Dyson Corrale Review: Is the new straightener worth the $700 price tag?

Let’s not beat around the bush; $700 is a helluva lot of money.

But that my friends is the hefty price of the new Dyson Corrale. The first cordless straightener to hit the global market.

If I’m being honest, there’s a lot of ways I could spend $700 in my head before considering using it on a hair tool. But, a Dyson vacuum can be upwards of that and people definitely find those suckers worth it.

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Perhaps it’s $100 for each year they spent making it? 

I did speak to someone from Dyson HQ, who had worked on the project from the very beginning. They were very excited about the patented flexi-plates it has; gathering hair so it doesn’t escape and therefore straightening each section evenly.

But when I was lucky enough to be sent one to trial, all I really cared about was the performance and whether it warrants the RRP. So, here’s my honest review.

SAM’S DYSON CORRALE REVIEW

It has to be said, this straightener is swish. It comes with a glorious display stand, which I truly appreciate because for the money, it should be shown off like a damn piece of art.

The cord to charge it is very long, and can be plugged in to the stand, or to the base of straightener itself (which you can use also use with the cord if you wish). Once the device has a full battery, it turns off automatically and you’re ready to roll.

It’s also worth noting the buttons on this thing are of the highest quality. You could punch them relentlessly and they’d still hold up. 

With three heat settings to choose from (165°, 185°and 210°), I went for the middle rung. My hair is fine, but I’ve got lots of it and little patience, so it seemed a good place to start. 

It heats up quickly and by the time I separated my sections and brushed through my hair a bit, it was ready. 

My hair naturally air-dried

I decided to go for the classic straightening function first. The plates glided through well, didn’t catch on any hair and made a kind of clicking noise whenever I released (I think it’s the sound of those flexible plates moving). 

I thought the frizz control was really great, the whole job was quite speedy and it didn’t make any steam or hair-frying red flags. Just an all-round good straighten, that was pretty impressive for the 185 degrees temperature setting. Normally, I’d have to go closer to 200 for these results.

Also, it’s really worth noting that because it’s cordless and probably has a whole robot sitting inside its rear, the Corrale is heavier than your average straightener. Not by loads, but noticeably so.

My hair after straightening

Next, I tried some curls. This is where the cordless feature really becomes a perk. It makes any twirling and twisting so much easier. You could do it in a crowded room (well, not currently) and not worry about accidentally whipping anyone.

Accidental burns of the neck are also no longer a concern here. The plates are very protected with no crazy heat coming from the sides, so those faux hickey days are over. 

The curls were nice, held well and I didn’t have to adjust the temperature setting to do so. 

My hair after curling

THE FINAL VERDICT

I’ve been using the same ghd straightener for over 10+ years, which now has cracked plates that catch on every second hair strand. So I’d definitely be lying if I said switching to the Dyson Corrale hasn’t been a dream.

It works really well, leaves my hair looking lovely and I’ve used it four more times since (about 10 minutes a session) without having to recharge. An extremely handy feature for future weekends away. 

But whether or not it’s worth it is a question I actually don’t think I, or actually anyone, can answer yet. 

Is it worth $700 for the five times I’ve used it? No.

But will it be worth $700 if I’ve still got it in 12 or so years, my hair is in the best health it’s ever been and it’s working perfectly fine? I’d say yes.

From my first impressions, it works and it works well. It’s sturdy and it’s sleek. 

As for the long-term benefits that its lower heat capabilities promise, whether the tech holds up and cost per use… only time will tell.  

The Dyson Corrale is available now at dyson.com.au ($699).

What do you think of the Dyson Corrale? What's the most you've ever spent on a beauty product and was it worth it?