Best Dual Voltage Hair Dryer 2022 – Buyer’s Guide

Say how exasperating it would feel when you’re traveling without your hairdryer because of its weight, relying on the dryer your potential hotel room will provide, only to discover that it can’t even blow away a tiny piece of paper?

Yeah, that’s going to be pretty annoying, and that’s why you must consider purchasing a travel hair dryer with a dual voltage that won’t take up a lot of space in your luggage while providing satisfactory blow-drying experiences.

In this article, you will find out some of the best dual voltage hair dryers in the market that will come really handy when traveling abroad. Stay along.

Best Dual Voltage Hair Dryers at a Glance

Let’s take a quick sneak peek at our recommended models before we go into the discussions and reviews.

rank	Product	Picture	Price
1	T3 Featherweight Compact Hair Dryer Check Price		$$$
2	Conair Worldwide Travel Hair Dryer Check Price		$$
3	Hot Tools Ionic Travel Dryer Check Price		$$
4	MHU Wazor Pro Professional Travel Blow Dryer Check Price		$$$
5	Vivid & Vogue Compact Travel Hair Dryer Check Price		$$

Dual Voltage Hair Dryer – Buyer’s Guide

What is a Dual Voltage Hair Dryer?

A dual voltage hair dryer refers to a hairdryer having two operable voltage options. These dryers can operate in the USA and abroad.

The USA standard hairdryers function on a low level of voltage (110-120 volts), where, in contrast, Europe, Asia, the Middle-east, Australia, and the rest of the world use a higher voltage (240-250 volts).

Having both the mentioned voltage options, a dual voltage hairdryer can efficiently work when you are traveling internationally. For this reason, they are also called dual voltage travel hair dryers. A dual voltage hairdryer keeps you safe overseas, maintaining the balance between low or high power with the necessary voltage.

However, they require a travel adapter to connect to a foreign outlet because of the varieties of the plug output designs.

Who Should Use It and Why?

Dual Voltage Dryers are specifically designed for travelers. That’s why they are mostly compact in size and shape while also weighing less than regular hair dryers.

Taking out your regular hairdryer when flying out can be a pretty heck of a thing to do, not only because of its bigger size or heavier weight but also for the fact that it won’t operate in a foreign country. It will force you to spend after a voltage converter to run.

Another fact may interest you to invest in a dual voltage dryer. It’s the inconvenient, extremely low-powered blow-dryers provided by the hotel you will be staying at. They are not at all capable of delivering the results you would desire while eating up your time.

Dual voltage dryers, on the other hand, are built to work in foreign circumstances for homely blow-drying experiences with similar traits of a regular dryer. That being said, you’ll be wise going for a travel hair dryer with dual voltage for convenient hair-drying sessions abroad with desired results.

How to Choose the Best Dual Voltage Hair Dryer

No matter if you are a hairstyle enthusiast or not, you will always want to give your hair the best look when traveling. And to take proper care of your hair on the go, you will want the best service from your hairdryer.

Now, if you’re daunted by the apparent hectic job of finding the best hair dryer for traveling, we’re here to help. We will be going through the cores and marrows of the essential features of a dual voltage blow dryer so that you can pick the right one for the best possible hair drying experience abroad.

Look for a Competent Wattage Level

Whether traveling or not, a proper range of wattage is always a vital aspect that determines how good the hairdryer will be.

Naturally, with a higher wattage level, a dryer produces broader wind for faster drying time. So, if you think wind power is the punch you need for drying your hair, especially if it’s coarse, you can go for a dryer with a high wattage level. You can get up to 2000 watts of power from a few travel hair dryers.

Only don’t forget to keep in mind that you should turn the heat down while raising the speed for less damage. Most importantly, if you have fine hair, you’ll want to keep the temperature as low as possible to avoid potential damages.

The problem with higher wattage level is that the heat rises with more speed, even though the makers disclaim, and there aren’t many options to keep it adequately low. With a lower wattage level (1000 watts or less), on the other hand, you won’t get the desired speed even if you get an adequate flow of heat, slowing down your drying sessions in the process.

So how will you solve this contradictory?

Choose a dryer with a wattage within the range of 1200 to 1875 watts. Within this range, not only you’ll be able to speed it all up, but also keep the heat at a suitable level. Also, a motor with more power is usually heavier because of the weight of the additional necessary inner components. So stick to the wattage range mentioned above if you want to cut the extra weight of your travel bag too.

Compactness Comes with Folds

Think about a situation when you’re packing up for a trip, your luggage is running out of space, and you’re forced to leave behind a handful of necessary stuff.

Say how annoyed you will be then to see your hefty hairdryer occupying half of the luggage?

Yes, that can be pretty irritating. And that’s why we tend to buy a dual voltage travel hair dryer for a conveniently small size. The more compact your dryer, the easier it becomes to store, carry, and use on the go.

And to facilitate yourself with the best possible compactness, there’s no better an option than a hairdryer that has a foldable handle.

A foldable dryer packs into the smallest of spaces, unlike a full-size one, enabling you to store more stuff in your travel bag or place it into the tiny drawer cabinet of a hotel room.

The Lighter, the Better

Along with the compactness, you will want the dual voltage hair dryer you are traveling with to be conveniently lightweight as well.

Especially when you’re traveling on a plane where there is a restriction for the weight of the luggage, you definitely wouldn’t want your valuable weight allocation to be wasted on a weighty hairdryer, no matter how compact it is.

Also, don’t be fooled, thinking that a compact dryer will also be lightweight every time. A lot of compact hairdryers may surprise you with their unimaginable heavyweight.

And undoubtedly, the comfortable weight of a hairdryer is essential for regular blow-drying sessions. No functionalities or unique accessories will come into your use if you keep struggling with your dryer while achy arms only lead to rushed sessions resulting in poor outcomes.

So, before making a purchase, pick up the dryer and check if its weight is okay for you. Make sure it doesn’t weigh more than 1.5 lbs for all-round convenience.

Hassle-free Voltage Adjustment

Since you are buying a dual voltage hair dryer, you can use it on both 110v-120 and 220-240 voltage receptacles. But still, you will need to adjust the voltage settings by yourself manually in most cases.

If it’s too much to go through that manual process, you will want to go for a dryer that automatically detects and adjusts with a foreign voltage outlet as soon as you plug it in. However, there are only a few hairdryer models provide such convenience.

And if you are bound to pick a model with manual voltage adjustment, which is likelier, you must choose the one with the most comfortable change-over settings.

Some models require you to bring out a screwdriver to turn and change the voltage level, while a few more will force you to spend a handful of bucks after an expensive voltage converter.

Well, you will hardly entertain the idea of carrying a screwdriver when flying abroad, while wasting your money for a converter is witless when you have already spent for a dual voltage dryer.

So make sure your dryer comes with a comfortable voltage change-over dial or switch that you can efficiently operate with your fingernail or a coin while the one with automatic adjustability cuts off the hassle entirely.

However, you may still require a plug adapter, whether the dryer is automatic or dial-operated, depending on the type of its plug output. We have discussed this in detail in the latter part of this article.

Pay Attention to Safety Features

Safety concerns should not be left aside by any means, particularly when using a dual voltage hair dryer abroad.

Apart from the typical safety features like auto-shutoff and overheat protection, you’ll want your dual voltage hair dryer to be equipped with an ALCI safety plug. ALCI stands for Appliance Leakage Current Interrupter. It’s a feature that interrupts the faulty electric current, mainly to secure you from unwanted shocks.

If you’re using your dual voltage hairdryer in a foreign outfit, oblivious of what voltage it’s running on, chances are it will encounter inappropriate current rates and improper heat conduction to cause short circuits. It may result in severe shocks and a wholly damaged dryer.

An ALCI plug starts monitoring the heat conduction rate and the running current as soon as you plug the dryer in. And whenever it senses any imbalance in between, it forces to cut the power off to the device before the lapse of a second. Hence, it eliminates any chances of potential hazards even when you forget to adjust the voltage.

More so, it will come to your rescue if your dryer accidentally comes in contact with water when it’s plugged-in. It will cease the operation immediately to fend off any possible damage.

So make sure your dryer has a plug with the two buttons “Test” and “Reset.” They indicate that the device boasts the ALCI feature.

A Few Other Factors to Consider

• Ionic technology is always a plus for hair-drying. The negative ions help break the water molecules, which expedites the drying procedure without requiring you to raise the temperature too high. It also eliminates frizzy kinks.
• The infrared heating system makes sure the applied heat acts gently on your hair. You’ll love your hairdryer to have this feature to eliminate the possibilities of hair-damage.
• Tourmaline gemstone infusion in hair tools is quite a trend nowadays. This mineral particle adds extra shine and smoothness to your hair.
• You’ll definitely love to have more options when styling your hair in multiple ways. So you can consider a dryer that comes with more heat and speed settings. Also, a cool shot button helps you lock-in your preferred style for a more lasting effect.
• Purchasing a travel hairdryer doesn’t mean you have to compromise the necessary attachments. Go for a hairdryer that provides the essential accessories required for convenient hairstyling.
• A removable filter comes real handy for cleaning the dryer comfortably.

The Must-Haves of an Ideal Dual Voltage Hair Dryer

Although you are purchasing a dual voltage dryer for traveling, you will want it not to fall far behind your regular full-size hairdryer. So, to avail the best possible service out of it, the dryer needs to include all the key attributes.

The following list will assist you in comparing the vital features of dual voltage hairdryers to make a decent selection.

• Make sure the power of the hairdryer is in between the range of 1200-1875 watts.
• The dryer must facilitate you with the convenience of a foldable handle.
• Your travel hair dryer should not weigh more than 1.5 pounds.
• It must provide you the utmost convenience when adjusting the voltage. It must at least have a quickly operable dial or switch where an automatic adjustment system is always the best choice.
• Your dual voltage dryer must include the ALCI safety plug

Top Dual Voltage Hair Dryers

Now that you know what to look for when purchasing a dual voltage dryer, it’s time to make a decent selection. But the fact that there are varieties of brands producing them in tens of dozens within different price ranges, the selection process can well add up to your headache.

Babyliss Pro, Andis, Parlux, Revlon, T3, GHD, Rusk, Vidal Sassoon, Harry Josh are among the mention-worthy names to have produced them in plenty over the years. While the production rate is more than ever these days, quality is something you won’t find in them equally.

That being said, we have done the hard work of sorting out the quality ones just for you. Here, we will introduce you to seven of the best rated dual voltage hair dryers that we handpicked after in-depth research and numerous tests.

Before diving into the detailed reviews, let’s compare how they fare in terms of the essential features.

A Comparative Chart for Clarification

T3 Featherweight Compact Hair Dryer

Ranking Position: 1

Our Opinion: Top Pick

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This premium edition of minimalistic hairdryer from T3 tops our list for a number of reasons. But the first one has to be its ultra-lightweight build that weighs only 13.7 ounces, making it the most compact and lightweight dual voltage hair dryer out there.

It’s indeed a great feature to have when traveling, for it cuts the weight of your travel bag by a substantial margin. Besides, the convenient folding handle provides excellent compactness allowing you to pack-in some extra stuff.

The mini-size dryer comes with its patented SoftAire technology that can deftly compete with any full-size hairdryer with the expansive air volume punch it delivers. Despite having a wattage of 1200 watts, the dryer generates an incredible velocity of airflow for drying the large sections of your hair rapidly.

It boasts an interior efficiently coated with a high-grade ceramic element that not only prevents overheating issues but also shields the dryer from getting seriously hot itself. This feature keeps you free of worries when using the tool for longer sessions while also ensuring protection from potential heat damages to your hair.

Tourmaline infusion adds up to the efficiency of the custom-blend ceramic heating element all the more. It helps create frizz-free, long-lasting results with perfect lusters. The trio of heat-shield technology, high-speed airflow, and a ceramic tourmaline combo makes it one of the best dual voltage hair dryers for fine hair.

The unit comes with an easily adjustable voltage change-over dial that you can turn with your fingernail. You will only have to turn the dial to 220-240 volt when using it in foreign countries. And if you forget to do so, hardly you’ll have to worry, as the dryer comes with an ALCI safety plug that eliminates any risks regarding wrong voltage utilization.

However, many of the potential suitors of this dryer may hesitate while purchasing it because of the not-so-wallet-friendly price tag. But because it ticks all the boxes to stand out as an ideal travel hairdryer, it’s worth it.

A Few Additional Features

• Gorgeous scratch-proof design.
• Two heat/speed settings.
• The cool shot feature helps lock-in your preferred style.
• It streams out millions of negative ions to break the water droplets, hurrying the drying process.
• It comes packed into a cute and convenient carry bag for secure, clutter-free storage.

Conair Worldwide Travel Hair Dryer

Ranking Position: 2

Our Opinion: Runner-up (Best for the Budget)

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This excellent dual voltage hair dryer from Conair sits second in our list, falling inches behind the T3 Featherweight, which is lighter (this one weighs 1.5 lbs) and more compact. But except for that, it’s such an adorable hair tool you’ll love to go hand in hand with when traveling abroad.

The most noticeable feature of this dryer is its smart voltage technology. It detects a foreign voltage whenever and wherever you plug it in and adjusts likewise automatically, which means no need to budge in a screwdriver or fingernail. That’s undoubtedly the convenience you are bound to marvel when going out on your exotic hang-outs.

And the inclusion of an efficient ALCI plug allows you to forget about any possible malfunction or safety issues completely.

It boasts a powerful 1875 watts AC motor that jets out an exceptional flow of air, filled with negative ions and ceramic tourmaline particles to turn your hair dry and shine comfortably within minutes. More so, with three heat settings and two-speed settings, it allows you to gear it up to your necessity accordingly.

The tool also comes with a comfortable folding handle, allowing you to huddle quite a few souvenirs in your luggage.

And to make sure you can spend more on those souvenirs, the unit comes at an incredibly low price. We bet you’ll hardly find a matching dryer at the same price, jampacked with so many essential features. It’s indeed the most cost-effective professional dual voltage hair dryer out there.

A Few Additional Features

• Infrared heating ensures gentle passage of heat and prevents damage.
• The LED display reads out the active voltage level.
• A quality concentrator attachment helps generate a focused airflow for smoother results.
• A removable filter helps clean up lint and dust easily.
• A cool shot button enables you to set in your preferred style.

Hot Tools Ionic Travel Dryer

Ranking Position: 3

Our Opinion: Second Runner-up

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The third in our list is this ionic travel dryer from Hot tools, another powerful model with 1875 watts that blows out your hair with a massive flow of voluminous air. The Conair worldwide dryer only edged it with the automatic voltage adjustment technology.

Weighing just 15 ounces, the dryer is among the most lightweight models out there to provide the convenience you’ll love to have for storage. The foldable handle makes it all the more compact for comfortable operation while using it in between your trips.

The diffuser attachment of this ceramic hair dryer has to be its most notable feature. Since not so many in the market these days provide a diffuser at such a low-price dual voltage dryer, it’s definitely a plus for those curly-haired beauties who are searching for a compact diffuser-attached dryer to fly with.

The voltage adjustability comes handy with the ease of a press-down switch. However, you’ll have to be careful enough while holding it tight, for it may result in an unintentional change in voltage by accidentally pressing the button down. Also, you must keep an eye on it since it does not indicate what voltage it’s running on.

But don’t sweat on it, as the unit boasts an ALCI safety plug that will cut off any hazards in something wrong happens.

This little drying tool delivers a significantly powerful air stream that contains millions of negative ions, maintaining an adequate heat level required for fast-drying your hair with a smooth and silky finish. Billed for travelers, it will hardly give in to your full-size blow dryer.

A Few Additional Features

• Direct-ion technology reduces frizzy kinks efficiently.
• Two heat/speed settings.
• A cool shot button enables you to set in your preferred style.
• The top-notch diffuser attachment makes it the best dual voltage travel hair dryer with a diffuser.
• A hinged cap smoothens the filter cleaning process for a prolonged motor life.
• A 6 feet cord enables easy maneuvering.

MHU Wazor Pro Professional Travel Blow Dryer

Ranking Position: 4

Our Opinion: An Alternate Preference

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This dainty hairdryer from MHU can be your hair-drying solution on the go for its uniqueness if not for the higher price tag, or heaviness, the reasons for its falling behind.

The dryer boasts a unique grilled air outlet to ventilate a concentrated flow of air. The irremovable filter’s grid design may not let you open it up to clean it out, but it prevents your hair strands from drawing into the dryer when using it in an airy environment, ensuring you do not lose a few in the process.

You may also like it for its ultra-quiet salon-grade DC motor, which doesn’t roar up with screaming sound to annoy you. But don’t be fooled by its quietness, as the powerful 1875-watt motor generates a sturdy flow of air to dry your hair rapidly.

The ceramic tourmaline heating elements doubled up with ionic technology for not only a quicker drying session but also for reducing flyaways and frizz.

However, the voltage adjustment dial might be pretty hassling because of its pressed down, wedged disposition, which may require some extra struggle when turning it with your fingernail. But the dryer seems to be not compromising a bit with the safety issues as it has been equipped with an ALCI plug that is ETL certified.

Despite weighing a bit more than its rivals, the dryer is reasonably compact, thanks to the foldable handle it comes with. The handle is also ergonomic and hold-friendly for smooth operations. Regardless of the price tag and slightly heavier weight, this precision hairdryer can competently accompany you through your breezy travels.

A Few Additional Features

• Two heat/speed settings.
• It comes with a nice hang ring for secure storage.
• The 1.8m power cord comes with a cord wrap.
• It offers an extra narrow concentrator attachment for precisely focused airflow.
• The cool shot feature releases a cold flow of air to set in your style.

Vivid & Vogue Compact Travel Hair Dryer

Ranking Position: 5

Our Opinion: An Alternate Budget Pick

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Despite not being as great as the above choices in our list, this VAV compact travel dryer definitely holds some oomph to be deservingly picked when traveling outside the country.

Weighing 1.65 pounds, it’s the heaviest product on our list. It’s a definite drawback considering the potential weight-related issues you might face with your luggage. But the dryer doesn’t lack compactness at all, for it has a beautiful and convenient folding handle that easily folds into your bag.

The 1875 watt DC motor is very powerful and dynamic yet relatively quiet. It speeds out a sturdy airflow, combined with tourmaline ceramic-ionic technology, to efficiently banish your frizzy kinks.

Apart from making your hair shiny and smooth, the negative ions specialize in keeping your hair thoroughly humidity-resistant. It results in perfect maintenance of the natural moisture of your hair in foreign weather conditions reserving a full-bodied silky-smooth texture.

Using its voltage adjustment dial is plain sailing indeed. Only the placement of the dial may lead to unintentional turns as the dial turns so quickly. But have no worries regarding any electrical malfunction. An ALCI safety plug will give you any protection necessary.

The astutely designed concentrator nozzle that comes with the dryer is bound to amaze you with its outstanding hair straightening capabilities. While the dryer is not the best in the market, it’s definitely a versatile choice when traveling abroad.

A Few Additional Features

• Three heat settings and two air-speed settings.
• A cool shot button enables you to set in your preferred style.
• Compatible with any full-size diffusers.

Jinri Mini Compact & Lightweight Hair Dryer

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This compact and lightweight dryer is a popular model from Jinri that weighs as less as 15 ounces. It’s indeed a useful feature that cuts off the weight issues.

But despite the dryer claims to be compact, it lacks an essential foldable handle making it not so compact a hairdryer at all. And even though the design seems user-friendly, it’s not at all travel bag-friendly.

The wattage of this dryer is only 1000 watts. It’s a poor power level to have when a quick and efficient hair-drying is what you want. Especially for a dryer with a ceramic heating element, the power is too low to raise the heat and the airspeed to the desired level.

But the most disappointing drawback of this unit lies in its nominal dual voltage feature. It doesn’t even let you adjust the voltage by yourself. It’s just a 240-volt dryer compatible to run within 120 volts that you have to pair with a voltage converter. So you can’t use it at home conveniently.

BaByliss Pro Nano Titanium Travel Dryer

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This mini travel dual voltage hair dryer from Babyliss Pro is the only model in our list to have titanium heating material.

The hairdryer is convenient to pack for its incredibly small size that even fits the palm of your hand when folded. But for this very same trait, users are more unlikely to get a firm hold on it and style. Besides, the buttons are poorly placed, which will lead to accidental changes in heat settings more often.

More so, the dryer boasts an ultra-flexible voltage adjustment dial that takes no effort at all to turn and change.  You would have liked this feature had it included the ALCI safety plug, which it doesn’t. So, if the voltage accidentally turns and changes with the movement of your palm, which is likelier, you may encounter electrical malfunctions and the hazardous aftermaths thereby.

The implementation titanium does add some zing to the 1000-watt hairdryer, but it certainly isn’t adequate for a high enough airflow rate. To achieve the desired result when you’re in a hurry, the best practice is to apply a stronger airflow than a higher heat, which you’ll hardly get with this dryer.

Things You Might Want to Know

Whenever you are flying out to a foreign country, a few things are bound to get more complicated. And by now,  you know that hair-drying is one of them. More so, the complication doesn’t end with the purchase of a dual voltage dryer.

Despite your dual voltage dryer being compatible to use in Europe, Asia, Australia, or elsewhere in the world, in most cases, it still requires a plug adapter to be plugged in because of its plug output mismatching the power outlet of those foreign outfits.

Don’t frown just yet; we have you covered. Here’s what you need to know.

Using Travel Adapters for Dual Voltage Hair Dryers

The travel plug adapters are simplistic devices that enable you to connect electronic appliances to a wall socket designed for a differently-shaped plug output. Since not all countries use similarly designed outlets, purchasing a travel adapter is rather a necessity than a choice.

If you want the most simplified, cost-effective, universal solution, we’d recommend the Conair Travel Smart All-in-One Adapter with USB. The small plug adapter can be a great option to fly with. It has a total of three outlets that cover just about every region of the world. You can also use it to charge your phone, coffee maker, and whatnot.

Using Your Regular Dryer While Traveling

If you think you can keep up with all the troubles and inconveniences using a regular hairdryer outside the country, or it just seems too much for you to spend money on a new blow dryer, there’s a way for you as well.

All you need is an additional voltage converter along with the travel adapter. A voltage converter can switch the voltage level from the USA standard to the standard level of the outside world, allowing you to use your homely appliances outside the country.

For instance, if you’re using your regular dryer, which employs 110 volts, in a foreign outlet of 220v, the converter will make it step down to 110v.

Yes, the whole thing indeed is some heck. But the good news is, we have found an excellent product for you that does the job of both a converter and an adapter. The DOACE Upgraded 2000w Travel Voltage Converter is such a precise 2-in-1 product that will save you from all those hassles. However, it’s a bit pricier, but considering its job and your preference, you can’t really help it.

Final Word

No matter whether your hair is short or long, fine or coarse, getting access to a hairdryer is always beneficial and time-saving. And these days, we can hardly think of any hair-care measure without it. That also applies when you are on the road, getting outside the country to explore an exotic destination.

In such cases, relying on a dual voltage travel hair dryer is always the best practice rather than carrying the one you use at home, or using the one provided by your hotel suit.

Hopefully, through this article, you have got a comprehensive idea about the best dual voltage hair dryers and how to avail the most suitable one possible. So go ahead, pick your preferred one from our list and make your hair look beautiful throughout your trips.

Sources

• MSN, 10 Best Dual Voltage Hair Dryers – January 2020