10 of the very best travel hair dryers (because the hotel one won't cut it)

Measuring just 17cm and weighing 490g, this incredible feat of engineering is one of the lightest hair dryers around, while packing a powerful punch. Parlux’s travel hair dryer is not only the professional brand's lightest available, but gives you four temperature controls. 

This teeny tiny travel hair dryer is around the size of a mobile phone and is perfect if you're backpacking or going away for the weekend and don't want your dyer to take up too much space. It's weaker than the other models with its 900-watt motor but fans rave about it being "powerful" and "quiet," while giving their hair "good shine". 

You'll love the black and gold design of this hair dryer that comes in a protective case. It's super-light and features a powerful airflow temperature of 65 degrees. ghd's dryer folds up, is easy to grip and comes with a detachable nozzle for precision drying. It also makes a fab gift for a fellow traveller in your life.

If you’re after a travel hair dryer with a diffuser, Wahl’s foldable dryer is a nice option and affordable at that. Its 1000-watt motor makes it ideal for creating gorgeous curls and waves with the diffuser and fans love its compact design - it’s smaller than it looks. Plus, it’s light as a feather at 366g!

Another travel hair dryer with a diffuser, this one is a dream for hassle-free packing. The hair dryer folds up and you can remove the concentrator nozzle if you're not looking to create a smoother, straight style. It's fast drying and reasonably light, too.

It's not just the pretty pastel hue you'll love about this lightweight dryer. It offers all the features you need for a great blow dry on the go - various heat and speed settings, negative ions to prevent static and frizz, plus shine-enhancing airflow technology and a slim nozzle in a wide cone shape to quickly dry larger sections of hair. It’s also quiet and compact with its foldable design.

Lighter than the Babyliss Travel Pro at 427g, this is one of the lightest travel hair dryers we've come across and, unlike the Pro, it has a folding handle making it small enough to carry even in your handbag. It offers the drying power as regular dryers too thanks to its 2000-watt motor.

Giving you quick-drying locks so you’re spending less time blow drying and more time enjoying your holiday, this travel dryer uses tourmaline ceramic technology to ensure even heat distribution and a 2000-watt motor. It even comes with a cute paddle brush to detangle your tresses.

As most UK-bought travel hair dryers come with three pin plugs, you'll want to pack a travel adaptor if you're heading to Europe, the States or elsewhere. We like this worldwide adaptor that comes with USB charging ports and a neat little pouch.