We’ve all had those mornings—running late, half-dried hair, and a styling tool in hand that’s either too slow or too aggressive. It’s at that exact moment you realize how personal a hair straightener really is. What if your routine could feel less like a race and more like a rhythm? That’s the space where the Dyson Airstrait and the ghd Platinum+ come in—two top-tier devices that approach styling from opposite ends of the spectrum.
The ghd Platinum+ feels like a precision tool, like it’s reading your hair before you even start gliding. You plug it in, and within seconds it’s ready—no decisions, no drama. On the other side, the Dyson Airstrait steps in with a whole new philosophy: forget the plates, let the air do the work. It doesn’t just straighten, it dries, smooths, and adjusts in real time.
We’ve spent hours with both, tested them on different hair types, rushed through mornings with them, and taken our sweet time on weekends too. Let’s unpack where each of these heavy hitters fits into your life.
Design and build: minimalism versus machine
The ghd Platinum+ is the familiar face. Its form is classic—slim, balanced, and clearly built for control. The ceramic arms are tightly engineered, with a wishbone hinge that’s all about symmetry and smooth gliding. It feels light in your hand, almost like an extension of your arm, which is exactly what you want when doing sections at odd angles.
Now pick up the Dyson Airstrait and you’ll feel like you’re holding a small spaceship. It’s thicker, denser, and wrapped in this sleek industrial casing. Not bulky in a clumsy way, but definitely more complex. The arms are wider, and inside? No plates—just vents. Dyson’s approach completely ditches traditional form in favor of function-first design, where air replaces pressure.
Both tools scream quality, but the Airstrait feels like a leap into the future, while the ghd stays rooted in the timeless tradition of salon-grade hardware.
Styling tech: smart heat or clever air?
This is the core of their contrast. The ghd Platinum+ relies on its Ultra-Zone predictive tech to hold a consistent 185°C—measured 250 times a second across the plates. It’s smart, yes, but in a quiet, invisible way. You don’t feel it working—you just see the polished, uniform result.
The Dyson Airstrait, though, puts its innovation on display. It uses the Coanda effect—yep, the same phenomenon powering Dyson’s hair dryers and stylers—to wrap air around the strands and straighten without direct contact. No plates pressing the hair, just a controlled blast of heated airflow, constantly adjusted 16 times a second.
One gives you predictability, the other gives you possibilities. And depending on your hair texture and your time budget, both can be the right answer.
Wet or dry: who’s doing double duty?
Here’s where things get very real. The ghd Platinum+ needs dry hair. Period. If you come at it with damp strands, you’re just asking for sizzling ends. It doesn’t pretend to do more than one job—and that’s its strength. It’s designed to be your final pass, not your entire routine.
But the Dyson Airstrait lives to multitask. You step out of the shower, towel off your hair, and go straight in. It dries and styles at the same time, eliminating the need for a blow dryer altogether. You can also use it on dry hair for touch-ups, but its true superpower is in cutting your routine in half.
So if you’re the type to do your hair start-to-finish with one tool, the Airstrait is hard to beat.
Heat-up and usability: plug-and-go or fine-tune?
You can’t beat ghd on simplicity. Plug it in, wait 20 seconds, and you’re off. One temperature, one job, no second-guessing. That’s why stylists love it—it’s always ready, always reliable.
The Dyson Airstrait takes a beat longer to boot up, but gives you choices. Three heat settings, three airflow levels, a digital display—it’s more interactive. You feel like you’re driving the styling session, not just participating in it.
The ghd is for those who love rhythm and repetition. The Dyson is for those who want more say in every step.
Plates vs. airflow: contact or cushion?
There’s something satisfying about the ghd’s glide. The ceramic plates are tourmaline-coated, floating, and gentle—giving you an ultra-smooth finish with very little drag. They adapt to your hand pressure and keep everything even, which is crucial for minimizing damage.
But Dyson? It doesn’t touch your hair at all. Its vents sit along the inside edge of the arms, and air flows out at just the right angle to straighten strands as they pass through. You never feel tension. It’s more like your hair is suspended and guided, not pressed or pulled.
If you love the feel of traditional heat styling, the ghd is deeply satisfying. If you want something less hands-on, more futuristic, Dyson offers a new kind of finesse.
Temperature control: fixed power or flexible finesse?
ghd has built its entire brand around 185°C as the optimal temperature—and they haven’t budged. The Platinum+ adapts to your hair thickness and speed, but it won’t let you change the heat.
Dyson, in contrast, gives you full agency. You get multiple heat and airflow settings, tailored to whether your hair is wet or dry. And the glass-bead sensor constantly adjusts the temperature to avoid overheating. It’s like having a weather station in your styling tool.
So: if you want zero thought involved, ghd has your back. But if you’ve got fine hair one day, thick curls the next, and you like to tweak settings? Dyson is your playground.
Hair finish: polished or protected?
This might be the hardest category. The ghd Platinum+ gives you that glossy, polished look that lasts. The straightness is crisp, the ends are smooth, and your hair still feels like hair, not cardboard. And because the heat is controlled, it won’t fry your strands—but it still makes a statement.
Dyson plays it softer. Its finish is more natural, less pin-straight. It preserves moisture, resulting in softness, volume, and less frizz, especially for wavy or textured hair. And with Shine Shot on dry hair, you can crank it up for a more classic straightening finish, too.
If your goal is red-carpet sleek, ghd nails it. If you want healthy-looking, touchable hair with shape and bounce, Dyson might feel like a healthier compromise.
Who they’re for: specialists vs. streamliners
Let’s talk lifestyle. If you already blow-dry your hair and just want a reliable, fast straightener that delivers consistent results, the ghd Platinum+ is perfect. It does one thing, and it does it better than almost anything else.
But if you’re trying to simplify your entire routine into fewer tools—and you want to dry, style, and smooth all at once—the Dyson Airstrait is a revelation. It reduces clutter, time, and risk of over-styling. It’s not cheap, but it does replace multiple tools.
Portability favors ghd. It’s lighter, more compact, and travel-ready. The Dyson is bigger and bulkier, more suited to staying put on your vanity than thrown into a gym bag.
Features and extras: classic or connected?
The ghd Platinum+ keeps it streamlined. Sleep mode after 30 minutes, universal voltage for travel, a strong hinge to keep alignment perfect. Nothing flashy, but everything polished.
The Dyson throws in the whole toolkit—digital screen, real-time heat adjustments, multiple modes, and airflow customization. It feels smarter, and every beep and pulse feels intentional.
If you love clean design and minimalism, the ghd’s restraint is part of its charm. If you love feedback, data, and a little sci-fi in your styling, Dyson delivers that thrill.
Conclusion: Dyson breaks the rules—and it works
We’ve said it before: ghd Platinum+ is a classic for a reason. It’s fast, efficient, intuitive, and delivers a straightening experience that’s nearly flawless. For those who know exactly what they want and don’t need bells and whistles, it’s still one of the best flat irons out there.
But the Dyson Airstrait? That’s something else.
It’s not just a tool—it’s an entirely new category. It shortens your routine, protects your hair differently, and lets you style without ever reaching for a separate dryer. Sure, it’s bulkier. Yes, it’s a bit more involved. But it’s also a little mind-blowing the first time you use it.
If you want tradition perfected, go ghd. If you want the future in your hand? It’s Dyson.