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- Compact and foldable
- Neat carrying case
- Good performance
- No cold shot
- Some hotel hair dryers may be more efficient
If you have invested in an expensive full size hair dryer, like one of Dyson’s Supersonic options or Shark’s SpeedStyle, you may be disappointed to learn that they will only work in the country they were bought in. Unlike travel hair dryers, many at-home hair dryers don’t offer dual voltage so if you wanted to take your Dyson Supersonic Nural on a jaunt to the US from the UK for example, you’d have used up precious space in your suitcase for no good reason.
Travel hair dryers, meanwhile, are designed to be compact and lightweight, often offering features like folding handles and dual voltage switches to allow them to work all over the world and squeeze into the last corner of spare space in your luggage. I have tested the Bellissima Italia B-Travel hair dryer for several weeks and in numerous countries to see if it’s worthy of a place in your carry on.
What do you get for the money?
The Bellissima Italia B-Travel costs £50. For that price, you get the hair dryer itself with its fancy black and gold design, one attachment and a soft, metallic gold storage case that has enough space that you can squeeze a couple of hair products in alongside the hair dryer. The hair dryer itself has a reasonably large main head, with a high precision nozzle that attaches to the end, but the folding handle means it turns into a very compact offering for carting around, whether that’s on a lovely holiday or to the gym.
It’s significantly smaller and lighter than the likes of the full size Dyson Supersonic Nural or Shark SpeedStyle you might have as your main hair dryer at home, though the Shark does have a slimmer head. Within the B-Travel’s compact size however, it offers 1,400W of power and it weighs just 370g so it’s light enough that it shouldn’t eat into your luggage allowance too much, whilst offering enough power to dry your hair faster than a built-in gym or swimming pool hair dryer.
Some hotels will have more powerful hair dryers available, but as that’s not a guarantee when you travel, the B-Travel’s compactness means there’s no harm in popping it in your luggage just in case the hair dryer available in your hotel room isn’t up to the task.
There’s dual voltage of 110-120V and 220-240V too, meaning the B-Travel hair dryer should be safe to use anywhere in the world, including the US. The dual voltage switch is on the back of the handle – you should switch this before you go as you’ll need a flat head screwdriver, while controls for heat and speed are on the front of the folding handle. There is only one control for speed and heat, with two settings available, but no cold shot.
In my tests, the maximum wind speed I got was 10.2m/sec, which is less than half what the Shark SpeedStyle offers. Noise levels meanwhile, hit 73dB, which is considerably quieter than at home hair dryers. As a comparison, the Boots 1500W Travel Dryer, which costs around a third of the price of the Bellissima Italia B-Travel, hit a maximum wind speed of 13.2m/sec, but was slightly louder at 78dB.
What’s it like to use?
I tested the Bellissima Italia B-Travel hair dryer on multiple occasions, both at home, at the gym and on trips to New York and Paris so it’s been tested in the UK, in the US and in Europe. Every time I used this hair dryer, I used some heat protection spray but otherwise, it was being used on clean, wet hair.
I have waist length hair that’s very thick – if I am straightening it or using a device like Dyson’s Airstrait, I have to section it between four and five times to give you some idea of how much hair I have. The Bellissima Italia B-Travel rough-dried my hair in around 15 minutes, which for its size and power, I was happy with. It’s not as fast as the likes of the Dyson Supersonic r or the Shark SpeedStyle that I use at home, but it was significantly better than the hairdryer at my gym and local pool – and more comfortable to use, too.
The precision nozzle was useful for blow drying, directing the airflow where I needed to help me achieve a reasonably shiny result with a round brush. It didn’t smooth my flyaways as much as I would have liked, requiring a run over with my GHD straighteners afterwards to achieve the sleek and uniform look I prefer, but the B-Travel hair dryer offers a great starting point for styling and I’d say it got me to around 85% of the end look I like.
I mentioned there is only one control for heat and speed with two settings and I didn’t find the fastest and hottest too hot for my scalp, while I thought it offered good enough wind speeds – especially in the case of the more powerful option – to deliver what I needed.
The beauty of the B-Travel is its dual voltage and lightweight build. I love my Dyson Supersonic Nural but I have the UK model and that doesn’t work in the US so even if I found room for it in my suitcase, it would be pointless to bring on a trip across the Atlantic. A travel hair dryer is therefore necessary when I go to the US and the B-Travel is a great companion that looks more premium than other options on the market.
With as much hair as I have, drying and styling it can be a very tedious task but the B-Travel’s lightweight build meant I didn’t feel any wrist strain whilst drying my hair and while I think the cord could be a little longer and a cold shot would be welcomed, it’s a great travel hair dryer and a good alternative to some of the ones you can get in hotels or public facilities.
Should you buy the Bellissima Italia B-Travel?
The Bellissima Italia B-Travel Hair Dryer sits at the more expensive end of some of the best travel hair dryers in the market and while there are some that cost more, like the GHD Flight+ Travel, there are a number that are considerably cheaper too.
The B-Travel looks more premium than many others, its compact and lightweight build make it easy to pack in a suitcase or gym bag and the carry case is a handy addition. It’s not as powerful as other travel hair dryers and there is no cold shot, but it is reasonably quiet in its operation and it delivers decent results from its precision nozzle.
There are cheaper options available as I said, but the Bellissima Italia B-Travel hair dryer is a good travel companion if you’re happy with the price.
