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The best travel hair dryers for your 2025 holiday, tested by 60 panellists
The most lightweight and compact dryers to take on your travels, according to our experts
Tested by Maria KumarBeauty and Grooming Testing Manager
The hair dryers provided by hotels can be pretty basic at best and can leave your hair looking less “elegant blow dry” and more “frazzled mess”. So, if you're after good hair days for, well, days, whatever your travel destination, we suggest popping one of our best travel hair dryers next to your packing cubes.
We know space can be limited – even if you have the best suitcase full of handy compartments – so these lightweight, compact designs can make all the difference, easily slotting in alongside your other skincare flight essentials. Though small, they can still pack a punch, with some having the same power as a standard model.
These are the Good Housekeeping Institute's top-rated models, but keep scrolling for our full reviews.
Best travel hair dryer
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Best travel hairdryer
Panasonic EH-NA0J-N895 Hairdryer with Diffuser, Nanoe Moisture+ and Mineral Technology
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Read more: We've also tested the best hair dryers for everyday
Key features to look out for
Cool shot: If you struggle with frizziness or regularly visit hot and humid climates, look for a cool shot button. It helps set your style and seal cuticles, keeping moisture and humidity at bay and leaving hair looking shinier.
Wattage vs weight: Wattage refers to the power of your dryer – usually, the higher it is, the heavier the hair dryer. Balance styling needs with how much you're doing to be carrying it around and bear hand luggage weight restrictions in mind too — every gram counts in a carry-on!
Heat/speed settings: Use the lowest heat setting and a styling nozzle for styling hair. For drying, remove the styling nozzle and use the higher settings for speed. Every product listed below has two heat/speed settings.
Foldable handle: This is particularly useful for larger travel dryers as it makes packing easier.
Dual voltage: You need around 220-240V to power your dryer at home, but this varies around the world, making dual voltage essential for frequent fliers. The voltage is usually printed somewhere on devices sold within the EU, so keep an eye out for ‘120/220-240V’, which means it’s dual voltage. You’ll need to switch it manually with a coin once you reach your destination.
How we test travel hair dryers
Our Good Housekeeping Institute experts recruited 60 testers with different hair types to review a range of travel hair dryers. We then asked them to provide detailed feedback, considering ease of use, weight, noise level and final finish.
In the lab, we measured the temperature of the airflow, casing and nozzle, as well as assessing instructions, simplicity and design.
So, whether you're after a glamorous, bouncy blow dry for wandering the streets on city breaks, or want to tame those fresh-off-the-beach curls, add one of these tried and tested options to your case...
Panasonic EH-NA0J-N895 Hairdryer with Diffuser, Nanoe Moisture+ and Mineral Technology
Pros
- Hydrating
- Good for smoothing flyaways
- Compact
Cons
- Not foldable
Score: 83/100
We love jetting off somewhere hot on holiday, but even if you go armed with the best heat protectant sprays and the best frizzy hair products, those defined curls and sleek strands can disappear as soon as you step off the plane.
Well, according to our panellists, this hair dryer (which comes with both diffuser and straightener attachments) can make all the difference. It combines a gentle, cool airflow with a skincare mode to boost hair and scalp hydration after a day in the heat. Plus, there are alternating hot and cold settings to keep your locks shiny, and the hair tip care mode looks after the lengths, targeting airflow to minimise flyaways. It’s also lightweight, compact and easy to hold, according to testers, making it the ideal suitcase staple.
Key specifications
| Wattage (watts): | 1600 |
|---|---|
| Weight (g): | 460 |
| Dual voltage: | Undisclosed |
| Cool shot: | Yes |
| Foldable handle: | No |
Pros
- Lightweight
- Wide nozzle makes styling easier
Cons
- No cool shot
Score: 81/100
With the power of a full-size hair dryer in a foldable, compact body, this BaByliss model provides ultra-fast drying. It also has a wide, detachable styling nozzle, which testers liked as it made styling easier.
Plus, the casing stayed within a safe handling temperature throughout our lab test, even on the highest setting.
Key specifications
| Wattage (watts): | 2000 |
|---|---|
| Weight (g): | 426 |
| Dual voltage: | Yes |
| Cool shot: | No |
| Foldable handle: | Yes |
Remington On the Go 2000W Compact Dryer
Pros
- Two styling attachments for straight and curly hair
- Quickest drying time on test
Cons
- No travel case for storage
Score: 80/100
From a concentrator nozzle for ultra-smooth blow dries to a compact diffuser for beautiful waves and curls, this dryer comes with all the accessories you need to style any hair type on the go.
It even has a small key accessory to switch the voltage output with ease. This is a high performer for styling and one of the best on test for speed, drying hair impressively quickly on its highest setting.
Key specifications
| Wattage (watts): | 2000 |
|---|---|
| Weight (g): | 518 |
| Dual voltage: | Yes |
| Cool shot: | No |
| Foldable handle: | Yes |
ghd Flight Travel Hair Dryer
Pros
- Sleek carry case with handle
- Two heat settings plus a cold shot
Cons
- Travel case may be a bit bulky if you’re struggling for space
Score: 79/100
This travel hairdryer ticks all the right boxes; not only is it lightweight with dual voltage and a cool shot button, it also comes with a matching dust bag for protection on the move.
It performed highly on test, scoring full marks for ease of use and overall satisfaction. The slim handle was comfortable to hold and testers liked the easy-access controls. The dryer also has ‘hair safeguard technology’, which means it automatically switches off if held too close to the hair.
Key specifications
| Wattage (watts): | 1400 |
|---|---|
| Weight (g): | 410 |
| Dual voltage: | Yes |
| Cool shot: | Yes |
| Foldable handle: | Yes |
The verdict on travel hair dryers
The BaByliss travel hair dryer is a great foldable and affordable option for super sleek hair in those holiday Instagram pictures.
Seawater and humidity will bring out the curls in some of us – if that sounds like you, the Remington On the Go has a handy diffusing attachment to make the most of those beachy waves.
If you've got more budget, we recommend the Panasonic Hair Dryer with Diffuser to keep them bouncy, hydrated and defined.
Frequent flyer wanting to tame the flyaways? Then it may be worth investing in powerhouse haircare brand ghd’s Flight Travel Hair Dryer, for a sleek and speedy blow on the go.
Why trust the Good Housekeeping Institute
Since opening our doors over 100 years ago, the GHI has tested thousands of products to help readers buy the best for them – from the best massage guns to the best water flossers and best IPL devices.
Each product is tested against strict protocols by our team of experts. Maria Kumar, our beauty and grooming testing manager, has a master's degree in chemical engineering, a diploma in cosmetic science, and an MBA from the London College of Fashion, combined with years of testing experience in the field.
Our senior beauty writer Florence Reeves-White has written about and reviewed hundreds of beauty products, and worked closely with the testers to turn their results into easy-to-read articles to help readers find the best travel hair dryer for them.
Florence is our Senior Beauty Writer, specialising in expert-tested beauty and grooming reviews — from toothbrushes to the latest skincare launches. She’s committed to sharing recommendations for products that truly work and make people feel confident and healthy. Prior to this she was at Tropic Skincare, where she worked closely with biochemists in the lab, delving into the functions of each fresh, natural ingredient and conveying its efficacy to her audience in easy-to-digest terms.
With over five years’ experience in beauty and health journalism, Florence has written for ELLE, Women’s Fitness, Sister Magazine, National Geographic Traveller and many more, with a strong sustainability angle thread through much of her work.
When she isn’t packing for a trip away, working out, eating out or reading up on retinol serums, you’ll probably find her experimenting with her film camera and building her portfolio of portraits. Florence’s photography can be found at florencereeves-white.com, her Instagram is @florencereeveswhite and her twitter is @floreadsnwrites
Maria is our Beauty and Grooming Testing Manager, and since joining in mid-2022, she has managed the testing for mutiple categories including scalp scrubs, collagen supplements and retinol serums. In addition to her master's degree in chemical engineering and a diploma in cosmetic science, she recently received her MBA from the London College of Fashion, focusing on case studies within the beauty industry. Prior to joining the company, she worked within the global technical team at the Estee Lauder Companies for over six years, collaborating with the chemists and engineers to launch luxury beauty products at scale and to quality. She has also worked as a formulation scientist within the pharmaceutical industry and takes this evidence based approach into all her product testing.
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