Sometimes whatever’s in the hotel room just doesn’t cut it, and that’s where the best travel hair dryers come in. To help you find the lightweight options that pack the same heat as the trusted blow dryer you use at home, we consulted the pros for their picks and tested over a dozen ourselves. Our top pick, hands down, was the GHD Flight+ Travel Hair Dryer, because it comes in a compact case and left most of our reviewers hair frizz-free and completely dry with just a few passes. But, we also included other more budget-friendly picks that’ll easily fit in your carry-on.
The best travel hair dryers, at a glance
How we chose the best travel hair dryers
How to shop for a travel hair dryer
“When shopping for a travel hair dryer, prioritize size and power. Look for a compact or foldable design and one with a concentrator nozzle to help style hair more precisely,” says Rogerio Cavalcante, hairstylist and owner of The Second Floor Salon in NYC. He recommends checking for dual voltage compatibility if you’re traveling internationally, and around 1,500 to 1,875 watts for efficient drying. The box or product listing should explicitly state either “dual-voltage” or “120/240V,” the latter of which indicates it works with outlets up to 240 volts. Since American outlets operate on 120 volts and European outlets operate on 220 volts, this is key. Without this functionality, you risk ruining your dryer the second you plug it in and power it on—yep, even with the right outlet adapter. (The same goes for your flatiron or straightener, blow-dry brush, or curling iron.)
We quite literally slipped them into our suitcases and weekenders and took them on the road, then reviewed how powerful they were in terms of voltage and wattage, and how quickly they dried our hair. We also tried them on a variety of hair types including curly, straight, coily, wavy and wavy, and took into account how they got and how quickly they dried hair. Of course, we also took weight into account and with few exceptions stuck to dryers that are under one pound.
Best Overall: GHD Flight+ Travel Hair Dryer
Original video by Glamour commerce writer Alanna Martine Kilkeary
Original image by Glamour commerce writer Alanna Martine Kilkeary
Original image by Glamour commerce writer Alanna Martine Kilkeary
This dual-voltage travel hair dryer is a high-quality model that clocks in at less than a pound and has four heat and speed settings. It folds in half for an even more compact size and comes in a storage bag so you can fit it in luggage as small as a weekender or even a roomy backpack.
Glamour’s commerce writer Alanna Martine Kilkeary recently gave this dryer a whirl in preparation for a trip to Florida to see if it’s worth bringing. “I wanted to test out how quickly this dries my hair before lugging it on a trip, so I gave it a go and was pleasantly surprised. It’s super powerful, but doesn’t get overly hot or too cool. It actually did a great job at drying my strands, and it’s one of the most compact dryers I’ve tried. I even tested to see if it would fit in my luggage without taking up a ton of space, and it snugly slipped right into the corner, leaving plenty of room for other things I need to pack. In short, this baby is coming with me on my trip, without a doubt.
Best Budget: Conair Worldwide Travel Dryer
Original video by Glamour commerce writer Alanna Martine Kilkeary
Original image by Glamour commerce writer Alanna Martine Kilkeary
Original image by Glamour commerce writer Alanna Martine Kilkeary
Do you need to spend a ton on a travel hair dryer? Absolutely not—and this drugstore pick is proof. It has voltage-detecting technology so it’s easy to bring along on your international travels, and ionic conditioning to help rid frizz and leave you with a salon-worthy blowout. It also folds, which allows you to throw in a carry-on tote or bag.
“I really liked this travel dryer because it dried my hair just as quickly as some of its other more expensive counterparts on this list. This one also has a cool shot button (which blows cold air to cool down your hair), which was unique compared to other travel dryers I’ve tried, plus an attachable wide concentrator nozzle that made it feel like a regular full-sized dryer. You kind of can’t beat it for under $40,” says Glamour’s Kilkeary.
Most Lightweight: Dreame Pocket Hair Dryer
Original video by Glamour contributor Brigitt Early
Original image by Glamour contributor Brigitt Early
Original image by Glamour contributor Brigitt Early
“When I travel, I almost always bring a carry-on but I want comforts like my own hair dryer, so space-saving options are really important to me. I also have very long, wavy hair that takes quite a while to dry, so I can’t sacrifice on power,” says Glamour contributor Brigitt Earley. “This is the only dryer I’ve tried that actually delivers on both. It comes with two attachments—curling and smoothing nozzles—but the whole thing is foldable, and fits in a small, flexible gray pouch that you could stick in a personal item.” Also worth noting: it’s so powerful that it flies off the counter if you don’t turn it off when putting it down. “The attachments click in without any effort, too, and I’ve found them both to be very effective.”
Best Blow-Dryer Brush: Revlon One Step Volumizer Plus 2.0
Original video by Glamour contributor Sarah Cassuto
Original photo by Glamour contributor Sarah Cassuto
Original photo by Glamour contributor Sarah Cassuto
Guess what? Everyone’s favorite dryer brush may not be as small as some travel hair dryers, but its long, skinny design makes it just as easy to pack. We’ve written about the popular Revlon hair brush before—our editors love it, our readers love it, almost everyone on TikTok loves it. And that’s likely because the brush and dryer combo is beyond powerful and gets superhot to smooth out strands, stat.
Glamour contributor Danielle Sinay who has wavy hair, loves this brush. “If you’re looking for something that dries hair within minutes, delivers maximum volume, and can seamlessly create the perfect bouncy blowout on a budget, you really can’t go wrong with this one,” she says. This one is particularly useful if you have bangs or face-framing pieces that you haven’t been able to style correctly, Sinay says, because the brush is flexible enough to get under all the hard to keep-in-place pieces. “Everyone from my sister to best friend to mom has gotten this because of me raving about it continually!”
Best for Curly Hair: Curlsmith De-Frizzion Travel Dryer
Original image by Glamour commerce editor Malia Griggs
Original image by Glamour commerce editor Malia Griggs
Original image by Glamour commerce editor Malia Griggs
Curlsmith’s foldable travel-size dryer is a fantastic addition to your travel toolkit. The lightweight six-inch diffuser strikes the right balance between portability and performance. “We like to have it for our curly customers, but it really works for any hair type,” says Sharon Dorram, a celebrity colorist and owner of Sharon Dorram Color at Sally Hershberger Salon. The far infrared heat penetrates the hair shaft, ensuring a speedy dry while minimizing damage that can cause dehydration and frizz.
“I don’t typically travel with a dryer, as most of them are so bulky and heavy. This is always irritating, since I have curly/wavy hair. A hotel’s dryer, which always lacks any sort of diffuser, is never the answer, and air drying leaves my hair frizzy—an inevitability I accept when I go on trips,” says Glamour commerce editor Malia Griggs. “The Curlsmith was a nice surprise—it folds! And it’s so lightweight (a little over a pound). It has your standard dryer settings (three levels of heat and three levels of air intensity) and comes with a large bowl-shaped diffuser with claw-like teeth. I imagine this is really nice if you have a heavy mass of curls to cradle in its head. I liked that at its highest setting, the dryer never got super hot and burned my scalp. That said, it did take longer to dry (or, arguably, fry) my curls than my go-to Dyson and GHD dryers. I lost patience after 20 minutes and let the hair around my scalp air dry. Still, my resulting curls were defined and less frizzy than when I let them fully air dry. For my curly girls, the Curlsmith is a great option if you’re on the go (perfect for tossing in a gym bag, especially with its accompanying velvet travel bag). Its lightness, foldable body, and sizable diffuser are winning features, as are the results.”
Best for International Travel: Mane This Totally Blows! Ionic Compact Hair Dryer
Original video by Glamour commerce producer Leilani McQuay
Original photo by Glamour commerce producer Leilani McQuay
Original photo by Glamour commerce producer Leilani McQuay
This ionic compact dryer helps combat frizz and has a powerful wattage of 1,875. It also comes with multiple styling attachments including a concentrator nozzle, comb brush and diffuser for every hair type and texture. “This blowdryer is lightweight but a bit larger than I’d prefer for travel, making it feel somewhat bulky. That said, it gets the job done,” says Glamour commerce producer Leilani McQuay. “My thick hair needed to be sectioned for even drying, and on the highest heat and speed settings, it took about 15 minutes to fully dry. The heat is very hot, which helped speed up the process, but I did notice some frizz afterward. I do appreciate the three attachments it came with, as they add versatility. Next time, I’ll be using a frizz-control product for a smoother finish.”
Best Anti-Frizz Dryer: T3 Fit Compact Professional Hair Dryer
Original video by Glamour commerce writer Alanna Martine Kilkeary
Original image by Glamour commerce writer Alanna Martine Kilkeary
Original image by Glamour commerce writer Alanna Martine Kilkeary
It may be about 30% smaller than a traditional dryer, but this lightweight model packs a punch. That’s because it features much of the same technology that makes T3 dryers so well regarded—including a special IonAir Technology that dries damp hair gently but quickly, as well as an ion generator that delivers negative ions to make frizzy hair smoother and shinier.
Glamour’s Kilkeary is also a fan of this compact pick. “I love how tiny but mighty this dryer is. I was able to dry my hair in around 20 minutes when it usually takes closer to 40. I also liked how smooth my hair was after—I was left with really velvety soft strands and minimal frizz thanks to the ion technology. As far as packing this dryer away, the only thing I didn’t love was that it doesn’t fold, which makes it a bit harder to store.”
Most Quick Drying: Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer
Original video by Glamour contributor Brittany Loggins
It may be pricey and it may not technically be a travel dryer, but every (and we mean every) hairstylist we spoke to said the Dyson was their go-to for both home and travel. (It’s also one of the best hair dryers we tested, period.) “The Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryers are engineered to protect hair from extreme heat damage, with fast-drying and controlled styling,” says Edward Tricomi, master stylist and co-owner of Warren Tricomi salons. “This dryer is also a lot smaller and less bulky than the typical hair dryer that we’re used to seeing.” Not to mention you don’t have to sacrifice quality when going for this compact dryer. “It’s very powerful and will dry hair fast,” he says. Just don’t bring this one on your international travels—the last thing you want to do is fry a dryer this expensive. Glamour‘s commerce director, Brie Schwartz agrees. “It’s light enough that I can take it everywhere, which means I don’t have to rely on cruddy hotel dryers when I’m traveling. It’s truly worth the hype.”
Best Multi-Styler: Shark Beauty Sharkflex Styler
Original video by Glamour contributor Tanisha Cherry
Sometimes the best travel hair dryers are the ones that style your hair in a snap. If you’re looking for a silk-press on the go, Glamour contributor Tanisha Cherry highly recommends this pick. “It’s extremely powerful, cuts my blow-dry time in half (to about 15 minutes compared to 30), and is so light that my arms don’t feel like they’ve had a workout. I usually make two passes with this dryer on my towel-dried hair with a paddle brush, and I love that this dryer doesn’t get overly hot,” she says. And the best part? It comes with a bunch of brush and concentrator nozzle attachments so you can customize your style wherever you use it. Our only knock on this pick is that it’s not dual voltage, so you won’t be able to bring it abroad.
Best Heat Control: BaBylissPRO Nano Titanium Travel Dryer
For those who like a super-sleek blowout, this lightweight and ergonomic travel dryer delivers. It features six heat and speed settings for customization, but its real claim to fame is a combination of a high-torque DC motor, nano titanium heat technology, and a true ion generator for even heat distribution and a faster frizz-free result. “It’s not much bigger than the size of my hand and it’s super lightweight, but the dryer packs a surprising punch—plenty of power for my long hair,” says our tester.
