Life

The 4 Best Lightweight Hair Dryers
by Tiana Crump
Yakobchuk Olena / Fotolia

Heavy and hard-to-hold hair dryers can seriously slow down your morning routine and are inconvenient to travel with. So, to quickly get yourself ready in the mornings, you might want to ditch that old awkward dryer and start using one of the best lightweight hair dryers, many of which are just as powerful as models twice their size. These slim, compact dryers are easy to wield no matter what hairstyle you’re going for. Plus, with lightweight dryers, it’s super easy to pack them in your gym bag or carry-on luggage.

These versatile, must-have tools come in a variety of options. So, when you’re on the hunt for the best lightweight hair dryer, you should consider things like the weight, handle design, material, and heat. For maximum maneuverability, avoid hair dryers with wide handles or handles that don’t offer grip support. And for convenience and adaptability, consider one with multiple speed and heating settings; they make the process faster and easier to avoid using the highest setting, which can cause heat damage over time. Ample cord length and additional attachments are also nice options to have in a hair dryer. Finally, hair dryers with ionic technology and tourmaline can also help cut down on frizz.

For some great suggestions, check out my roundup of the best lightweight hair dryers to use. All of these dryers are top-rated, portable, and weigh about a pound or less to help you blow-dry your hair quickly and get on with your day.

1

The Overall Best Lightweight Hair Dryer

The Rusk W8less 2000 watt dryer is a powerful, lightweight choice made with tourmaline and with an ionic generator to help protect hair. Weighing less than a pound, it’s capable of delivering fast styling. This hair dryer features seven different heat and speed settings (including a cool shot to help set your hair) so you can find the perfect temperature, plus it uses far-infrared rays to help dry hair thoroughly. It even includes a concentrator attachment that's designed for straightening. With more than 1,500 five-star reviews, it's a customer favorite.

What fans say: “Best hairdryer I've ever used. I have naturally curly hair that frizzes instead of attractive curls. Most dryers won't take the frizz out and I have to flat iron it after drying. This 2000 watt dryer and a big round brush will get it straight with a slight curve, with no frizz, so that I don't have to flat iron it and I can tell my hair is healthier as a result.”

2

The Best Lightweight Hair Dryer With A Diffuser Attachment

The Nition ionic ceramic hair dryer is a great option that comes with three removable attachments — including a diffuser attachment, which is ideal for curly or frizzy hair. You also get a comb attachment for detangling and a concentrator for straightening. Best of all, this lightweight hair dryer features ionic technology and tourmaline materials to help protect hair, but it only weighs a pound.

Additional bonuses include three heat settings and two speed settings plus a cool-shot button. With 1875 watts of power, it's not as strong as our top pick, but the 4.3 rating suggests that it works just fine in most situations.

What fans say: “I love this thing and the diffuser attachment thing is freaking awesome, it dried my hair way quicker than my other blow dryer and I didn't feel like I was damaging my hair at all.”

3

The Best Ultra-Compact Hair Dryer

If you want a dryer that you can take with you virtually anywhere, the Conair 1600 watt folding handle hair dryer is it. The foldable handle makes this easy to store in your purse, bag, or carry-on luggage, and the dual voltage for worldwide use makes it perfect for traveling. Plus, this only weighs about a pound.

While it doesn't feature ionic technology or tourmaline for hair health and is less powerful than the first two picks, it's a great deal for the price and extra portability. It also still features two heat and two speed settings to suit most hair types.

What fans say: “Really like this travel dryer. It’s lightweight and the handle folds up saving on space. Plenty of power to quickly dry my short hair.”

4

The Best Budget-Friendly Lightweight Dryer

For the most bang for your buck, this Revlon 1875-watt hair dryer (with more than 1,900 reviews and a 4.3-star overall rating) does the job and costs less than $10. While you don't get added perks like the ionic or tourmaline, it still features two heat and two speed settings along with a cool shot button. Plus, it weighs just over a pound.

What fans say: “This is a great hairdryer. Despite its small size, it works well to quickly dry my hair. It is also easier to handle than the larger and heavier hairdryer I use to have! The price was better than both Target & Walmart. I definitely recommend this product if you are looking for a lighter, more compact dryer that is still powerful enough to get the job done!”

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