Selecting the best travel hair dryer for your giftee will require a little work, but luckily, I’m here to help. Not only have I covered and tested travel hair dryers for several years, but I chatted with two of my most-trusted hair experts about all things travel hair dryers to help streamline your gift-giving needs. Their most important advice: make sure your giftee’s potential travel hair dryer is aligned with their lifestyle, which we explore below.
Functionality
Celebrity hairstylist Andrew Fitzsimonsadvises shoppers to pay close attention to which settings and functions a travel hair dryer has to offer. He says, “The more versatile the product is, the more looks you can achieve with packing less!” For example, consider the wattage of the hair dryer and throw in a universal travel adapter if your loved one frequently travels abroad.
Attachments
Taylor, the creator of Deeper Than Hair,says if you or your giftee want to get many looks out of one tool, ensure your dryer comes with attachments. For example, the HOT TOOLS Pro Signature Travel Hair Dryerhas a traditional nozzle for smoothing the strands during blowouts and a hair diffuser for enhancing waves, curls, and coils.
Size and Weight
Fitzsimons, who founded his namesake haircare line, recommends travel hair dryers that are relatively small or easily foldable. Taylor adds foldable models to help limit the awkward shape of the hair dryer. The pretty pink T3 Afar Lightweight Travel Size Hair Dryer and BaBylissPRO Nano Titanium Travel Dryer are just two of our favorite foldable hair dryers.
Taylor also suggests considering the weight of a hair dryer. The Best Tested Dyson Supersonic Hairdryer isn’t technically a travel-sized hair dryer. Still, it is incredibly lightweight, and multiple experts travel with the Supersonic because it doesn’t add unnecessary bulk to the suitcase. Don’t worry: Our other travel-sized products are petite in form and incredibly lightweight, but don’t skimp on quality.
How We Chose
I’ve tested a seemingly infinite number of travel hair dryers over my 6-plus years in beauty journalism, and I can assure you that these are truly the best of the best. Some are personal favorites I keep in my suitcase for impromptu trips or have gifted loved ones who fly, while others earned snaps from Taylor and Fitzsimons.
I also researched dozens of models, looking for various prices, functions, and features to ensure you find the best gift option within your budget. Plus, each travel hair dryer is rated at least 4 stars out of hundreds (or thousands!) of reviews on Amazon, Sephora, Dermstore, and more. These are the best travel hair dryers that will hardly fill your giftee’s precious packing space and beat out any hotel hair dryer during their travels.
” />
Skip to Content
If you buy something from the links on this page, we may earn a commission. Why Trust Us?
1
Best Overall
T3 Afar Lightweight Travel Size Hair Dryer
1
Best Overall
T3 Afar Lightweight Travel Size Hair Dryer
Credit: Nicole Saunders
Our best overall recommendation is a personal favorite and one I like to gift loved ones at the top of my nice list. T3 makes the prettiest romantic pink and white hot tools on the market, and its latest innovation — a foldable hair dryer — doesn’t skimp on form or function. Afar is 25% lighter than its full-size T3 equivalent and boasts the same IonAir Technology to dry the hair quickly.
Celebrity hairstylist Sky Kim calls this an amazing option for travel because it weighs practically nothing in a carry-on bag. She says, “It’s so cute, you will be traveling in style. It’s also really great for all hair types because it comes with all three heat settings and two speeds like the original!”
I’m obsessed with Afar because can easily toggle between the multiple heat and speed settings, then engage the cool shot button to seamlessly lock my look into place. The dryer also comes with a travel bag for worry-free storage.
For just under $23, the Conair miniPRO delivers 1,200 watts of power, two heat and speed settings, and dual-voltage for international travel. It’s super lightweight, and Taylor is a fan because it features a collapsible handle, optimizing its already small size for easy storage.
Taylor says, “I love the Conair, as it comes with the folding mechanism, which is so convenient when I am only working with a small bag.”
If that’s not enough bang for your buck, the miniPRO also boasts tourmaline-infused ceramic technology, which minimizes frizz and static caused by the positive ions in wet hair’s water molecules. Negative ions, released from the dryer during airflow, secure the hair’s cuticle layer, locking in moisture and elevating shine.
3
Best Foldable
BaBylissPRO Nano Titanium Travel Dryer
3
Best Foldable
BaBylissPRO Nano Titanium Travel Dryer
Taylor loves her red BaBylissPRO Tourmaline Titanium Travel Dryer, but it’s unfortunately sold out online. Lucky for your giftee, the brand makes a similar alternative in blue. The best part? This version earned snaps from Fitzsimons. “I love the BaBylissPRO Nano Titanium Travel Dryer. It is small and super easy to pack, which helps when I am trying to keep my bags as light as possible,” he says.
Don’t let the tiny size of this dryer fool you. It can fit in the palm of your hand when folded, but the 1,000-watt motor is just as powerful as any full-sized alternative.
It’s just 0.6 pounds and dual-voltage, which is handy for international travel. There are two heat and speed settings, plus a removable filter. Not to mention, it’s an impressive price for a BaByliss product — most typically retail between $100 and $200.
Amazon reviewers agree that this small, but mighty travel hair dryer is on point! “This little guy does the job for me, and it looks exactly like its bigger brother. My first Babyliss hair dryer lasted over 10 years. So even if they are a little spendy, they are worth it,” says one reviewer.
Advertisement – Continue Reading Below
4
Best for Blowouts
Drybar Baby Buttercup Blow Dryer
4
Best for Blowouts
Drybar Baby Buttercup Blow Dryer
Pros
Foldable
Great for overseas travel
Lemon yellow design
Cons
Expensive
Drybar’s full-sized Buttercup is one of the most sought-after blow dryers out there. So it’s to be expected that the mini version is just as popular. It packs 1,200 watts of power and operates at two different voltages for both stateside and overseas use.
I can safely say your loved one will be obsessed with this butter-yellow travel hair dryer because it’s equipped with everything they need. Ionic technology surges through two heat settings, while a cool shot button ensures a long-lasting blowout. It maintains Drybar’s iconic butter-yellow hue, but we’d argue that its 13-ounce (0.81-pound) weight is its most defining feature.
Kim also gave this gorgeous dryer praise. She says, “The Drybar Baby Buttercup Travel Blow-Dryer is also amazing for travel. It is foldable, powerful, and has ionic technology, which is great for smoothing down that frizz. It has a 7-foot cord on this baby, so you can move around freely as you get ready on your vacation. [And it] has a robust voltage for oversea journey!”
Not solely does the handy journey hair dryer pack simply into their carry-on bag, however it features a extensive nozzle that’s very best for lengthy or thick hair and a slim nozzle for an additional depth that’s very best for exact styling. It even comes with a enjoyable “I’m filled with scorching air!” journey bag.
5
Greatest Beneath-$100
ghd Flight Journey Hair Dryer
5
Greatest Beneath-$100
ghd Flight Journey Hair Dryer
Execs
Foldable, ergonomic design
Weights lower than 1 pound
Cons
Only one temperature: 149 levels Fahrenheit
ghd hair instruments are extremely high-tech, so once I noticed the model create a compact travel-sized dryer, I knew it was value your hard-earned cash. Need extra reassurance? Kim, who kinds Gigi Hadid, Jennifer Esposito, and Uma Thurman, considers this one in all her favourite journey hair dryers.
She says, “It folds, so it takes up so little room to can help you carry extra in your baggage. It’s additionally so mild (50% lighter than the unique dryer), making it simple to journey with. It additionally has GHD’s safeguard function to chill down when near the hair which is nice for safeguarding your hair. Plus, it’s very stylish!”
Talking of the safeguard know-how, Amazon reviewers additionally vouch for its efficacy. To cite one 5-star Amazon assessment, “I simply love that it doesn’t get too scorching like different hair dryers which are excessive powered, they usually can get too scorching and fry up my hair.”
The compact hair dryer, wire, and airflow nozzle all weigh lower than 1 pound or about the identical weight as a loaf of sandwich bread. Though it solely has one temperature setting, it might nonetheless work on drying all hair sorts quick and successfully with out injury.
6
Created by a Hairstylist
Harry Josh Professional Instruments Professional Instruments Professional Dryer 2000
6
Created by a Hairstylist
Harry Josh Professional Instruments Professional Instruments Professional Dryer 2000
Execs
Stunning mint inexperienced coloration
Comparatively quiet
Includes a twin filteration system
Cons
Dear
I really like all issues Harry Josh Professional Instruments, and so will your very fortunate giftee. Not solely are his merchandise of top-tier high quality and out there in a luxe, mint inexperienced coloration, however they seem to be a dream to make use of, together with his light-weight journey hair dryer.
Designed to be a lot quieter than a typical hair dryer, I discover this highly effective mannequin cuts down my drying time and does not disturb my roommates within the morning.
So what makes it so efficient? Effectively, your giftee will likely be impressed that it sports activities a motor pace of 94mph, which means they’ll shampoo and situation within the morning and head out to high school, work, or last-minute dinner a lot faster than different cheaper fashions on this record.
Commercial – Proceed Studying Under
7
Greatest Dyson Dupe
TYMO Highspeed Hair Dryer
7
Greatest Dyson Dupe
TYMO Highspeed Hair Dryer
Execs
Boasts 4 warmth settings, which is greater than most on this record
Makes use of 30 Million unfavourable ions to cut back frizz
Cons
Bought out on Amazon, so you may have to attend longer than 2 days for supply
Movie star hairstylist Madison Clifford works with everybody from Dove Cameron and Woman Gaga, so I needed to ask her about her no-fail journey hair dryer picks, and was pleasantly stunned it is from an Amazon favourite model: TYMO.
Though she’s eager on each the AIRSPEED and AIRHYPE dryers, we choose the previous as a result of it is cheaper and designed with touring in thoughts.
Clifford describes the AIRSPEED as “glossy, compact, and ideal for quick drying at low temperatures with no warmth injury, utilizing ionic safety, offering quantity and clean end.”
Notably, it is outfitted with an ergonomic grip and comes with a journey case and magnetic attachments, together with a diffuser, a comb, and a slim nozzle for airflow management.
8
Most Sturdy
HOT TOOLS Professional Signature Journey Hair Dryer
8
Most Sturdy
HOT TOOLS Professional Signature Journey Hair Dryer
A $48 hair dryer cannot compete with the specs that pricier choices provide — however the HOT TOOLS journey hair dryer’s spectacular tech and equipment make it an amazing starter mannequin possibility.
Notably, it boasts ionic know-how that may lastly tame your frizzy hair and pace up drying time. And it does not cease there: A concentrator and diffuser are included, so you will not have to trace down appropriate attachments, whereas a roomy journey pouch simplifies storage.
It is also a should for abroad adventures, given its 1,875 watt motor and dual-voltage capabilities. Weighing underneath 1 pound and measuring 3.6 x 10.2 inches, it is one of many smallest dryers on this record that also packs numerous punch.
And get this: this mannequin is sturdy AF. One Amazon reviewer had theirs for 11 years till it conked out as a result of they did not commonly clear the filter. That’s not unhealthy, contemplating the value tag.
9
Greatest Ceramic Mannequin
Revlon Compact Folding Deal with Journey Hair Dryer
9
Greatest Ceramic Mannequin
Revlon Compact Folding Deal with Journey Hair Dryer
Now 16% Off
Execs
Reasonably priced
Worldwide twin voltage
Ionic know-how
Cons
No diffuser
Revlon’s greatest TikTok magnificence hit is the One-Step Volumizer, however its journey hair dryer can be value incorporating into their magnificence routine.
Past the spectacular $18 price ticket, this feature makes use of ceramic materials to warmth up rapidly and evenly. Plus, it’s light sufficient for anybody with advantageous, dry, or broken hair to make use of. These with thicker hair will discover it sensible to make use of as properly. “It’s light-weight, however works properly and [is] highly effective. It dries my thick, coarse lengthy hair in about the identical time (lower than 10 minutes) as my $500 highly effective hair dryer I take advantage of at dwelling,” says one 5-star Amazon assessment.
A lot of the inexpensive choices on this record solely present two warmth and pace settings and a cool shot button in the event you’re fortunate. Luckily on your giftee, Revlon’s hair dryer options three preset warmth settings, two pace ranges, and a cool shot.
Though it does not embody a curl-enhancing diffuser attachment, they get a concentrator that may assist clean and straighten their hair on a funds.
Commercial – Proceed Studying Under
10
Greatest for Dry Hair
CHI 1875 Compact Hair Dryer
10
Greatest for Dry Hair
CHI 1875 Compact Hair Dryer
Now 12% Off
Execs
Features a concentrator and diffuser
Comparatively lengthy extension wire
Cons
Not foldable
Your beloved can obtain shiny, hydrated, and frizz-free strands through the use of this journey hair dryer from CHI. It boasts a strong mixture of ceramic materials and ionic know-how that heats up evenly and minimizes drying time.
It sports activities every thing they may need in a journey hair dryer: a 1,875-watt motor, a number of warmth and pace settings, and a cool shot button to set your hair. Plus, it incorporates a foldable design and weighs one pound.
With tons of of glowing Amazon critiques, now we have little question the one you love will even take pleasure in utilizing this product. “I’ve thick, waist-long hair that takes eternally to blow dry. This dryer considerably minimize down on my drying time, and it’s tremendous small (journey dimension) and light-weight,” says one extremely happy reviewer.
11
Greatest Worth
EVA·NYC Mini Wholesome Warmth Professional-Energy Dryer
11
Greatest Worth
EVA·NYC Mini Wholesome Warmth Professional-Energy Dryer
Execs
Far-infrared warmth
Two pace and warmth settings
A number of coloration methods
Cons
No cold-shot button
You may’ve seen that tourmaline-infused ceramic elements are a should in good-quality dryers, and this EVA NYC one doesn’t skimp out on it.
A strong 1,200-watt motor emits frizz-eliminating unfavourable ions and mild far-infrared warmth. It’s twin voltage and it options two pace settings — plus a detachable air filter to wash out blockage and delay product life.
“This mini hair dryer exceeded my expectations. I bought one as a result of I used to be touring from state to state and knew that some resorts don’t have a complimentary hair dryer within the rooms. The scale and the burden was excellent, temperature was actually scorching and really simple to make use of and handle. I might advocate this to others, and it’s definitely worth the value,” says one 5-star Amazon assessment.
For underneath $40, your giftee will get a concentrator, diffuser, and transportable pouch. Aesthetics reign supreme right here, too — decide between fashionable shades like Mint Leopard or Moon Mud.
12
Greatest Luxurious
Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer
12
Greatest Luxurious
Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer
Execs
Clever warmth management
Made for all hair sorts
Comes with 5 styling attachments
Cons
Dear
It isn’t technically a journey hair dryer, however the Dyson Supersonic’s quick-drying capabilities and easy-to-use magnetic styling attachments are definitely worth the sacrifice of suitcase house. Even so, the gadget’s dimensions are minimal — it measures somewhat over 11 inches tall and three inches extensive and weighs just below 2 kilos (together with the cable and plug).
With the offered concentrator, smoothing nozzle, and diffuser attachments, it is unlikely the one you love will ever must pack one other styling instrument. Plus, the Supersonic is designed to guard their strands from warmth injury through regulatory sensors, which measure the temperature 20 instances per second. This, coupled with negative-ion know-how, reduces frizz and flyaways.
In my assessment of the Dyson Supersonic, I highlighted its mighty motor, comparatively quiet noise stage, and compatibility with all hair sorts as causes to purchase this hair dryer. Everybody can safely use this dryer no matter ability set or hair size, thickness, and texture.
I am not the one fan — Man Addicts Artist Reagan Hyperlink and Fitzsimons says it’s properly definitely worth the princely price ticket and their go-to when touring. Fitzsimons says, “Its light-weight physique maximizes effectivity, and I can dry and magnificence hair with out injury in a brief period of time. The extra attachments enable for a number of styling choices and are tremendous handy once I’m on the street.”
Magnificence Editor
Nicole Saunders is the Magnificence Editor at BestProducts.com, the place she oversees protection on all issues magnificence. When she’s not creating buying guides, interviewing consultants, and testing magnificence remedies, you may most likely discover her strolling round Decrease Manhattan or overanalyzing the most recent episode of “Succession.” You may ship all lipstick and calamari suggestions to her inbox and DM her memes on Instagram.
Leah is the Editorial Planning Affiliate for Hearst’s Fanatic Group, which encompasses BestProducts.com, Runner’s World, Bicycling, and Fashionable Mechanics. She’s been with the workforce since 2019, engaged in numerous editorial duties throughout each print and digital. She’s an avid lover of platform footwear, all issues Bravo (energy gamers of previous and current embody: Actual Housewives of New York Metropolis, Actual Housewives of Potomac, Women of London—the record goes on), and monitoring down the following classic print for her condominium’s gallery wall.
Magnificence & Type Editor
Ashley is the wonder and magnificence editor at BestProducts.com, and her work has been featured on Cosmopolitan and City and Nation. She has an obsession with designer purses, Liberty prints, Nineteen Sixties style, and owns extra footwear than she’s keen to confess. She’s been utilizing her learnings from proudly owning a boutique and her buying dependancy for good since 2015. She’ll by no means settle for that black isn’t a coloration. Away from the pc, you’ll possible discover the Texas native binging on a British interval drama or theorizing over Sport of Thrones. She has but to discover a actual cup of queso in NYC.