. As a solution, Meshify, he explained, will scour a professional's inbox, follow up, and provide them with automated CRM insights. I thought it was also interesting that this project uses the NANDA decentralized network idea pioneered at MIT by some colleagues of mine. Actually, so does Flower, which indicates the initiative to create a functional web protocol for AI is picking up steam. Regulation and Control The third presentation came from Peeyush Aggarwal at Deloitte, where he talked about dimensions of change in the AI era. This was different, because Aggarwal wasn't promoting a particular startup or product. Instead, he was talking about cycles – a cycle from assistive to augmentation to automation, and priorities for AI development, including: 'Human strengths need to be amplified,' Aggarwal said. 'How do you take a banker and train them to do cognitive, as well as decision making, when people are designed to think in a straight line, right? And it's about that ability to negotiate, to be able to take decisions ethically in an environment, (this) is the most important aspect.' Referencing a need to control the culture of change in the banking industry, Aggarwal went over many aspects of analyzing AI activities from a boardroom perspective, citing a gradual change and evolution from classic to digital banking, and then to intelligent banking. At the end of his presentation, he went into a sort of an interesting philosophical path, talking about the management of human and AI agents. 'The most important part is, when you bring human and AI agents together, is, do you control the AI, or do you control the decision of AI and humans coming together?' he asked. 'That's the most important aspect. What's the use case? When a regulator looks at a use case, he asks the question, 'Can I repeat that use case? Can I repeat the question that is being asked?' And if you can't, you can't really approve their use case.' In other words, managers who are managing human and AI agents have a different role than those who are managing only humans themselves. You're managing the intersection of humans with technology. How does this work? I thought these were some interesting eye-openers in a time when we're trying to adjust to a rapidly changing target in terms of technology use. Stay tuned.
