Best Travel Hair Dryers- Compact, Light and Powerful

Are you looking for the perfect travel hair dryer? With so many options on the market, it can be difficult to determine which compact hair dryer is best suited for your needs.

I’ve taken the guesswork out of choosing the best small hair dryer for travel based on years of frequent and full time travel with mini hair dryers.

These are my favorite travel size hair dryers that are compact but don’t compromise on performance.

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Are Travel Hair Dryers Worth it?

Yes, travel hairdryers are definitely worth it – They are an essential packing list item. No one likes lugging around a full-size hair dryer, but we all know hotel hair dryers can’t always be relied on. You know the one’s I’m talking about – the hair dryers attached to the wall with a short cord and a waft of noisy air.

Travel hairdryers are lightweight and compact, ideal for vacations, destination weddings, or events. Most modern travel dryers come with dual-voltage settings, making them a great choice for international travelers.

Compact hairdryers are more powerful than ever and have innovative technology like ionic and ceramic elements that help speed up the drying process without damaging your hair.

During the five years I spent as a full time traveler, my Babybliss folding travel hair dryer was an essential travel accessory. Still, as a frequent traveler, I maintain that a good, preferably dual voltage travel hair dryer is a great investment.

There’s no reason you can’t feel confident with salon quality results no matter where in the world you are.

What to Look for in A Good Travel Hair Dryer

With portability and performance in mind, this is what to look for in a good small travel hair dryer.

Size, weight, portability, and power are the first things to look for in a good hair dryer for travel. You want a dryer that will not take up much room in your bag and is lightweight but doesn’t compromise on the power to dry your hair quickly.

A good travel hair dryer should have plenty of wattage for quick drying time, dual voltage for international use, plus tourmaline ceramic or Ionic technology to reduce frizz and add shine. It should also have adjustable heat settings to customize your look and avoid damaging your hair with too much heat.

With these features in mind, these are my favorite mini blowdryers.

The 7 Best Travel Hair Dryers

If you want a fast, easy, and lightweight way to stay gorgeous on any trip, the Drybar Buttercup Travel Blower is a great solution. One of the most popular dual voltage travel hair dryers on the market, this compact yet powerful dryer packs an impressive punch in a petite package, making it perfect for international travel.

Compact, yet nearly as strong as a full-sized blowdryer. The Buttercup has two heat settings powered by a 1200-watt motor for the perfect balance of heat and airflow, while the Ionic technology seals cuticles for minimal frizz.

The uniform wave heat dispersion enables faster and more consistent drying for a superior result. Even with long hair, you can get sleek locks in only 10 minutes.

Its narrow concentrator nozzle allows for precise styling, allowing you to achieve salon-quality results on the go.

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Dyson Supersonic Hairdryer

Weight: 1.8 pounds | Dimensions: 9.6 x 3.9 x 3.1 inches | Power: 1600 watts

The Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer is a fantastic travel hair dryer that goes above and beyond other travel models. This is an investment hairdryer that is perfect for both home and travel.

It features an innovative digital motor in the handle, making it lighter than most hair dryers. Its lightweight design and unique shape make it easy to pack for travel without taking up too much space – even in carry-on luggage.

This travel hair dryer is incredibly powerful, using intelligent heat control to produce super shiny, frizz-free locks in no time. The drying speed is fast, and the noise level is impressively low – perfect for hotels or traveling with other people.

The Dyson Supersonic has powerful 1600-watt rated power, 4 precise heat settings, and 3 precise speed settings to get the job done faster than most dryers. An impressive feature is the air temperature is measured 20 times every second, keeping the temperature under control and preventing extreme heat damage to protect the natural shine of your hair.

The attachments included with this travel hairdryer are also great for precise styling: a diffuser and styling concentrator, gentle air, and wide-tooth comb attachments help you achieve whatever look you want. With heat shield technology, these attachments stay cool, so you don’t have to worry about burns while styling your hair.

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The Conair MiniPRO Tourmaline Ceramic Hair Dryer is a great option for travelers and our best budget travel hair dryer. The dryer’s lightweight design and foldable handle make packing and traveling easy, while its dual voltage feature allows you to use it abroad without needing an adapter.

It has a powerful 1200-watt motor with two heat and two speed settings that can dry your hair quickly. It also has Tourmaline Ceramic Technology to help fight frizz and bring out natural shine.

The lightweight and compact blow dryer includes a concentrator attachment for pinpoint styling and a velvet touch grip handle for ergonomic comfort.

Overall, the Conair MiniPRO Tourmaline Ceramic Hair Dryer is an excellent option for travelers needing a reliable yet budget-friendly hairdryer for travel.

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BaBylissPRO Nano Titanium Travel Dryer

Weight: 9.6 Ounces | Dimensions: 5.5 x 2.5 x 7.9 inches | Power: 1000 watts

One of the smallest hair dryers on our list, the BaBylissPRO Nano Titanium Travel Dryer is ideal for those who like to travel light. This is the perfect compact hair dryer for carry-on luggage. It literally fits in the palm of your hand when folded.

This may not be the most powerful dryer on our list, but it is certainly one of the most robust in the portable hair dryer range. I have used this dryer for over six years while traveling and at home, and it is still going strong. It’s still my go-to travel hair dryer when I need to travel extra light.

While it is incredibly lightweight and compact, it’s still powerful enough to get the job done – Although it may be better suited to short or mid-length hair.

With 1000 watts of power and nano titanium & ionic technology, it dries hair fast with less frizz than many super compact travel dryers on the market. It has two heat and speed settings for better control and less damage. Most importantly, for travel, it is a dual-voltage hair dryer. It also comes with an ultra-thin concentrator nozzle for better styling.

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T3 Afar Lightweight Travel-Size Hair Dryer

Weight: 1.27 pounds | Dimensions: 5.25 x 3 x 8.25 inches | Power: 1500 watts

Thanks to the wide, ion-infused airstream technology with the T3 Afar Lightweight Travel-Size Hair Dryer, it’s all about accelerated dry time and sleek, shiny locks.

This is another of my favorite compact hair dryers for travel, as it has all the features of a full size hair dryer but in a compact package. I tried this hair dryer recently in an apartment in Naples and was so impressed.

It features 1500 watts of power and a full suite of travel features, including auto-dual voltage, lock-in cool shot, 3 heat, and 2 speed settings on independent switches so you can easily style all hair types and textures from short, long to super curly.

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Revlon 1875W Compact Folding Handle Hair Dryer 

Weight: 17 Ounces | Dimensions: 4 x 6 x 9 inches | Power: 1875 watts

Another super compact travel hair dryer but this time with more power – the Revlon 1875W Compact Folding Handle Hair Dryer really packs a punch in the size, weight, and power stakes.

This compact, foldable hair dryer from Revlon is your best bet for the perfect hairstyle wherever you go, with a sleek, foldable design that fits perfectly in any gym bag or carry-on.

The 1875-watt motor with two speed settings and a cool shot button will dry hair quickly. Triple ceramic and Ionic technology will minimize hair damage and eliminate frizziness revealing brilliant shine all day long.

It also has a worldwide dual voltage for effortless international travel.

Equipped with a hinged end cap, this dryer is made for convenience and optimal maintenance. Simply pop the cap up to quickly clean your dryer while you’re away so it stays in tip-top shape.

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StyleCraft Peewee Dryer 

Weight: 9.35 ounces | Dimensions: 5.65 x 2.56 x 6.5 inches | Power: 1000 watts

It uses Tri-Plex Fusion technology, which includes keratin, ceramic, and tourmaline, to reduce frizz and bring out the shine in your hair without over-drying or burning it.

PeeWee Travel Hair Dryers are dual voltage for global use and have a folding handle, making them super compact for traveling. This hairdryer is also super quiet for low disturbance wherever you go.

This is a great value for money travel hair dryer with a diffuser for curly hair.

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