Last Updated on October 12, 2024 by Dawn Head
The best travel hair dryers are light and easy to pack. Modern science and technology have influenced travel hair dryers. Now they are small enough for you to justify taking one with you, especially if you have thick hair or long hair. As you pack light for your vacation, you may decide to bring one along.
It is as important as the other things you are organizing for your trip and for your daily hairstyling routine. If possible, you want to bring your favorite hairbrush, shampoo, and conditioner. You can most likely tuck them easily in a carry-on bag or backpack.
There are dozens of travel blow dryers available. Most of them promise something unique: “40% faster drying time,” “Ionic Technology,” or “Best for Extra-Fine Hair!” The advertising and marketing is endless. In reality, there is such a great variety of hair dryers today that it may be hard to know which one to choose.
We wanted to make it easy to choose a travel hair dryer for your longed-for dream vacation so it’s one thing you can easily cross off your to-do list.
Best travel hair dryer
Let’s take a look at some of the dryer tech that is currently impacting the style market. Afterward, we will take a time-saving trip through the top five best travel models so that you can spend more time planning your vacation activities and less time planning how you’re going to get ready to do them!
Materials and Technology in Travel Hair Dryers
The most common technologies and materials used in the manufacture of blow dryers are metal, clay, gemstones, and Chemistry 101. That seems a bit alarming on the surface, however, what this translates to is: titanium, ceramics, tourmaline, nano technology, and ions.
Titanium: Friend of Doctors and Hair Stylists
Titanium is an amazing metal. It resists oxidization and corrosion and is incredibly lightweight for its strength. Titanium has been used in the manufacture of fighter jets, bone screws, and hip replacements since the 1950’s.
It is unique in the biomedical field because the human body rarely rejects it, allowing the metal to be used to replace bones, including in the skull.
Now you’re surely wondering what this has to do with drying and styling hair? Titanium is used in the manufacture of the internal parts of blow dryers to give them some useful characteristics. First, titanium warms quickly and cools down slowly.
This means that you should always be careful not to aim it at one spot in your hair too long to prevent burning. On the other hand, it also means that your hair will dry very quickly and ultimately have less damage from blow drying it.
Titanium dryers also help prevent bacterial growth due to their high heat production, thereby helping maintain a healthy scalp. Titanium blow dryers tend to run on the expensive side, but they are especially prevalent at professional styling salons.
Ceramic, isn’t that what dishes are made of?
Yes, it is! Ceramic, also referred to as “porcelain” in some circles, is a material that started out its life as clay and may have ended up on your shelf in the guise of a vase or even in your kitchen cabinet as your favorite serving bowl.
However, in a blow dryer, ceramic may be used in the heating element, as a coating on the inside parts of the machine, or in the body of the dryer.
Ceramic is favored by professional stylists because it heats quickly and evenly. It produces infrared heat that penetrates hair shafts, helping maintain natural shine. As a bonus, infrared heat does not remove all the moisture from hair at the same time it dries, preventing it from becoming over-dry and brittle.
It is very difficult to burn hair with a ceramic dryer.
What is nanotechnology?
Nanotechnology, according the National Nanotechnology Institute, is the scientific control of some very small parts of matter. To help bring the idea into perspective, the average human hair is generally between 80,000 and 100,000 nano meters wide.
What this means for blow dryers is a decrease in drying time and an increase in smoothness of the final style. It is usually used when referring to titanium dryers, possibly as a note of the reduction of weight of the titanium metal. Dryers with nanotechnology seem to be some of the most expensive on the market.
What do ions have to do with drying hair?
If you’ll remember back to Chemistry 101, ions are atoms or molecules that have an electrical charge. Water is a molecule with a positive charge, so when it encounters negative ions from a motorized dryer it breaks up more quickly than being left to the air alone.
This ionic reaction helps reduce the surface tension of your hair, allowing it to dry that much more quickly. Surface tension reduction is also thought to help repair damaged hair and smooth split ends. Ionic blow dryers produce less static electricity when in use than older blow dryers, a benefit that helps reduce overall frizz and makes hair more manageable and easier to style in the long run.
Tourmaline, a gem used for more than just jewelry
Tourmaline is classified as a semi-precious gemstone. It is a group of related minerals that are similar in form to emeralds. It is also commonly known as Tiger’s Eye, or Schorl.
Tourmaline may be seen in a rainbow of colors, from blacks to blues to greens. There is even one called “watermelon tourmaline” for its pink and green colors scheme. Tourmaline can be found in many colors throughout the world, but notable tourmaline comes from Nigeria, Mozambique, Tanzania, Afghanistan, the US, and Brazil.
Instead of being polished down into gemstones for jewelry, tourmaline can be ground into a fine powder. That powder is then used in the manufacture of blow dryers. The way it is used can affect the overall cost of the machine.
Tourmaline may be used in varying degrees on or in the internal parts of a hair dryer, or as a coating on the inside. Interestingly, tourmaline produces those sought-after negative ions when heated. This means that if you use this type of blow dryer, your hair will be smooth and less prone to static electricity.
Some manufacturers claim that tourmaline dryers help your hair dry up to 40% faster. There is lots of information about dryer technology. Most consumers, however, are looking for a lightweight product they can use to dry and sometimes style their hair with.
What Makes a Travel Hair Dryer Different?
1) Size
The most obvious thing that sets a travel-sized dryer apart is its size. Most are between 6 – 8 inches in length and only weigh a few ounces. Compare this to some larger dryers that can be 12 inches in length and weigh up to 2 pounds. You will see why some people choose travel dryers as part of their daily beauty routine.
2) Cost
Travel versions of most hair dryers are usually less expensive than their larger cousins. This is true even when they contain the same technology and components.
3) Accessories
At first glance, travel dryers may not seem to have as many accessories as larger models. However, diffusers and concentrates can still be used with them to meet your styling needs at home or on holiday.
4) Hair Dryer Motor
Consider the size of the dryer’s motor carefully. A dryer with higher wattage produces more “wind power.” It uses less energy to dry your hair. Higher wattage machines are also less prone to early burn out with daily use.
5) Multiple Uses
There are more uses for a travel-sized dryer than just fixing your hair! It can help you quickly take wrinkles from your clothes, dry spots from rain, and even help stretch the leather of your brand-new shoes.
Now that you are armed with information about blow dryers, let’s take a look at the some of the best made for travelling.
Best Travel Hair Dryers You Can Use Everyday
BaByliss PRO Tourmaline Titanium Travel Dryer
The BaByliss Pro hair dryer is a great option for those with thick hair. Titanium heats up quickly and cools down slowly. Titanium dryers should always be used with care to prevent hair damage.
This dryer is about 8 inches long and weighs about 10 ounces. It has a folding handle and a 5-foot-long cord and is red. There are two fan speeds and two air temperatures: high speed for hot air, and low speed for warm air.
You can use it in America and in most places in Europe thanks to its dual voltage. With an adapter, you can easily convert it from 110 volts to 220 volts.
Revlon 1875W Compact Travel Hair Dryer
Like other miniature dryers, this machine has a folding handle. Champagne and black in color, it also comes with a smoothing concentrate attachment. It is ceramic coated and uses ionic technology to help reduce frizz whether you are in a humid or a dry climate.
With an adapter it switches easily from 100 volts to 220 volts, making it useful for travelling almost anywhere on the globe. The Revlon 1875W has two heating and two fan speed settings, high for hot air and low for warm air.
It also includes a “cool shot” button that is useful for maintaining a salon shine even when you are on vacation hundreds of miles from the nearest salon.
BaByliss PRO Nano Titanium Travel Dryer
BaBylissPRO Nano Titanium dryer is one of the lightest titanium dryers on the market: it weighs in at a mere 8 ounces. This light blue colored blow dryer has a 1000-watt motor and is dual voltage via adapter. It comes with a stand and a removable filter for easy cleaning. Its concentrator nozzle helps dry hair fast.
Conair MiniPRO Folding Handle Tourmaline Ceramic Styler
Red Conair MiniPRO is powered by a 1200-watt motor, making it a powerhouse of a travel-sized blow dryer. With a cord that measures about 2 feet long, it can be used even in the smallest cruise ship bathrooms without getting tangled or in the way.
This little styler is dual voltage and includes a non-slip hand grip. It comes with a concentrator that will help you fight frizz and bring out your hair’s natural shine.
Ptatoms Compact Folding Handle Ionic Blow Dryer Styler With 3 Heat Settings
The Ptatoms compact ionic blow dryer is a great choice for a travel dryer, offering many of the same features as the others on this list, plus a little extra. It’s only drawback is that it is not dual voltage.
Like the Revlon 1875W, this little machine is powered by a 1875-watt motor. The Ptatoms dryer is black in color, weighs less than 12.5 ounces, and is less than 7 inches in overall length. Its cord is 5 feet long.
The Ptatoms uses ionic technology and has three fan speeds. There are three air temperature settings. The slowest fan speed produces cold air. The medium fan speed produces warm air. And the fastest fan speed produces hot air.
Travel-Sized Blow Dryers for a Great Trip!
Travel hair dryers are very useful. When you need to replace your day-to-day hair dryer, consider only buying a travel one so it’s portable and so you only having one taking up room in your bathroom vanity.
Looking great wherever your travels take you will now be as easy as plugging in your travel-sized blow dryer.