8 Best Lightweight Hair Dryers – Review and Buying Guide

Do you regularly travel for work or leisure, and want to keep your hair looking neat and stylish everywhere you go? With a good hair dryer, you can do just that. No more having to be at the mercy of whether your hotel or Airbnb is generous enough to provide you with one, nor having to make a side trip to the nearest salon to get your hair fixed.

To help you out, here’s a review of the eight best lightweight hair dryers that are guaranteed to give you that ease and convenience of drying and styling your hair, all in a lightweight, compact, and portable package. There’s also a buying guide at the end to help you pick out the right hair dryer for your needs.

Read also related articles: Quiet hair dryer, best salon hooded hard bonnet hair dryer, and best soft bonnet hair dryers.

8 Best Lightweight Hair Dryers

Looking for a hair dryer that’s lightweight and small enough to fit inside your carry on? Here are some of the best we’ve found that weigh just a pound or less, but deliver the same performance that regular sized hair dryers can offer:

1.  BaBylissPRO Nano Titanium Travel Dryer

The best one we’ve found is the BaBylissPRO nano titanium travel dryer, which is a mini blow dryer that comes in a highly portable design with a folding handle and an overall weight of just less than ten ounces.

For these things alone, this hair dryer is extremely popular with frequent travelers and home stylists alike. It gives you that flexibility you need, it’s convenient to use and tow around, and it even comes in dual voltage settings for use in other countries.

Plus, it also features a removable filter and stand that make things easy to clean anywhere. It also geniously makes use of nano titanium technology to dry your hair quicker with much less frizz, and works on all types of hair, including coarse and thick hair.

2.  RUSK Engineering W8less Professional 2000 Watt Dryer

Running a close second is the RUSK engineering W8less professional dryer, which a powerful yet lightweight option that delivers fast drying and styling while helping protect your hair from heat damage thanks to its tourmaline and ionic generator.

It comes with seven different speed and heat settings, including a cool shot button that helps you set your hairstyle, and it makes use of far infrared rays that thoroughly dry your hair with minimal risk of damage.

Moreover, it also comes with a concentrator attachment for straightening your hair. With all of these amazing features, it’s no wonder that the W8less is a customer favorite, especially when it comes to getting rid of frizz and styling the thickest and most stubborn hair.

3.  Revlon 1875W Compact And Lightweight Hair Dryer

In third place is the Revlon compact and lightweight hair dryer, which is a pretty mini dryer that comes in three lovely colors of black, pink, and yellow, so you can choose one that matches your personality and style.

At just a pound, it’s a pretty lightweight styling tool that offers excellent airflow speed with two different heat and speed settings, including a cold shot button to cool your hair quickly and set it to a lovely and fabulous style.

With this compact blow dryer, you can quickly dry and style your locks anywhere, anytime. It even comes with a removable end cap for convenient cleaning and maintenance, a hanging ring for easy storage, and protective anti slip bumpers.

4.  NITION Negative Ions Ceramic Hair Dryer

Taking the fourth spot is the Nition negative ions ceramic hair dryer, which is a great option it comes with three removable attachments in the form of a comb attachment for detangling knots, a concentrator for straightening your hair, and a diffuser attachment for eliminating frizz.

It also makes use of ionic technology coupled with tourmaline minerals to smoothen, straighten, and protect your hair. And, it features three different heat settings, as well as two speed settings, with a cool shot button to seal in your hairstyle.

Best of all, it only weighs a pound, making it highly suitable for travel, so you can always look stylish anywhere you go. If you want a nice styling tool that dries your hair fast without the risk of heat damage, this is a must have in your possession.

5.  Conair miniPRO Tourmaline Ceramic Hair Dryer

Ranking fifth is the Conair miniPRO tourmaline ceramic hair dryer, a highly respected and sought out hair dryer that performs like salon quality tools while remaining affordably priced. In fact, for less than twenty dollars, you can get this dryer to keep your hair smooth and neat.

It makes use of tourmaline ceramic technology that promotes smoothness and reduces frizz, and it comes with two heat and speed settings for you to choose from. It also has a concentrator attachment that you can use for more complex hairstyles.

What’s more is that this hair dryer helps fight frizz and brings out your hair’s natural style. It also features a foldable handle, as well as dual voltage for worldwide use, so you don’t have to worry about finding a working hair dryer no matter where you are.

6.  Conair 1875 Watt Compact Folding Handle Hair Dryer

Another alternative and also from Conair is the compact folding hair dryer that comes in a lightweight mini size that weighs only four ounces. Despite its petite size, it delivers strong power and performance to completely dry your hair in a short period of time.

It has two heat and speed settings for you to choose from depending on how fast you want to dry your hair and how you want to style it, and it operates as 1875 watts of drying power to give you all the heat you need to quickly work on your hair.

And, it’s specifically designed for travel, so it makes use of a folding handle, and comes with dual voltage so you can conveniently use it anywhere you go. All in all, it’s a great and affordable choice that you should definitely have with you.

7.  JINRI Infrared Sterilization Professional Hair Dryer

You might also want to check out the JINRI infrared sterilization professional hair dryer, which is a salon quality ionic sterilization blow dryer that comes with diffuser and concentrator attachments for use on curly and thick hair.

Don’t be fooled by all that jazz, however, since this dryer is still small and lightweight at just one pound, so you can conveniently carry it anywhere you go. It even comes with a narrow dryer nozzle that helps you style your hair more efficiently.

Plus, it makes use of tourmaline ceramic technology that offers heat protection, enables faster and more even drying and styling, all with much less frizz and heat damage, and a smoother, silkier and better looking hair.

8.  Slopehill Professional Salon Negative Ions Hair Blow Dryer

Another great option that you should consider is the Slopehill professional salon negative ions hair blow dryer, which comes in a sleek and modern design that weighs just 410 grams to give you all the portability and convenience you need for on the go styling.

It also comes packed with a lot of amazing features, such as three heat settings, two speed options, and a 1800 watt drying power so you can dry and style your hair just the way you want. It also features ion and bio ceramic technology to moisturize your hair, reduce static, and eliminate frizz, so you end up with healthier and smoother hair after styling.

Plus, it comes with three different magnetic attachments, including a styling concentrator, a diffuser, and a smoothing nozzle, so you can style all types of hair, from straight, curly, thick, and thin, all with ease and convenience.

Best Lightweight Hair Dryer Buying Guide

A good quality hair dryer is a must have styling tool for everyone, whether you want to dry your hair quickly, give it a bit of volume and definition, add some waves and textures, or transform your hair into a sleek and straight style.

That said, while all hair dryers essentially do the same thing, not all hair dryers are made equally, with some performing just so much better than others. This is why choosing the right hair dryer is important, so you can achieve that perfect hairstyle instead of damaging your hair.

And then there are compact and lightweight hair dryers for traveling. They work just the same as regular dryers, but are significantly more convenient in terms of portability. So, how do you pick the right hair dryer for your needs? Here’s a quick guide to help you get started:

Why you should get the best lightweight hair dryer

First of all, should you really get yourself a lightweight hair dryer, or should you just stick with a normal one? Really, what’s so great about these mini blow dryers?

Well, for one thing, they don’t weigh a ton, which is important so that, one, your arms don’t easily get exhausted holding the dryer up while drying and styling your hair, and two, it doesn’t cause you to overload your baggage whenever you travel.

Plus, these things also come in smaller and more compact packages, which means storage and transport are much easier, since they can easily fit in your bag or carry on.

Perhaps the only catch is that lightweight hair dryers typically make use of a lower wattage, which translates to reduced drying power, but even so, they work just fine, and even help you save energy and spend less on utilities. Besides, there are also lightweight dryers with higher wattages for use on thicker and curlier hair types.

Things to consider when buying the best lightweight hair dryer

If you really want to find the best lightweight hair dryer for traveling, these are the most important factors that you need to take into account before buying:

Heat settings

A hair dryer is a type of heat styling tool, meaning, it uses heat in order to produce your desired styling effects. As such, it’s only right that you take into account the heat settings that the blow dryer comes with so you can expect how it will work.

Most portable hair dryers come with at least two heat and speed settings, but if you can, try to find one with three or more so you can enjoy better styling versatility. Ideally, it should also have a cool shot button to help you seal in your hairstyle, as well as seal your hair cuticles and keep it feeling smooth.

Having said all that, when using any heat styling tool, going with the lowest heat setting is always safest on your hair. But if you really need higher working temperatures, especially if you have thick and stubborn hair, look for a hair dryer that offers decent thermal protection to keep your hair safe from heat damage.

Weight

Now, since you’re looking for a lightweight hair dryer, it makes sense that you factor in the weight of the dryer and make sure that it’s compact and portable. It won’t just benefit you in terms of reducing your luggage weight, it’s also easier on your arms and wrists whenever you use the dryer to dry and style your hair.

In fact, you might not think that it’s much, but even a third of a pound difference in weight can really change how comfortable the dryer feels in your hands as you use them for five to ten minutes at a time.

Dual voltage

It’s also ideal that the hair dryer be able to operate under two different voltages, especially if you often travel outside the country, since most countries outside the US use higher voltages for their appliances

To give you an idea, US appliances only use 120 volts, while many other locations require 240 volts, so for international travel, you need a hair dryer that can operate under this voltage. Of course, you can always just try to use it at low power to be on the safe side.

Nonetheless, to make sure that the tool is dual voltage, check the power label and see if it says 120/220-240V or 120-220V AC. If it only mentions a single voltage, then it’s just a single voltage dryer. Furthermore, aside from the dual voltage, you will also need an adapter that’s specific to the country you will be going to.

Cord length

Now, this one is an often overlooked feature, but it’s actually important to make sure that the dryer you have has the right cord length for your needs, meaning, it reaches from the outlet where you’ll plug the dryer in, to the spot you’ll be using it for drying and styling- a.k.a where the mirror is.

The thing is, if you’ll be using it for travel, this distance will largely vary, and as such, you may benefit best from a dryer with a longer cord rather than a short one, since not all locations offer sockets by the bathroom mirror.

Remember, it’s actually unsafe to use an extension cord when it comes to high wattage devices such as hair dryers, so going for an extra long cord is really your best and safest option. Around a six foot minimum length should be a good start.

Ionic technology

One thing that really revolutionized the use of heat styling tools such as hair dryers is that they now use ionic technology to make your hair look and feel so much nicer. This is because the dryer releases negative ions that break down water molecules to speed up the drying process, saving you time and effort in styling your hair.

And, it also claims to eliminate frizz and make your hair smoother, so it’s a win-win situation. Besides hair dryers with ionic technology are pretty affordable nowadays, so there’s absolutely no reason why you shouldn’t opt for one.

Extra nozzles

Did you know that having extra nozzles for your hair dryer is actually a necessity rather than a nice added feature? This is especially true for those of use with thick and curly hair who really need a diffuser to effectively blow dry out hair without causing damage, frizz, and flyaways.

This is because diffusers spread out the heat so your hair isn’t as exposed to heat damage, but it still dries fast and effectively without frizz, all while maintaining its natural shimmer and shine. Plus, it helps your curls remain intact.

There are also concentrators that focus the heat to effectively manage fine and straight hair by spotlighting specific sections to smooth out curls and even out the texture. These then maximize your hair’s smoothness and straightness, especially when used with a comb or brush.

Aside from these two, there are other types of nozzles that work great for other hair types and conditions, and are designed for achieving certain hairstyles with more ease and convenience.

Other features

Apart from all the top features we’ve already discussed, there are a few more things that you need to consider, such as:

• Button placement: ideally, the buttons of the hair dryer should all be located on one side (either the front or the back) so you don’t accidentally press on them while you’re using the dryer for styling.
• Handle shape: the handle should be ergonomically designed and shaped as comfortably as possible to give you an easier time using the tool. It should be narrow and curved to allow for an easier and better grip.
• Vibration dampening: it may not seem like much, but a hair dryer that makes loud noises and vibrates or rattles a lot can be annoying to use for several continuous minutes, so try to find a dryer that ensures a smooth and quiet operation.

Final Tips

The best lightweight hair dryer for traveling is one that weighs less than a pound, features a compact design, has an ergonomic handle, is made of high-quality materials, and offers an excellent and consistent heat performance.

It should be maneuverable, flexible, and offer grip support. It should also be adaptable and convenient to use, and of course allow you to quickly dry and style your hair without causing heat damage.

There are so many other considerations as to what makes a hair dryer great, including portability, cord length, safety features, anti frizz technology, and more. For us, one thing that really meets all these criteria is the BaBylissPRO Nano Titanium Travel Dryer. It’s portable, compact, convenient to use, and features nano titanium technology to smoothen and dry out hair while removing frizz. It even works on all types of hair!