The Dyson Airstrait™ straightener, Dyson Airwrap™ multi-styler and Dyson Supersonic™ hair dryer - Can I use it abroad/overseas? | Dyson Community
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HAIR CARE - COMMMON QUESTION

The Dyson Airstrait™ straightener, Dyson Airwrap™ multi-styler and Dyson Supersonic™ hair dryer - Can I use it abroad/overseas?

  • 19 December 2022
  • 28 replies
  • 43021 views
The Dyson Airstrait™ straightener, Dyson Airwrap™ multi-styler and Dyson Supersonic™ hair dryer - Can I use it abroad/overseas?
Stuart
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Userlevel 7
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  • Stuart
  • Dyson Community Manager
  • 560 replies

The quick and easy answer here is no. 

The Dyson Airwrap™ multi-styler, Dyson Supersonic™ hair dryer and Dyson Airstrait™ straightener have been precisely engineered for styling at the voltage of the country in which they were manufactured for and purchased in. When considering taking any of these products outside of the country they were manufactured for use in, where the same electrical voltage isn’t applied, they may become inoperable. Please follow the guidance on usage in the guarantee sections of the User guide.

For example. Those products manufactured for use in the United Kingdom operate on 230V and 50Hz (Voltage range of 216.2V to 253.0V), whereas the those manufactured in the United States of America operate on 120V and 60Hz. Due to this difference, a product manufacture for use in one country, may become inoperable in another. 

 

Can I use an adaptor or an electrical convertor?

We don’t suggest the use of an adaptor or converter to use your device in another country, as that can cause damage to the machine, including permanent damage to the motor. The only Dyson device in our Hair care line that is currently rated for universal use (with the exception of Japan) is our Dyson Corrale hair straightener.

 

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Stuart - Dyson Community Manager

28 replies

D
Userlevel 2

You know what the kind of people who can afford a $600 hair dryer do?  Travel internationally.

Dyson’s electrical engineers are capable of solving this problem, so it’s disappointing there is no solution available for purchase from Dyson.

My wife’s Airwrap was purchased in the US.  She is traveling to Germany and the UK next week and wants to use her beloved Airwrap.

I was just on chat at dyson.com, where a live agent told me to buy the Conair Convert-It-All Converter and Adapter Set.  Conair claims it is compatible with “high-end electronic styling tools and hair dryers”.

 

So we have Stuart, Dyson’s Community Manager, saying “we don’t suggest the use” of converters.  And we have a Dyson.com live chat support person saying to use Conair’s converter.

 

Can anyone, ideally a Dyson employee who has definitive knowledge rather than an educated guess, please tell me whether my wife’s US/110V Airwrap will work in UK/German hotels with the Conair Convert-It-All?

 

Thank you! 

DavidTaylor
Userlevel 6
Badge +7

Hi @DLM

A worthy question, certainty one in which I would have raised if I were in the same predicament. 

I do have somewhat of an extensive knowledge of electronics, Dyson technology and am familiar with their guarantee, having read most of their manuals at purchase. I can fortunately say that Stuart is correct and the agent, who may be less informed is incorrect. Here is why:

  1. In the technical specification for Dyson products, they have never recommended the use of a converter and/or an extension cable for operation with their products. Should either of these be used, in the situation where the unit faulted or fails, this act alone would invalidate the guarantee.
  2.  Products manufacture in the Americas and mainland Europe, Asia and other, operate on different voltages. As explained in Stuart’s above post. This is standard manufacturing process for appliances globally and applies to Dyson own manufacturing. 
  3. Other community staff, to whom I know work and reside within the Americas region, have also confirmed this fact. An example can be read here - How can you travel abroad with Dyson Airwrap? | Dyson Community

In summery, the information provided in Stuart’s post is factual, and based on documented material. This material can be accessed upon visiting the Dyson website or by request to Dyson directly.

Not the answer you were hoping for however, it is the correct one. 

David. 

David.
D
Userlevel 2

Thank you David for taking the time for your response!

With all due respect, however, your response didn’t help.  I am looking for a definitive, “Yes, that particular Conair converter will work,” or “No, it won't work” followed by a technical explanation of why or why not.  Bonus points for having first hand experience trying it.  Repeating the same vague “not recommended” message—which is not at all the same thing as “it won’t work”—adds no new information.


To clarify, going by your three points:

  1. “Not recommending” use of extension cords and converters is standard CYA for manufacturers of electrical equipment.  That doesn’t mean that no properly-functioning converter can exist.  It means that a proper converter would require certain specifications that are not commonly available, and Dyson can’t be bothered to publish those specs.  Before posting to this forum, I read the “we don’t suggest the use” language on community.dyson.com and dyson.com.  Because the language recommending against power converters is vague and sounds CYA-ish, I asked Dyson product support.  Their response:  Yes, there is a power converter that works, and they provided a Youtube link.  The fact that they answered so quickly and confidently made me wonder whether Dyson has successfully tested this particular converter.  Getting diametrically conflicting information from Dyson was unsettling, so I asked this forum to see if anyone could shed additional light.
  2. Dealing with power differences across the world is hardly an unsolved problem.  Many manufacturers provide globally-compliant power adapters for their devices.  Dyson has chosen not to, for unexplained reasons.  Whether any power converter, or the particular one I asked about, will work is determined by the technical details of both the Airwrap and the converter.  Converting from 220V to 110V is a trivial problem, so if the Conair converter won’t work with the Airwrap, voltage won’t be the culprit.  Nor will it be wattage, as the Conair converter is rated at 1875w, and the Airwrap dissipates 1300w.  If the Conair converter doesn’t work, it will likely fail because the 110V version of the Airwrap expects 60Hz A/C, and European outlets provide 50Hz.  It is possible to convert from 60Hz to 50Hz as voltage is stepped down, but that requires rectifier and inverter circuitry not common in travel converters.  Upon reading the (also vague) Conair converter user manual, it appears that the A/C frequency is not converted in the Conair product.  Stepping down 220V to 110V but keeping the A/C frequency at 50Hz on a 1300w device often results in overheating and shutdown within minutes.  Since it takes longer than that to coiffe with the Airwrap, it seems reasonable to expect that the Conair converter won’t do the job, despite what the Dyson support agent told me.  The potential for overheating is especially worrisome given the significant amount of delicate electronic componentry in the Airwrap.  (There you go, that’s the most technical and specific answer anyone at Dyson or on this forum has provided.  Unfortunately, my answer is also an uneducated guess.)
  3. Multiple people on this forum saying the same thing as the OP said above hardly makes the claims “facts”.  Posts containing the same language, almost word for word, suggests people were copying and pasting from the same source.  That doesn’t increase the likelihood they are facts.  One need spend only 5 minutes on any social media platform to see multiple posters, some with official-sounding titles, saying the same untrue things using the same phrases.

People keep asking these questions because they have a legitimate need to use their $600 stylers internationally, and the answers given on dyson.com and community.dyson.com are vague and perfunctory.

Dyson makes it worse by

  • trying to scare customers away from 3rd party power converters without providing specifics,
  • refusing to sell 220V products to customers who live in 110V locales,
  • and not allowing customers to purchase just the wand so they can carry both types of wands as they travel.

Nowhere on the community.dyson.com or the dyson.com websites (including the user manuals on dyson.com) is it clearly stated that power converters won’t work.  It certainly doesn’t say anywhere that the specific Conair converter that Dyson itself recommended to me will or won't work.  Repeating vague CYA platitudes, and in the case of some posters, incorrectly saying that voltage converters won’t work because of “voltage”, doesn’t get consumers closer to correct answers.

For my money (and I’ve spent thousands of dollars on many Dyson devices), Dyson has failed its brand promise here.  People take hair stylers when the travel internationally.  Not providing a viable solution for one of the world’s most expensive stylers is beneath Dyson’s reputation for engineering.

If anyone has technical details or personal experience using a 110V Airwrap with the Conair Convert-It-All Converter in the UK and Germany, I’d still love to hear from you.

 

Thank you all.

Stuart
Rank
Userlevel 7
Badge +13

Posted on the 11 February 2023.

Hi @DLM, 

Thank for asking the question. 

I understand the points you've raised in your post, but there's not a lot further we can add to the information we've already provided here, I'm afraid.

Dyson machines are engineered to the specifications needed for the countries they're originally sold in. We don't manufacture adaptors or test third party products of this kind, and for this reason we're not in a position to confirm whether or not specific brands or models of adaptor will or will not work with Dyson machines. Additionally, any damage caused to your machine while using it with an adaptor wouldn't be covered under your Dyson warranty - because of this, we advise against using them.

I'm sorry if this isn't the answer you were hoping for, but hope at least this clarifies the situation and offers you some definitive information on this topic. I can only apologise if you were previously offered incorrect information via our live chat service, and we will review this with the relevant team.

Thanks, 

Stuart

Stuart - Dyson Community Manager
J
Userlevel 1

 

 

People keep asking these questions because they have a legitimate need to use their $600 stylers internationally, and the answers given on dyson.com and community.dyson.com are vague and perfunctory.

Dyson makes it worse by

  • trying to scare customers away from 3rd party power converters without providing specifics,
  • refusing to sell 220V products to customers who live in 110V locales,
  • and not allowing customers to purchase just the wand so they can carry both types of wands as they travel.

...

For my money (and I’ve spent thousands of dollars on many Dyson devices), Dyson has failed its brand promise here.  People take hair stylers when the travel internationally.  Not providing a viable solution for one of the world’s most expensive stylers is beneath Dyson’s reputation for engineering.

 

YES, THIS! ☝🏼

I registered to this community to say the very same thing - I do love my AirWrap, and never thought for a moment, at this price point and from a global company such as Dyson, that this styler would not work internationally. I was so incredulous when it didn’t work in France, and I would have returned it on principle but was well past the time since travel was limited during COVID. And I so agree with DLM that it adds insult to injury that we cannot buy the 220 voltage wand alone. A huge disappointment from a supposedly engineering-forward company. Dyson, you need to do better here. At the very least, owners of an AirWrap should be able to buy the wand alone for other countries at a steep discount. It leaves me very resentful rather than a satisfied customer, and I sincerely hope Dyson does something to rectify this.

A
Userlevel 1

You know what the kind of people who can afford a $600 hair dryer do?  Travel internationally.

Dyson’s electrical engineers are capable of solving this problem, so it’s disappointing there is no solution available for purchase from Dyson.

My wife’s Airwrap was purchased in the US.  She is traveling to Germany and the UK next week and wants to use her beloved Airwrap.

I was just on chat at dyson.com, where a live agent told me to buy the Conair Convert-It-All Converter and Adapter Set.  Conair claims it is compatible with “high-end electronic styling tools and hair dryers”.

 

So we have Stuart, Dyson’s Community Manager, saying “we don’t suggest the use” of converters.  And we have a Dyson.com live chat support person saying to use Conair’s converter.

 

Can anyone, ideally a Dyson employee who has definitive knowledge rather than an educated guess, please tell me whether my wife’s US/110V Airwrap will work in UK/German hotels with the Conair Convert-It-All?

 

Thank you! 

I could not agree more with the opening sentence of this post!! I hope you get a better answer than I did from them. Since purchasing my $550 Dyson Airwrap Complete in Florida a few years ago, I have scoured the internet trying to find any such way to use my device in Europe. I love the results of my Airwrap, but it has been VERY frustrating that I have not been able to use it in places where I need it the most (London and Scotland rain and humidity = poodle hair).  I’ve even written to the company (with no response) about the fact that any target customer base that would spend that much for a hair tool, would also be the one most likely to travel abroad. It is ridiculous that less expensive brands can figure out how to offer dual voltage, but Dyson with their touted technical designers cannot (more likely will not) do so. For example, Conair has a highly rated dual voltage hair dryer for just $36 that can automatically detect foreign voltage and adjust itself. Babybliss has been able to figure out how to make dual voltage hair tools, as well as T3 and many other less known brands. Why has Dyson STILL not prioritized dual voltage for their hair tools?? Since purchasing my Airwrap I’ve traveled to London, Scotland, France, and Rome, and was not able to use it. I check Dyson’s website periodically to see if they’ve addressed or corrected this issue, but it seems they have no intention of ever doing so. I was sure that when they “updated” and “redesigned” the Dyson Airwrap this year that they finally had a version with dual voltage, and was floored that, despite this being a top complaint from their customers, they chose to omit the issue entirely. I can’t even just buy the “new, redesigned” long hair attachments, as they’ve been listed as “out of stock” since release, but I could sure order a whole new $550 Dyson Airwrap Complete….which also could still only be used in the US. Honestly, if you’re going to market yourself as a high-end company and charge luxury prices, you should also learn to treat your customers accordingly. The only response and advice I was ever given by a Dyson representative  regarding my dual voltage issue with the Airwrap was “Though your US Airwrap will not work in Europe, you can purchase an additional Dyson Airwrap while in Europe that will work in the US with an outlet adapter”. Yeah, if we spent so much on a hair tool, then we surely must be made of money….”just have the butler put it over in the corner of my mansion along with my Bugatti La Voiture Noire and Ducati.”

To add insult to injury, by the end of my first year of purchase, it started cutting off at least 4 times each time I use it with no apparent reason, even with constant filter checking and cleaning. I’m not even running it long enough to overheat before it shuts off and I have to shake it to get it going again! Performance started to deteriorate just past the warranty period as much as all of the 6 Dyson vacuum cleaners I’ve purchased throughout the years, including my most recent one, which is still under 2 year warranty but its expensive dysfunctional attachment is not. They warn against using any power converters because it will “void the warranty”, but every Dyson product of mine seems to have not performed well or lasted for very long outside of that 1-2 year warranty anyway. Maybe I’ll just get the Conair power converter/ adapter mentioned above and try it on my upcoming London trip. It may blow the device, but it seems I’ll soon need a new device anyway, which apparently has to be bought in the UK in order to use it in both the US and abroad. I’ll just lose extra money on currency conversion to rebuy the outrageously expensive hair tool that I just purchased in 2020. Maybe I’ll just start looking for a knock-off or a dup of the Airwrap, it may even work better. If I do try the Conair Converter, I’ll be sure to post the outcome on this thread. 

 

 

D
Userlevel 1

DLM eloquently said my thoughts exactly. With the amount of people who have the same complaints, you would think this would have been addressed ages ago. Also, it’s a relatively easy solution if Dyson let customers purchase the wand separately in the appropriate voltage, so that we can switch out the wand as needed when we travel. Then there’s no need to mess with the mechanics. I have an impractical amount of Dyson products in my home from vacuums, air purifiers, the straightener (which is international travel friendly - so obviously they’re able to do it), and of course the Airwrap. 

The frustration of not being able to use my Airwrap overseas is so extreme that I’m tempted to ban Dyson purchases going forward out of principal. It’s hard not to take it as a blatant disregard for customer service when the solution seems so easy. 

Dyson~ I’m open to hearing why this issue still hasn’t been rectified. Why can’t I just purchase a 220V wand while living in the U.S.? 

H
Userlevel 1

Agree.  Someone in brand management screwed up by not prioritizing the ability to use this product in diffèrent voltage settings.  This can easily be achieved either through the appliance itself with a switching mechanism, or through the power supply (I.e. laptop computers).  If Dyson doesn’t fix this soon, a competitor will enter…and maybe notice other opportunities to chip away at the Dyson brand by copying some of the technology and make them

more consumer centric (I.e. Dyson Zone Headphones). And maybe more importantly, customers will begin to question the equity of the Dyson brand, because this product clearly misses a significant consumer need that’s relatively easy to solve. 

WoodenMan
Rank
Userlevel 6
Badge +8

There are points here that I agree with and those that I disagree on:

  1. Dyson have missed a somewhat ‘small’ opportunity to those that travel internationally. The majority of those that travel do so for short spells. Most I bet won’t want to do so will a $500 piece of technology. Those that do, you’ll have to come up with another alternative. 
  2. Dyson haven’t lied about the use of their products. They don’t recommend international travel. Yes, they may have missed the consume expectation, but they’ve not promised one thing and delivered on another.
  3. Dyson are always innovating, proven by their recently released Airstraite, there’s been no statement or confirmation that this isn’t on the horizon. It won’t be on their existing product range. You’ll most likely have to purchase a replacement or new product. 
  4. If it’s so easy to solve why hasn’t anyone else done it or why doesn’t someone present the solution to them? 
Peter Man
T

WoodenMan - I must disagree with #1 and 4 on your list. I travel EVERYWHERE with my Dyson - short or long trips. It's how I ‘do’ my hair. Also, as stated in all the replies above other hair dryers have solved it or created a converter to use.

I was just looking at converters for all my electronics for an upcoming trip overseas and was shocked to hear my Dyson won't work!! UGH!!!

T

WoodenMan - I must disagree with #1 and 4 on your list. I travel EVERYWHERE with my Dyson - short or long trips. It's how I ‘do’ my hair. Also, as stated in all the replies above other hair dryers have solved it or created a converter to use.

I was just looking at converters for all my electronics for an upcoming trip overseas and was shocked to hear my Dyson won't work!! UGH!!!

 

1

Posted on the 11 February 2023.

Hi @DLM, 

Thank for asking the question. 

I understand the points you've raised in your post, but there's not a lot further we can add to the information we've already provided here, I'm afraid.

Dyson machines are engineered to the specifications needed for the countries they're originally sold in. We don't manufacture adaptors or test third party products of this kind, and for this reason we're not in a position to confirm whether or not specific brands or models of adaptor will or will not work with Dyson machines. Additionally, any damage caused to your machine while using it with an adaptor wouldn't be covered under your Dyson warranty - because of this, we advise against using them.

I'm sorry if this isn't the answer you were hoping for, but hope at least this clarifies the situation and offers you some definitive information on this topic. I can only apologise if you were previously offered incorrect information via our live chat service, and we will review this with the relevant team.

Thanks, 

Stuart
 

Stuart, 

Respectfully, your response is a cop out.  Which is fine for a $16 hair dryer, but not for a $600 hair dryer. People travel internationally with much more sensitive electronics all the time. Laptops, cell phones, etc. In fact, 

There are devices that can make the proper conversions, and do so without any risk to a well designed piece of equipment. A prime example is the transformer on your nearby telephone phone which converts 7200V (Yes, seven thousand volts) to 120V (USA). And every device in your house runs on this “converter”.

It my case, I bought an industrial 120V to 100V step down transformer. It delivers the exact same 100V output voltage that is found in Japan. My Dyson is 60hz, as is the US grid.  My xformer can handle 1500w continuous, and my device needs ~1400W.  It’s a stupid simple device.  120xN windings in, 100xN windings out. Any electrical engineer in your company will tell you that there is absolutely no reason that using it should void any warranty. 

What Dyson should do (if they value their reputation as a premium company) is this:
a) Test and publish a list of approved converters.
b) Make the external powerpack (Airwrap) removable and sell ones for various countries.

If you want to be a premium brand, act like one.

100VUser



 

E
Userlevel 1

DYSON - YOU’VE HEARD THE PEOPLE 👆🏻 give us what we want and make it dual voltage.

Dual voltage technology is NOT new and it feels like you’re just trying to rip us off by making us buy multiple air wraps for each country we need to use it in. Support your loyal customers better. 

H

Hi! I have an airwrap I bought in Singapore. Am wondering if I can use this in Korea with just an international adaptor? 

H

i’ll be travelling with my 220v airwrap to korea - does this mean I will be able to use it there with a regular travel adaptor?

A

I’ve tried to email, WhatsApp and no answers to date. I love the AirStrait, is it released in UK, Europe? If not when??? 

1

i’ll be travelling with my 220v airwrap to korea - does this mean I will be able to use it there with a regular travel adaptor?


A “regular” adapter is very unlikely. These are high wattage devices and travel adapters generally aren’t designed for that kind of load.

You can buy adapters that are high wattage, and they should work fine.

L

Hi, i bought my Dyson airwrap in Thailand(220v) and can’t use it in US(110V). Anyone in the same situation? Test successfully any voltage converter. 

H

However, 

France and Korea is 220V , which means that it is similar with UK, not America. 
 

It is possible, right? 

 

N

Hi every one, 

I have bought 2 set of Dyson (Dyson Air Wrap Multi styler Complete Long & Dyson Supersonic Shine Hair Dryer) from Japan to bring to Canada. 

The Air Wrap can work nicely but the Supersonic can not work. 

Can anyone help to explain why? 

Thank you so much!

K
Rank
Userlevel 7
Badge +4

Hi every one, 

I have bought 2 set of Dyson (Dyson Air Wrap Multi styler Complete Long & Dyson Supersonic Shine Hair Dryer) from Japan to bring to Canada. 

The Air Wrap can work nicely but the Supersonic can not work. 

Can anyone help to explain why? 

Thank you so much!

Google shows the appliances should work for the most part. 

Check the voltage on the label, you may need to try a step-up or step-down converter.

Kirby Kirk
B
Userlevel 1

I cannot overstate how disappointed I am right now.
I’m leaving for the UK next week on my first post-pan trip and received my new Air Wrap a couple days ago. Leading up to the purchase I kept flipping back through the info trying to find where it talked about travel.. and could never locate it. I assumed I was just missing something and that like All of my Professional salon appliances, my computers, and peripherals from the past Decade it would obviously be dual voltage with a simple switch somewhere on the device. However, upon unboxing.. nothing of the sort was found. So I came all the way to Dyson’s website and started hunting for a travel set direct from them. Some adapter or accessory that I apparently still needed, and found nothing. Googling got me these forums and for a moment there was fleeting hope with this Conair converter. Spoiler alert- the Amazon reviews specifically mention it not working with Dyson. This turned into a theme as I browsed through other high wattage converters. smh. So now.. I have a very heavy bright blue box of basically worthless expensive metal. (best bday ever, right?) 
Also, the -..ope.. sorry, that’s all we’ve got for ya- attitude I’m feeling from the ‘reps’ who’ve interacted isn’t exactly helping guys. I understand you aren’t decision makers. What I’m asking is for you to flag this issue, open the tickets, inform your bosses and let the right people know. Please. Because what All of your hair appliance customers are encountering right now is an issue that should not have existed to begin with. And like, I get it- 1st world problems- but honestly, this tech is Not New and None of us spent $600 on a dryer/iron hybrid to leave darn thing at home- Ever.

S

I’ve spent thousands of dollars because I love Dyson’s technology, starting from their vacuums, airwrap and now the airstrait. I am overseas in South Korea and brought my newly purchased airstrait, only to find out that it does not work with the adaptor. I am so shocked and confused after reading the other threads regarding this issue and that the Dyson still has not fixed this issue. 
 

I am really hoping that Dyson will invent an adaptor that can fit our devices because I absolutely love my airwrap and airstrait!!!! PLEASE DYSON HELP YOUR CUSTOMERS!!!! WE PAY HIGH PRICES FOR YOUR DEVICES!!! 

 

E
Userlevel 4

I’ve spent thousands of dollars because I love Dyson’s technology, starting from their vacuums, airwrap and now the airstrait. I am overseas in South Korea and brought my newly purchased airstrait, only to find out that it does not work with the adaptor. I am so shocked and confused after reading the other threads regarding this issue and that the Dyson still has not fixed this issue. 
 

I am really hoping that Dyson will invent an adaptor that can fit our devices because I absolutely love my airwrap and airstrait!!!! PLEASE DYSON HELP YOUR CUSTOMERS!!!! WE PAY HIGH PRICES FOR YOUR DEVICES!!! 

 

Hate to break it to you, this isn’t new! They’ve never guaranteed use internationally, they just don’t plaster it all over their products! Read the user manual, they have a line that absolves them of any responsibility in case the machine malfunctions. You use it overseas at your own risk! 

H

This is a total let down as every other hair dryer and styler I’ve own has been dual voltage for ages! We are paying a premium price for these products and this should not even be a conversation - these products should be dual voltage.

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