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Promise: These bbs won’t take up any room in your suitcase. Rotating Curling Wand
After spending literal years perfecting my packing strategy, there’s really only one hair product I refuse to travel without: my favorite mini hair dryer. Listen, as much as I love my big, heavy-duty blow dryer for styling my hair when I'm at home, I need something way more lightweight and compact that I can stuff into my weekender or carry-on (in addition to my cute af travel makeup bag) when I’m on the go. And since hotel blow dryers are basically as weak and ineffective as they come (I mean, if it’s going to take three hours to style it, I might as well just air-dry my hair), I’ve decided to invest in a cute little travel hair dryer that puts in the work.
Trust me when I say the mini blow dryers on this list are anything but weak—they’re equipped with powerful motors, teeny diffusers and attachments, and even compact, foldable handles that make packing a total breeze. So if you’re looking for an easy way to level up your travel beauty routine, do yourself a favor and snag one of these picks ahead. And here's a little sneak peek, if, you know, you just can't wait.
Cool? Nifty? Small? Perfect for your next vacay? YUP. Now on to all of the goods from brands like BaByliss, Dyson, T3, Conair, and so many more. Happy shopping and happy hair days ahead!
I get it: There are so many travel hair dryers on Amazon, it's hard to figure out which ones are actually legit. DW, though, because this bb has hundreds of glowing reviews, courtesy of the custom heat and speed settings, compact size, and super-long cord (no more accidentally tugging it out of the outlet, yay!).
THE REVIEW: "This one works just as good as a full-sized blow dryer! I brought it with me to Rome, and it was so easy to switch to international voltage!" reads one customer's review.
Traveling internationally? Yeah, you're gonna need a mini hair dryer with dual voltage. This affordable option from Revlon is not only dual voltage, but also gives you two heat and speed settings, a cool-shot button, and a foldable handle for easy packing.
THE REVIEW: "I can dry my hair in minutes, the handle collapses to fit in my vanity drawer, it fits nicely in my suitcase when traveling, and it's so light!" writes one customer.
If you already dropped some serious $$$ on a plane ticket, you shouldn't have to go broke over your travel hair dryer. This affordable option from Conair gets the job done—it's nice and compact, features dual voltage, and a handle that folds up. Just don't forget your heat protectant, k?
THE REVIEW: "I LOVE this hair dryer! It works great, not too hot or heavy to hold—read: doesn't burn hair and arm doesn't fall off whilst holding—and it folds up for traveling!" reads one customer's review.
Travel hair dryers usually come with a pretty big compromise: Even though they're nice and lightweight, they typically aren't nearly as powerful as their full-size counterparts. But this bb is an exception—it's got a 1,200-watt motor that gives you a quick and smooth blow-dry with two temperature settings. It only weighs only one pound and folds up super small too. Translation: You'll have even more room in your suitcase for your texturizing sprays and hair serums.
THE REVIEW: "It has just as much power as a super expensive one, and it’s the perfect size and weight—you will not be disappointed," writes one customer.
If you don't wanna break the bank, but want a travel hair dryer that does it ALL, get yourself this Hot Tools bb. Not only does it work great, it also comes with a diffuser (hi, curly hair peeps) and a nozzle concentrator. And trust, she is small but hella mighty.
THE REVIEW: "To say I'm a blow dryer snob might be an understatement," writes one reviewer. "I have purchased six in the last two years, only because I couldn't seem to find one that could straighten my hair without frizzing or damaging my naturally curly hair, but this did the job and comes with a diffuser!"
Fact: Travel hair dryers aren't just for traveling. This pink machine from Eva Nyc is a great option for touching up your hair at the gym (or, anywhere really). It's small enough to throw into your bag, comes with nozzle attachments, and has all the customizable speed settings you need for a quick dry.
THE REVIEW: "This tiny hair dryer is tremendous. I have super thick, curly hair, and I like to dry it straight—it does the job in a very quick time. There's nothing comparable on the market in this size." reads one customer's review.
Don't be fooled by the cute name—this travel hair dryer is incredibly powerful. Not only does it have two heat settings and a foldable handle, but it's also designed with ionic technology that works to smooth flyaways and boost shine every time you use it.
THE REVIEW: "I’ve had this dryer for over seven years and it has been amazing for my hair," writes one customer.
If traveling with your favorite hair dryer and round brush feels like one too many steps, you'll love the sheer convenience of this mini hair-dryer brush. This one-and-a-half-inch tool helps you dry and style your hair simultaneously, and it's small enough to fit into your gym bag, suitcase, or even weekender.
THE REVIEW: "This blow-drying round brush is perfection! You can definitely use it to straighten, but what’s absolutely fabulous is that as you dry you can curl your locks too," reads one review.
Yes, this travel hair dryer is on the expensive side, but if you travel regularly, it's a smart investment. The handle folds all the way up, it's incredibly lightweight, and powerful enough to get a sleek and smooth blowout (shout out to the concentrator attachment, which helps you get hella-precise airflow).
THE REVIEW: "Not only is it the perfect size for travel, but it is the perfect hair dryer period—I love that it is compact and the satin blush color is so dreamy!" writes one customer.
Soooo when you think of the Dyson hair dryer, you may not think about it being travel-friendly. But, surprise! The small, sleek design makes this baby the perfect hair dryer to plop in your suitcase on the go and use on an everyday basis. Yes, it's expensive, but IMO, def worth the investment.
THE REVIEW: "I have very long and extremely thick hair; usually just blow drying my hair takes about an hour—with this it takes half the time, and totally eliminates the need for me to follow up with a straightener," reads one customer's review.
Maybe you're someone who sticks to sustainable beauty products (go you!), which prob makes searching for a travel hair dryer that's also sustainable pretty damn tricky. Enter: The Harry Josh Pro Tools Pro Dryer 2000. This bb is the first energy-efficient, salon-quality hair dryer. *Drops mic, adds to cart.*
THE REVIEW: "I have long and very thick wavy hair that I dread straightening, but there’s something about this dryer that doesn’t make you sweat while you’re blow-drying and cuts the time down," writes one tester.
This one isn't necessarily marketed as a travel hair dryer, but it's so amazing that you'll want to bring it everywhere you go. It has far-infrared heat that keeps your hair moisturized and soft, but the cherry on top? The giant (included) diffuser head for all those curly-haired peeps.
THE REVIEW: "I’ve used it with the diffuser on my curly hair, and to blow out my boyfriend’s hair before braiding—in both instances, it was fast, quiet, and made the hair so soft!" writes one customer.
If you're planning to buy a travel hair dryer for a trip abroad, a very important note: You need a hair dryer with dual voltage—meaning it needs to operate at two voltages instead of the standard one, so you can safely plug it into an adapter. If your hair dryer doesn't have the correct voltage, you'll need a voltage converter. You can invest in one, however, they don't work that well on products that heat up, and many are only meant to last a few minutes (take it from experience). So it's easier to just buy a hair dryer that has the correct voltage in the first place, kk?
Another big note: Europe alone also has six different types of outlets, so in addition to ensuring you've got the correct voltage, you should also grab yourself an outlet adapter. You'll be able to plug your hair dryer (if it has dual voltage) into the outlet adapter to make it compatible with the outlets in the country you're traveling to.
Travel hair dryers are meant to be small and compact. Consider opting for one that has a sleek design and/or folds so that you can easily pack it in your suitcase or carry-on. Not to mention, suitcases typically have to be less than 50 pounds (s/o to all my fellow over-packers here), so the lighter the hair dryer, the better.
Siena Gagliano is a contributing beauty editor at Cosmopolitan and has two years of experience writing about beauty, fashion, and lifestyle news. She’s an expert at researching and writing hair and travel stories, like the best boar bristle brushes and the best makeup bags for traveling, and feels especially knowledgeable in travel hair dryers thanks to trying out a million hair dryers on her hair. She regularly tests and analyzes travel hair dryers on her own hair for efficacy, while working with the industry’s top hairstylists to assess new products and brands.
Triple Barrel Hair Waver Ruby Buddemeyer was the beauty editor at Cosmopolitan for nearly three years and has five years of experience writing about beauty, fashion, and celebrity news across print and digital, including the best round brushes on the market, and how to get beachy waves. Her travel hair dryer picks were based on product reviews, ratings, and hairstylist recommendations.