Dyson's new travel dryer looks awesome — but these 5 alternative mini dryers are also fab, and cost less than half the price

This week, Dyson unveiled a new addition to its impressive haircare gadget lineup. The new Dyson Supersonic Travel is a shrunk-down version of the now-iconic Dyson Supersonic hairdryer, designed for slinging in your suitcase so you'll never have to deal with wheezy hotel dryers, or bad holiday hair, ever again.

It's designed to adapt to the voltage of whatever country you're visiting, and boasts the same hair-protecting automatic temperature adjustment I was so impressed with on the Supersonic Nural. A particularly nice touch is that it's also compatible with the full gamut of magnetic accessories that work with the bigger dryers — so you're not limited to, say, just a diffuser or concentrator, but could also pick up a flyaway smoother, or a wide-tooth comb, if those are your styling tools of choice.

The Dyson Supersonic Travel looks great, but it also comes at quite a hefty price: £249.99. As the original author of TechRadar's best hair dryer guide, I've tried out dryers from a number of brands and at a range of price points, and while I've yet to be disappointed by a Dyson haircare tool, it's far from the only brand worth your attention. That's particularly true if you're looking to maximize your value for money.

Below, I've rounded up five alternatives to the Supersonic Travel. These dryers are all well-suited to taking on your summer holidays, whether because they're super-compact, foldable, offer dual voltages, or all of the above. I'm especially fond of the Laifen Mini, which I praised for its "powerful airflow, scalp-friendly modes, and a dinky design" in my review. Oh, and the most expensive of these options is still around half the price of a Supersonic Travel, so you can put the extra into your ice-cream fund.

Fantastic travel dryers

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