The 12 Best Hair Dryers To Buy for Travel [2024]

From hotel hair dryers that lack power to letting your hair air dry in the wild, styling on the go can be a bit hit and miss when you are away from home. Don’t ruin your vacation by running the risk of bad hair days — invest in a modern-day travel hair dryer and you’ll be surprised by just how good they really are.

Things To Look for in a Travel Hair Dryer

Choose from ionic technology, multiple heat and speed settings, and even a cool shot button to fix your style, all served up in portable appliances that won’t take up too much room in your suitcase. When choosing your travel hair dryer, be sure to check out these important details.

Voltage

Because different countries have different types of electricity, your usual home hair dryer might not work when you take it away with you. Using a dryer that has the wrong type of voltage can lead to fuses being blown, dryers being broken beyond repair, and in some cases, it could even mean serious damage to you and your hair.

Investing in a dual-voltage travel hair dryer means that you will be able to dry and style your hair anywhere in the world, and back at home, too.

Dual-voltage dryers offer 2 settings, which are 110-120 volts and 220-240 volts. Having the choice of 2 means that you can use the lower voltage in countries like the U.S., while the higher voltage is commonly found in European countries and many beyond.

Bottom Line: Some more sophisticated electronics like MacBooks and iPhones will automatically adjust the voltage to suit your destination. Travel hair dryers, however, will usually require you to change the setting manually. That’s if they have this setting at all. Check out our guide to the best travel adapters and converters you can buy, just in case!

Size and Weight

Ultimately, your travel hair dryer should give you a great blow-dry without taking up too much space in your suitcase. To do this, you need to look at scaled-down appliances that are compact that offer other space-saving features such as foldable handles or retractable cables.

When it comes to weight, look for dryers that are not just light enough to not make a dent in your luggage allowance, but also not so heavy that your arms ache when holding it.

The 12 Best Hair Dryers for Travel

Some hotels and Airbnbs don’t provide a hair dryer, and those that do often lack the power required for serious hair styling. Don’t get caught out on your next vacation by picking up your own travel hair dryer that can accompany you all over the world. These are some of the best that we’ve found.

1. A Well-designed Budget Travel Hair Dryer

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Revlon 1875W Compact Travel Hair Dryer

A great little travel appliance from the beauty experts at Revlon, this compact little dryer will keep you looking perfect on the go. Offering ionic technology and 3x ceramic coating, you can create awesome styles while reducing frizz and damage to your hair while you dry.

With 2 heat and speed settings, as well as a cool shot button to fix your style, this dual-voltage hair dryer is compact yet powerful enough to take everywhere with you.

The concentrator attachment will help to keep your hair smooth and shiny. The folding handle makes it small enough to fit into your handbag, rucksack, or gym bag for great hair, every day.

What We Like

• Has a cold shot button

What We Don’t Like

• The heat/speed button could be better

2. Best for Frizz-free Hair on the Go

BaBylissPRO TT Tourmaline Titanium Travel Dryer

Super cute, and in a gorgeous red color, this compact 1,000-watt travel hair dryer has dual voltage for use worldwide and folds up to a super-small size, making it perfect for travel.

As with the larger dryers in this series, this travel dryer uses ceramics and pure tourmaline technologies to release the hair’s natural ions to prevent static and unwanted frizz when drying.

Tourmaline also produces far-infrared heat that gently penetrates deep into your hair, helping it to stay healthy and naturally moisturized while still being perfectly styled wherever you are.

What We Like

• Foldable handle

What We Don’t Like

• Not really powerful enough for long or thick hair

3. Best for All of the Family

Conair 1600 Watt Compact Hair Dryer With Folding Handle

Weighing in at under 1 pound, this incredibly lightweight and compact dryer is one of the best on the market. Folding up to teeny-tiny dimensions, this Conair offers an impressive 1,600 watts of fan-powered drying, as well as 2 different heat settings. The dual voltage makes it perfect for use all across the globe.

The 5-foot power cord is useful for blow-drying in awkward spaces and the folding handle means you can take it anywhere with you. While this particular model lacks some of the more salon-friendly features like a cool shot button, ionic drying, and even a concentrator, its sheer power alone makes it a worthy contender for anyone looking for a good value travel hair dryer.

What We Like

• Long power cord

What We Don’t Like

• Heat and power settings can not be controlled separately

4. Best for Salon-style Power and Finish

Andis 1875-Watt Fold-N-Go Ionic Hair Dryer

This impressive little appliance will give you salon-worthy hair wherever you are headed. Offering 3 heat settings and air speeds for the ultimate in styling and control, plus a cool shot button to lock in your style, this hair dryer proves that size really doesn’t matter.

The folding handle and retractable cord make it easy to tuck this dryer neatly in your case, and the impressive 1,875 watts of power is more than many larger dryers offer. The ceramic and tourmaline ionic technologies create smoother, silkier hair in less time, and the concentrator helps you to direct the heat exactly where you need it.

What We Like

• Retractable power cord

What We Don’t Like

• Not the smallest hair dryer

5. Best for Shiny, Smooth Hair

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Conair 1875 Watt Cord Keeper Hair Dryer

This impressive 1,875-watt travel hair dryer will have you looking salon-perfect in no time. With 2 heat and speed settings, you can optimize your styling power, while the cool shot button will fix it for longer.

The ionic conditioning feature helps to keep your hair smooth and frizz-free with a healthy-looking shine, while the concentrator and diffuser attachments add versatility. It also comes with a retractable cord that is activated by push-button control and dual-voltage capabilities for use worldwide.

What We Like

• Great value hair dryer

What We Don’t Like

• The retractable cord mechanism can sometimes get stuck

6. Best for Big-brand Technology

BaBylissPRO Nano Titanium Travel Dryer

A high-end travel dryer from one of our favorite beauty brands, the BaBylissPRO Nano Titanium travel dryer is an excellent tool. Blowing out 1,000 watts of nano titanium technology, you can style and dry your hair with a natural ion-generated shine.

With 6 heat and speed settings, as well as a cool shot for fixing your style, your hair will be soft and shiny before you know it. The titanium heating element contains a nano surface that produces negative ions, offering smoother, sleeker results.

This model also comes with a concentrator nozzle and fits the BaByliss Finger Diffuser that is sold separately.

What We Like

• Comes with a concentrator nozzle

What We Don’t Like

• Not as powerful as other dryers at 1,000 watts

7. Best for Super-fast Drying

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Travel Smart by Conair 1200 Watt Tourmaline Ceramic Dual Voltage Hair Dryer

Part of the Travel Smart range of appliances from Conair, this pint-sized hair dryer is lightweight and compact, and perfect for taking on your travels. Weighing just 1 pound and with a folding handle, it takes up little room or weight in your suitcase or carry-on. The tourmaline ceramic technology helps to fight the frizz while gently drying your hair in super-fast time.

The 2 heat and speed settings allow you to optimize your drying performance while the non-slip handle makes this comfortable to hold. A concentrator nozzle is included for pinpoint styling, and the 5-foot power cord lets you use the dryer with ease wherever you are.

What We Like

• Folding handle

What We Don’t Like

• No cold blast button

8. Best for Beautiful Blowouts on a Budget

Revlon 1875W Compact & Lightweight Hair Dryer

With its compact and lightweight design, you can squeeze this little beauty into the smallest of suitcases, gym bags, and carry-ons, while the worldwide dual-voltage settings make it perfect for globetrotters who want to look good on the go.

With ionic technology and 3x ceramic coating, you can reduce frizz and damage while you dry. Dual heat and speed settings, as well as a cool shot button, mean that you can keep control of your style, and the smoothing concentrator attachment will give your look a shiny finish.

What We Like

• Hanging ring for tidy storage

What We Don’t Like

• Quite loud to use

9. Best for High-power Drying

Remington Compact Ionic Travel Hair Dryer

This compact travel hair dryer makes light work of staying on the go. With a high-performance fan, it belts out 1,875 watts of power and comes complete with 3 heat settings and 2 speed settings. It also comes with an eco option for those who want to save energy.

Ionic technology helps to condition the hair, keeping it soft, shiny, and frizz-free, while the compact dimensions and lightweight design make it easy to take this little beauty with you wherever you are headed. This model also comes with a hang-up loop for easy storage.

What We Like

• Separate speed and heat settings

What We Don’t Like

• The buttons are easy to nudge by accident

10. Good for U.S. Travel Only

Milantia Small Travel Hair Dryer

Foldable, lightweight, and perfect for travel, this little hair dryer is a good choice for countries that work on a voltage of 110-125V. Using clever ceramic tourmaline technology, this dryer releases nano-scale negative ions that lock in moisture to make hair look and feel healthy and smooth.

With a quiet, yet powerful, motor, 3 heat settings, and 2 speed settings, it’s is super easy to find the right setting to suit your hair. It even comes with a cool shot button to lock in your hairstyle for longer.

What We Like

• Includes 3 attachments for styling

What We Don’t Like

• Can get quite hot when using

11. Lightweight and Powerful

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RUSK Engineering W8less Professional 2000 Watt Dryer

Weighing less than 1 pound, this is a truly lightweight travel hair dryer that packs a serious punch. With a 2,000-watt motor delivering some professional-grade power, you can dry your hair in no time at all, and infused with ceramic and tourmaline, your locks will be left super shiny.

The 7 heat and speed settings help you to find the best combination to style your crowning glory, and the cool shot setting will help to set your style for longer. This particular model also comes with an impressive 8-foot power cable and concentrator nozzle for easy styling.

What We Like

• Has 3 heat settings and a cold shot button

What We Don’t Like

• Button placements are a bit inconvenient

12. Great for Use at Home and Away

Revlon 1875W Full-Size Travel Hair Dryer with Retractable Cord

Be beautiful on the go with this lightweight, yet highly efficient full-size travel hair dryer from Revlon. Offering 1,875 watts of drying power, and with a ceramic coating to help reduce hair damage and prevent frizz, this is a great hair dryer for traveling.

The foldable handle and retractable power cord make it incredibly compact and easy to pack away, while the worldwide dual voltage means you can use it anywhere. With 2 heat and speed settings, you can enjoy lots of drying and styling flexibility, and the cool shot button will keep your style set in place.

What We Like

• Folding handle and retractable cord

What We Don’t Like

• Not the lightest hair dryer

Final Thoughts

Being able to do your hair on the go can make all the difference. While travel hair dryers of old may have lacked power and only offered pretty basic functionality, current models are packed with just as many features as a full-sized dryer.

Whatever your budget, and wherever you are headed, there will be a travel dryer to suit you.

Looking for more travel products? Head over to our one-stop-shop for travel product reviews.