Ever gone to Europe and plugged in your hairdryer and ZZZZZTTT! No more hairdryer.
This is because many countries use a higher voltage than the USA, which sends an unsupportable surge of electricity into your poor little hairdryer. There is one very important function that a good travel hairdryer must have: dual voltage.
Accessories, plug adapters, and folding functions come secondary, but dual voltage is the first thing you should look for. In this post, I’ll give you a few options to choose from.
Update 2017: The Best Travel Hair Products – hair dryer, hair straightener, curling iron, dry shampoo – find it all here!
This post contains affiliate links.

My Magical Travel Hairdryer
On one of my trips to Europe, I purchased the hairdryer pictured above, hoping it would suit my needs. It’s the first travel hairdryer I’ve owned, and it completely blew my expectations away.
First of all, it has a switch to accommodate both 110 volts and 240 volts of electricity. Remember, dual voltage – the most important factor of a travel hairdryer.
Second, it folds in half, making it small and packable (perfect for carry-on packing), and comes with its own travel case. It also comes with three different plug converters! So, I can use it in the US, Europe, and Asia, which covers a great number of countries to which I travel. But it doesn’t end there!
There is one feature that I really need in a hairdryer, which is a diffuser attachment. Have you seen my medusa hair? If you don’t know what a diffuser is, it’s this thing:

A diffuser is what I use to dry my hair into its big curly waves. As a bonus, this hairdryer comes with one. Done. If you don’t need the diffuser that’s fine, just make sure the travel hairdryer you choose has the dual voltage or you won’t be able to use it abroad.
The only thing wrong with this hairdryer, and any other mini hairdryer, is the fact that it will suck your long hair into the back end of it if you aren’t careful.
Dual Voltage Travel Hairdryer Options
I purchased my hairdryer in Europe, which I recommend you do if you’re going to be traveling or living there for a while.
If you want to buy one online, I have researched a few similar options of travel hairdryers available on Amazon:
- BaByBlissPRO Hairdryer: Tourmaline folding travel hairdryer with dual voltage. Trusted, tried, and true with great reviews.
- BaByBlissPRO Nano Hairdryer – Nano titanium folding travel hairdryer with dual voltage.
- Hot Tools Lightweight Ionic Travel Dryer: Folding travel hairdryer with dual voltage. Comes with diffuser and concentrator attachments.
- Conair Travel Smart Hairdryer: Folding travel hairdryer with dual voltage. Comes with several accessories including a European adapter. This one is most like the one I purchased.
Additionally, if you need a diffuser to dry your hair (and the travel hairdryer you choose doesn’t include one), I found this collapsible hair diffuser that won’t take up too much room in your luggage.
Can I Use a Single Voltage Hairdryer?
If you are brave enough to use a single voltage hairdryer while you travel outside the US, you better get a converter!
A Conair Travel Smart converter is made specifically for electronics like hairdryers. Not only does it convert electricity but it will adapt to plug types worldwide as well.
Want more? Check out the rest of the great travel hair products that I pack when I travel (like the greatest non-aerosol dry shampoo ever).
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