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When jetting off on holiday, many of us will know the eternal debate - do we cross our fingers and hope that our hotel will have a decent hair dryer, or do we give up precious luggage space and bring our trusty hair dryer along with us?
As a travel writer, I'm constantly travelling the globe and know the struggle all too well. It's particularly tricky trying to fit a dryer in with your other travel essentials, especially if you're opting to fly with only a cabin bag, rather than hold luggage.
Dyson's Supersonic Travel hair dryer promises to be a great compromise - more compact than your standard model - 32% smaller and 25% lighter than the original Supersonic, in fact, but just as effective.
It's also great news if you already own a Dyson Supersonic, as you can use all the standard attachments
However, with all Dyson products, it's a hefty investment, which is why I decided to put it to the test. Would it live up to expectations or is it a beauty flop? Read my verdict below.
Dyson Supersonic Travel hair dryer review
★★★★★
- Dimensions 68mm x 222mm x 71mm
- Number of speeds 2
- Weight 0.331 kg
What we love
What could be better
Our verdict
I'll admit, I had high hopes for this compact travel dryer - and I was pleasantly impressed. I took it in my handbag to see if it would fit, and it did - I tried again with my gym bag, and found it took up even less space than my trainers.
As someone with curly hair who's also often on the go, picking the best hair tools always seems difficult. I found this one luggage-friendly - and pretty effective. The settings and speed were strong points, as was the tool's ability to control frizz.
The only downside? The price tag - and shortage of attachments (unless you already own a full sized Dyson Supersonic, then you can use them interchangeably).
I think if you've got the money to spend on a premium compact hair dryer like the Dyson Supersonic Travel, then it's worth the investment, it is, after all, a very good product.
I'd also argue that for those of us with more unruly hair, it's better to spend a little more for that peace of mind while jet setting. However for the average person, this might just be a bit too much.
The new Dyson Supersonic Travel promised to be the ultimate travel-friendly hair tool - how would it fare?
How we test
When testing beauty products like hair dryers, we try them out thoroughly and use them exactly how we would when styling our hair on a typical day. We give them the sort of challenges they are likely to face in a typical household.
In the case of the Dyson Supersonic Travel hair dryer, I washed my hair like I usually would, brushed it out and began to dry my hair.
While I was using the hair dryer, I made sure to look out for a variety of different factors.
- these include the drying speed
- power
- frizz
- how the dryer felt in my hand
- the ease of use
I also researched similar products on the market, either by Shark or other companies like Dyson, to see how it would compare.
Plus, I tried it out in my backpacks and suitcases to check it would fit.
First impressions
It's immediately clear from the get-go this is a suitcase-friendly tool. It's both light and compact; my wrist didn't get tired holding it and it fit in my bags perfectly.
The packaging, as always with Dyson products, is gorgeous too - the rose gold colour is a winning feature.
Attachments and settings
The Dyson is the only travel dryer to enable attachment sharing with your existing Dyson Supersonic or Dyson Supersonic Nural -great if you already have these; not so great if you don't.
It worked great for a straight-haired friend of mine, but for me I'd need a diffuser to really get the most out of the product and while this can be bought seperately, it obviously adds to the cost.
Hair drying speed and power
No complaints here - I was done in 10 minutes - super impressive in my book!
Smoothness and damage
For me, this did a decent job - possibly not quite worth its price tag, though. My curly hair dried in nice waves.
I asked my straight-haired colleague to give it a whirl too. Her verdict:
'I've got long, very straight, highlighted hair that's prone to frizz and flyaways. They only way I can usually get a polished look is with straighteners.
'I appreciated the quality of the Dyson but the weight and speed of drying were about the same as my 10-year-old Babyliss. My hair, though, looked less frazzled and I'm sold on that alone.'
Like its siblings, the Dyson Supersonic Travel hair dryer also has intelligent heat control technology, which measures airflow temperature 100 times per second. This helps to prevent extreme heat damage while its airflow is precisely managed to dry hair quickly and evenly, so hair stays healthy and glossy.
This gave me faith that the prolonged use of heat on my hair with this hair dryer wouldn't be an issue.
Size
The size of this product is its biggest selling point - at 32 per cent smaller and 25 per cent lighter than before.
James Dyson, founder and chief engineer at Dyson, said: 'We didn't just shrink a dryer; we re-engineered it for travel. The Supersonic Travel delivers high-performance styling while protecting hair from extreme heat. It is built for performance, portability, and hair health.'
Complete with global voltage compatibility, the Dyson Supersonic Travel weighs less than a can of fizzy drink, fitting easily into handbags, carry-ons and cabin luggage.
Value for money
At £249.99, this is by no means a budget product. There is plenty on the market for much less - although, as with most Dyson products, the quality is top tier.
If you're looking for a travel companion, though, this is a great choice - but perhaps not my biggest recommendation for fellow curly-haired users due to the absence of a diffuser.
How does it compare to similar products?
Other popular premium travel hair dryers include the Drybar Baby Buttercup travel blow dryer (£125) and the ghd Flight+ travel hair dryer (£79).
While I haven't had the opportunity to test these, I will admit that the friendly price tags do appeal to me.
How does it rate online?
On the Dyson website, it has a 4.9/5 rating - impressively high.
One review said: 'When I used this supersonic travel for the first time, I was very impressed by how powerful the airflow was, despite it being a mini version. The time it took to dry my hair was still quicker than most traditional dryers and the size is so travel friendly. Overall, love the product and will definitely be in my travel bag.'
Another added: 'I love this product! So easy to use, feels good to hold, plus its so cute!'
A third said: 'This is an incredibly versatile hair dryer. It is very lightweight and portable, and still just as powerful as you would expect from a Dyson hair dryer. The universal plug is a game changer too, so it can be taken anywhere in world without having to worry about running into issues. Easy to fit in a bag and ensure that wherever I go, I don't have to deal with substandard hair dryers!'
Why trust us
At the Daily Mail, our team of expert testers have been researching, reviewing and writing about their respective specialisms for years.
Erin has plenty of experience reviewing and writing about a range of products from travel to beauty. All of her reviews are honest, impartial and give a full-rounded opinion of the products she tests.
FAQs
- Is the Dyson Supersonic Travel worth it?
- Most users say this product is worth the investment for its results. I'd say it's a great choice for those with straight or wavy hair.
- Can the Dyson Supersonic Travel be used anywhere?
- The Dyson Supersonic travel has a universal plug that can be used with any adaptor, so whether you're travelling in Europe or halfway across the world it can safely travel with you.