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Want the dual voltage hair straightener that I’ve used in over 10+ countries? Read on.
Since 2014, I’ve traveled to 10+ countries and lived in Europe part-time with various dual voltage travel hair straighteners and curling irons.
I’m a bit obsessed with hair tools and have tried a bunch that work worldwide. The ones I recommend are still going strong even though sometimes I use them a few times a week in Europe with an adapter.
Don’t remind me of the time I fried my non-dual voltage hair straightener in New Zealand because I didn’t know about voltage, adapters, etc...
In this post, you will:
- get tried and true recommendations for dual voltage hair tools,
- learn how voltage and plugs around the world works to help out with other tools/electronics you’ll be bringing abroad (knowledge is power and kinda fun),
- and decide if you can use your existing hair tool or if you should get a new one.
PS: So glad you’re here so I can help you out with this part of your trip!
TL;DR- Dual Voltage Hair Straighteners I Recommend
Want to skip the reading and just get the dual-voltage hair straighteners I’ve been using in both Europe and Asia since 2015? Here are the ones I have personally used.
- [Mid Range] From 2015 to 2021, I used the HSI Glider Ceramic Flat Iron.
- [Budget] For awhile I was using a $20 Remington abroad but I guess it’s not technically dual voltage… yet it still worked abroad. Anyways, after reading multiple reviews, I found:
- this mini one for under $20 (bonus it comes in pink and purple!!)
- this full sized for under $30 (let me know which one you go with!)
- [Premium] In 2023, I got this BaBylissPRO hair straightener that I LOVE! It also curls hair very well and has a nice 9 foot cloth cord for no tangles. Perfect for traveling when there’s oddly no outlet in the bathroom or near a mirror. You can get it at Amazon but you can get it for $70 less at Walmart.
- This is my faveeee!! So worth every penny.
Important Note: With any of these, you may need an adapter (but not a converter). An adapter makes it so that your hair straightener’s plug fits into another country’s plug outlet. Here’s one I recommend with USB A and C ports!
If you want to learn more about how a dual voltage hair straightener technically works abroad though, keep reading!
Will the curling iron, hair straightener, or blowdryer I have now work when traveling internationally?
Different countries run on different electrical systems (awesome…) meaning a US appliance such as a hair straightener could possibly not run in another country.
Your current hair tool could work abroad but it depends on:
- your home country,
- what country you’re going to and
- if you have a dual voltage hair tool or not.
Here are three scenarios to decide if your hair appliance will work abroad.
- If your home country and country you are traveling have the same electrical system, then your hair appliances will work whether or not it’s dual voltage. You may need an adapter still.
- If your home country and country you are traveling have a different electrical system AND your hair appliance is dual voltage, then your hair appliances will work abroad if you have an adapter.
- If your home country and country you are traveling have a different electrical system AND your hair appliance is not dual voltage, then your hair appliances will work abroad if you have a converter and an adapter.
For example, I was going from the United States, which runs on a 110 volt system, to Europe, which runs on a 220 volt system. I did not have a dual voltage curling iron or hair straightener so I had the choice of:
- buying a converter and an adapter to use with my existing hair appliance
- buying a new dual voltage appliance and an adapter
This is because the electrical system in countries vary and run on a different number of volts like the US and Europe.
Thus, you need to convert how much electricity flows (or doesn’t flow) into your appliance to work properly or else, KABOOM, it could get fried.
Happened to me in New Zealand…
We wouldn’t want that to happen to your hair straightener or curling wand while traveling internationally so check the voltage of your home country and where you’re traveling to on this page.
This is good to know for other appliances/electronics you may be traveling with!
Do I need an adapter, converter or both?
If you want to use your existing hair appliance, which is not dual voltage, then you’ll need:
- this converter— to convert the voltage from 110 to 220 or vice versa, and
- an adapter— to adapt your home country’s plug into the visiting country’s socket.
Warning: Based on what I’ve read about and personally experienced using converters with appliances that heat up like curling irons, straighteners, clothing steamers, and even humidifiers is that converters don’t do a good job at making these run smoothly. They can still possibly ruin your appliance so I would play it safe and buy a dual voltage hair straightener or curling iron, which is what I did.
I didn’t want to run the risk of ruining my hair straightener, which would not work abroad without a converter AND adapter, so I opted for a new curling iron and hair straightener, which I knew would 100% work with just an adapter.
If you already have a dual voltage appliance or need to buy one like I did, then you’ll need either a dual voltage hair straightener, curling iron, or hair dryer I list below and an adapter.
What’s the best dual voltage travel hair straightener?
Here are three dual voltage travel hair straighteners I have personally used and love for every budget!
In this section:
- Budget ~ $20-30
- Mid Range ~ $50
- Premium ~ $120-190 depending on the site
Budget Dual Voltage Hair Straightener
Here are two options for budget dual voltage hair straighteners:
- this mini one for under $20
- this full sized for under $30 (let me know which one you go with!)
Mid Range Hair Straightener
From 2015 to 2021, I used this HSI glider ceramic hair straightener in the US as my main straightener, South Korea and several countries in Europe.
See what over 87,700+ reviews say about it!
Premium Travel Hair Straightener
In 2023, I got this BaBylissPRO hair straightener ($70 off at Walmart) and I love it! This has become my main hair straightener because of how nice it makes my hair and how easy it is to curl with.
Usually, I am terrible with curling but this hair straighteners moves so smoothly on my hair with no snagging that I actually can curl my hair with a straightener! I guess if you don’t have the skill, then the product you have really helps.
I also love the 9 foot cloth cord it has, which means it doesn’t get tangled easily, but more importantly, because it’s so long, it’s great for hotels and Airbnbs that oddly no outlet in the bathroom or near a mirror. This was common in European hotels I stayed in.
You can get it at Amazon or for $70 less at Walmart.
What’s the best dual voltage travel curling iron?
Here are recommendations for dual voltage travel curling irons I have.
The Bed Head one is a great value and I love how the Chi curler is automatic!
However, as of 2023, since getting the BaBylissPRO hair straightener, which is easy to curl with, I’ll probably be traveling with that alone to cut down on bulk!
Check out the BaBylissPRO hair straightener on Amazon or for $70 less at Walmart.
What’s the best dual voltage travel hair dryer?
I bought this dual voltage hair dryer in Feb. 2020 after using it at an Airbnb. I was surprised with how much power it has considering how small it is!
I love the size of it considering it’s so small that it doesn’t take up much space in the suitcase or even a weekend bag, and of course, it dries my thick, long hair quite well!
The handle folds in, which makes it easy to pack, and of course, it works great abroad. I’ve used it now in the US and in Europe.
The price is awesome too for a hair dryer you’ll only use for travel.
Get the dual voltage hair dryer on Amazon.
Read more about a dual voltage travel hair dryer here.
What adapter should I get for my dual voltage hair appliance?
To use any of the dual-voltage appliances I listed above, you’ll need an adapter. This travel adapter is also a surge protector that’ll work anywhere in the world! You can use it for everything, not just your hair appliances.
Bonus: It also has USB port slots so you can plug your phones in it too and not carry extra adapters for it.
Tip: If you want to double check, you can find out the voltage/plug of your own country vs. the one you’re going to on this post.
Frequently Asked Questions About Using Hair Straighteners Abroad
Are Chi straighteners dual voltage?
Older models of Chi straighteners are not dual-voltage, but newer ones like this one are!
For older models, you will need an adapter and a converter but will still run the risk of ruining your hair straightener. I have an older Chi hair straightener, and based off my experience with converters, I can tell it would get ruined in a second.
Get a hair straightener that is dual voltage, which means you’ll only need this and an adapter. Chances are you’ll need an adapter for your other electronics anyways so you can use an adapter for both your hair straightener and everything else.
Here are dual voltage hair straighteners I’ve personally used.
How do I know if my curling iron is dual voltage?
Google your curling iron brand, or look at the curling iron itself. In small letters, there is usually the voltage engraved onto the appliance.
If it says it’s 110-220 volts, then it is dual voltage. If it only says 110 volts or 220 volts (depending on the country you’re in), then it’s not dual voltage.
I love the Remington dual voltage curling iron for international travel because it grips your hair nicely and is inexpensive. I also love the Chi since it curls automatically but recently, I’ve been traveling with my BaBylissPRO hair straightener only since it both straightens and curls. You can get it at Amazon or for $70 less at Walmart.
How do I know if my hair straightener is dual voltage?
If it says it’s 110-220 volts, then it is dual voltage. If it only says 110 volts or 220 volts (depending on the country you’re in), then it’s not dual voltage.
For a dual voltage one, I recommend these.
You Might Like: How to Use Olaplex at Home
Photos of My Hair After Using These Dual-Voltage Hair Appliances
I hope my experience helps you get appliances you need for great hair abroad For more international travep tips, check out this post.
Have anymore questions on using dual voltage hair appliances abroad? Ask me by commenting below!
Thanks for stopping by! xo.
Come say hi to me on Instagram!
I’d love to know if you made it this far down into the post. It’d actually make me quite happy if you reached out on Instagram and said hello!
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Cynthia C.
Thursday 24th of August 2023
I guess this is an ancient post that I mistakenly followed over the weekend in August, 2023 and the clickable link brought me to the (budget choice) Remington 1 inch flat iron on Walmart’s site. I just got it delivered, opened the box, and NOPE! It is clearly a 110 volt ONLY, so that’s a quick return. I am very glad that I opened it before tossing it in my suitcase. Am I missing something here?
Sarah Chetrit
Thursday 24th of August 2023
Hey Cynthia! I emailed you but following up here as well. Thank you for bringing this to my attention. I bought the Remington in March/April. I had another model I used for years (I'm a bit of a hair tool addict) and I tested it out in the Netherlands. It works. But after your comment, I read reviews on Amazon and Walmart and some say it's dual voltage and some say it's not. It worked for me as you can see in my post https://www.instagram.com/p/Css3z-CMCnW/?img_index=5 but since it's not a universal product, I'll take it off my blog post. Thank you for letting me know about this oversight and that it doesn't work for everyone abroad. I'll find another alternative for everyone.
Katherine C.
Thursday 27th of July 2023
This is an awesome article. Thank you so much! Was wondering why 2 diff adapter links for 2 diff products. If you rec one over another. Thank you!!
Anna Marie
Sunday 20th of March 2022
How can you recommend this hair straightener when it clearly says 110 V – 250 V which means it’s surpasses it’s 230 V outlet! It will burn out or start a fire! Hope this will help explain things:
Anytime you see a slash between the numbers like 120/240 V that means it is a dual voltage as opposed to 120–240 V 1) A specific number such as 110V indicates a single voltage curling iron. (The common residential voltage in America is 120 volts.) 2) A small voltage range with a dash such as 100-120V also indicates a single voltage curling iron which can accomodate small voltage fluctuations. 3) A large range separated with a slash such as 100/240V indicates a dual voltage curling iron capable of being used in America or any other country. 4) Each country has their own type of power outlets, plugs, and adapters and that is when Dual voltage appliances come in handy. AWESOME SIGHT: https://en-us.wikiconnections.org/power-supplies/continents/
Sarah Chetrit
Tuesday 29th of March 2022
I appreciate your concern. According to their Amazon page, "The Glider's worldwide dual voltage compatible 110v-220v". As a result, if a country's voltage is 110v, even though it goes to 220v, it won't be damaging because the straightener automatically detects and switches to the country's voltage. I hope this helps!
Monica
Monday 18th of October 2021
The adapter says not to use with a blow dryer? Will this still work?
Luciano
Monday 1st of February 2021
Thank you for sharing wonder full information about the Hair Straightener Brush Tips