Conair Hair Dryer, Compact, Folding, Dual Voltage, Travel, 1875W

Why it's worth it

It folds to roughly the size of a coffee mug, switches between 120 and 240 volts on its own, and puts 1875 watts behind a ceramic grille. You give up a diffuser and any hope of quiet, but you get a dryer you'll keep in the suitcase.

The dual voltage here is automatic, which is exactly what you want. There's no switch to forget. Real Simple warns that plenty of dryers sold as dual voltage actually require you to flip a physical switch before plugging in abroad, and getting that wrong can permanently kill the motor. Conair says the changeover happens on its own. That's one less thing to think about at midnight in an unfamiliar rental.

1875 watts is about the ceiling for a US household outlet, and it shows. Wirecutter's testing found that dryers below 1800 watts take noticeably longer on thick or long hair, which is the whole argument against tiny 1400-watt travel models. This one doesn't ask you to choose. It packs like a travel dryer and dries like a normal one, and that combination is rarer than it should be.

From our review of 8 travel hair dryers

What we like

• +The dual voltage here is automatic, which is exactly what you want
• +1875 watts is about the ceiling for a US household outlet, and it shows
• +The folded footprint is the real reason it wins
• +It's boring, and that's the point

What to know

• –It's loud. A small motor spinning fast right next to your hand produces a whine that carries through a hotel wall, and you'll…
• –Conair doesn't list a diffuser or any attachments with it, so curly-hair travelers should plan to bring their own or skip…