Cordless Hair Dryers – What Makes Them So Good?

Hairstyling is fun, no question about that. But, one of the few things that make it not-fun is whenever you have to stay pretty much glued to the wall of your bathroom or vanity room or what have you, all because your hair dryer has an embarrassingly short cord.

Even long cords pose a problem of their own. It’s so easy for the cord to get all tangled up, it’s a serious risk for tripping on yourself, and it’s a pain in the butt to have to maneuver the cord around the hair dryer and your arm.

Don’t you worry. With every problem comes a great solution. Have you ever heard of cordless hair dryers? Not only do they eliminate all the hassles of long and short cords alike, but they are also great for traveling and styling on the go!

Read also related articles: Best lightweight hair dryers, best soft bonnet hair dryer, best hair dryer for fine hair, and Asavea hair straightening brush review.

What is a cordless hair dryer?

Simply put, a cordless hair dryer is a hair dryer without a cord, so there’s no need to plug it into an electric outlet. Rather, it’s powered by rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, which can either be built-in to the unit, or removable.

Cordless hair dryers are great for those who want flexibility and mobility, such as frequent travelers. These tools are often lightweight and are dual voltage, so you can bring them anywhere without having to worry about looking for an adapter. They are also great for campers or anyone who likely doesn’t have easy access to a power outlet.

Moreover, cordless hair dryers are ideal for people with short hair and those who require little time to dry and style their hair, as well as children and even pets who can benefit from the extra safety and mobility that the cordless feature offers.

Main features of a cordless hair dryer

Cordless hair dryers are extremely popular for travelers, adventurers, backpackers, and campers who want to be able to enjoy the freedom of drying and styling hair on the fly, especially if they are in certain outdoor settings or are in a hurry. These styling tools come with the following features:

DC motor

Unlike conventional hair dryers that make use of AC or alternative current, their cordless counterparts operate under DC or direct current motors, which translates to a lighter and more portable device, but also a less intense heat and a less powerful airflow.

Battery power

Most, if not all, cordless hair dryers are also battery powered, more specifically, with lithium-ion batteries, which are lightweight and highly reactive, and therefore lasts for a long time. These batteries are pretty great, but you do need to try not to use the hair dryer for long periods of time so as not to overheat the battery and cause it to malfunction.

Rechargeable

Now, since the tools are battery powered, it means that the battery requires periodic charging. This can be done either by unplugging the removable battery from the main unit, or attaching the entire dryer to a power supply in order to charge it up.

Benefits of a cordless hair dryer

There are so many wonderful benefits you can get out of cordless hair dryers, namely:

Ease of use

A cordless dryer is generally a lot simpler and lighter than the normal ones you have in your home. In fact, many cordless hair dryers weigh just shy of a pound, and come with minimal, straightforward features for temperature and airflow. A lot of them are even foldable.

Portable

The beauty of cordless hair dryers is that they are easily portable due to the lack of a cord. This way, you can bring and use the hair dryer just about anywhere, even at the top of a mountain. Just make sure you charge the battery beforehand. And since it’s lightweight, you don’t even have to worry about arm fatigue.

Travel friendly

Think of it this way- cordless hair dryers are lightweight, compact, portable, and, well, cordless. It really doesn’t get much more travel friendly than that. There’s no need for a power outlet, a dual voltage dryer, a power adapter, or any of those inconveniences that add stress to your travel experience.

Added safety

One more thing with cordless hair dryers is that they operate under a much lower wattage, which is not only energy saving, but safer for you as well, especially when you consider the fact that you’ll be exposed to less EMF radiation.

5 Best Cordless Hair Dryers

Want to grab a cordless hair dryer for yourself? Check out these five best options you can choose from:

1.  FreeDryer 400w Cordless Hair Dryer

Our most favorite option is the FreeDryer cordless hair dryer, a rechargeable blow dryer that conveniently comes with two removable batteries for a more seamless hairstyling experience. As a matter of fact, there’s something super cool about these batteries.

See, once the battery is fully charged and you attach it to the main unit, it readily doubles as the hair dryer’s handle. Funky, right? And you don’t even need to get a full charge every single time you plug it in, just once every three months will do to ensure that the battery maintains its optimal lifespan.

The dryer, battery included, also weighs at just one single pound so it’s really lightweight and easy to carry around. Plus, it accepts multiple voltages, making it suitable for international travel. Not to mention, with two batteries, you can style your hair for longer!

2.  Umay LXB Portable Wireless Hair Dryer

Our second best pick may not be the most stylish looking hair dryer, but it’s definitely one of the best ones in terms of efficiency, performance, and running time, especially for a cordless, rechargeable hair dryer.

In fact, this one can easily run for hours on end before needing to recharge. As such, you get to enjoy the level of performance that conventional hair dryers bring to the table, while also enjoying the convenience and ease that cordless dryers have to offer.

Seriously, this hair dryer can work on all hair types, even the thickest manes. It even has an option between cold and hot air, and the battery is removable so it’s easy to charge. All in all, a perfect styling tool for busy mornings and worldly travels.

3.  Scnvo Professional Cordless Hair Dryer

We also really like the Scnvo professional cordless hair dryer, which is made specifically to cater to individuals with fine and short hair. Well, technically, it can work for other types of hair as long as extremely high temperatures and long-running times aren’t required for styling.

That said, you can always purchase it with an additional rechargeable battery to enjoy a longer working time. It’s really all up to you. In either case, it’s a great tool that you can take with you on various trips and outdoor excursions.

We’d like to describe it as comfortable, convenient, flexible, easy to carry, and with some protective properties to keep your hair fabulously healthy while showing off your look. The design and functionality of this tool have also been significantly improved through the years, so you’ll really enjoy the new features.

4.  VLOXO Rechargeable Cordless Hair Dryer

Another great option is the VLOXO rechargeable cordless hair dryer, which is perfect for those with fine and damaged hair. What we really love about this one is that it comes with all the best features that you would expect from a cordless hair dryer.

For one thing, it’s great for all hair types, especially since it only blows cold air, meaning, you are not at all exposed to potential frying or heat damage. And since it doesn’t use hot air, it lasts so much longer.

Sure, it will also take longer to completely dry your hair, and it’s not as suitable for styling techniques, but that’s a small price to pay in order to keep your hair strong, healthy, and damage free.

5.  Evertop Cordless Hair Dryer with Folding Handle

Quite similar to the one above is the Evertop cordless hair dryer, which also has a convenient folding handle. It’s really lightweight and ridiculously simple, making it a great staple for travelers who want to maintain a nice hairdo anywhere they go.

Despite its simplicity, however, it doesn’t lack any of the important features of a good cordless hair dryer. It dries your hair just fine, it’s safe and easy to use, it lasts for quite a while before needing a recharge, and it’s compact.

Wanna know the best part? It’s way more affordable than most cordless hair dryers you see on the market, and that in itself should make you want to buy it, especially seeing as it doesn’t sacrifice on any of the essentials.

Things to look for in a cordless hair dryer

Ready to buy a cordless hair dryer? Don’t go just yet- take a look at the most important factors you should look for to make sure that you make the right decision on which hair dryer is best for you:

Running time

Since a cordless hair dryer operates with the use of a battery, it goes to say that it can only last for a certain amount of time before that battery runs out of juice. That said, not all dryers and batteries are made equal. Some promise much longer running time than others.

As such, it’s important to make sure that the hair dryer can last for as long as you need to dry, and preferably also style, your hair. For an average length, medium thick hair, you’ll need 15 minutes for each process, shorter if you have short and thin hair, longer if your hair is long and thick.

Power

The hair dryer’s power is what determines the size of its battery, and consequently, the size, bulk, and weight of the hair dryer. You’ll want a higher power if your hair requires more heat or if you want to dry your hair faster.

Otherwise, if you have fine and short hair, or could do just fine with warm or cold air, then a lower power should be suitable for your needs. To give you an idea, the average power setting of cordless hair dryers is at 400 watts.

Weight

Generally speaking, cordless hair dryers are lightweight, especially since they make use of DC motors rather than AC ones.

Having said that, it’s still nice to look for a lighter product so as to lessen your luggage weight when traveling, and make styling more comfortable and with less strain on your arms and wrists. This means a limit of around 1.2 pounds.

Charging time

One potential hassle about any cordless device is that it needs to be put down to recharge. It’s a necessity, but you don’t want that to take up too much time, and as such, it’s important to look for a hair dryer with a short charging time, preferably under three hours.

Alternatively, you could always just buy an extra battery so your drying and styling time never has to be cut short.

Attachments

Apart from the hair dryer itself, if you can, try to look for suitable hair dryer attachments that can make the drying and styling process easier. These include diffusers that spread heated air to maintain your hair’s curls and bounce while also adding volume.

At the other end of the spectrum, you could also opt for a concentrator that directs all the heat towards one spot in order to smooth down your hair, straighten it, and eliminate frizz.

Other features

Aside from the above mentioned features, there are a few more that are nice to have for cordless hair dryers, such as ionizers that speed up the hair’s drying time by breaking down water molecules, while also removing frizz and making the hair sleek and smooth.

It’s also nice to have a cool shot button that seals in your hair cuticles to lock in the hair style, make it last longer, and add a certain shine to your strands.

Moreover, having an EMF free rating can be really great as it ensures that the hair dryer is safe to use and that your hair will be protected against damage.

Conclusion

Cordless hair dryers are great options for frequent travelers and outdoorsy types, as well as individuals who just want a more convenient way to dry and style their hair without dealing with all the hassle that comes with long cords.

One of the best options we found is the FreeDryer 400w Cordless Hair Dryer, a multi-voltage rechargeable hair dryer that works great, lasts long, and comes with an extra battery- a total win on all fronts!