If you like to wear your hair straight but you also travel often, you’ve probably faced this dilemma: pack a bulky flat iron, or leave it and deal with frizz. A quality mini hair straightener for travel makes it so you don’t have to choose between looking your best while away from home or saving space in your suitcase. While full-size flat irons typically have plates that are at least 1 inch thick, mini hair straighteners have irons that are less than an inch thick and have much shorter handles, saving precious space in your suitcase.
Many, like the BaBylissPRO Nano Titanium Mini Straightening Iron, still have all the features of a professional hair straightener.
What to know before you buy a mini hair straightener for travel
Your hair length and thickness
Mini hair straighteners for travel aren’t appropriate for everyone. Those with particularly thick or long hair will find that using a mini flat iron makes the task of straightening their hair take twice as long. The wider the plates, the quicker they get through long, coarse hair. If you have medium-length hair or somewhat thick hair, go for one of the larger mini irons, such as a 1-inch variety as opposed to a half-inch plated iron. If you have very long or thick hair, prepare for the task of straightening your hair with a mini iron to take a long time.
Other styles
While their name would suggest that mini hair straighteners are only good for removing curls from kinky tresses, the truth is that they can be used to create all sorts of styles. You can use your flat iron to create crimped waves, grungy bends, soft waves and even curls. A good travel flat iron can be a versatile tool that lets you create all kinds of looks on the go when you don’t have your other appliances like your curling iron or steam hair curler with you.
Use it at home
Mini hair straighteners aren’t just for travel. Many individuals find them useful for regular styling tasks. You can use a mini straightener to straighten your bangs. A full-size straightener can be too bulky for such a short and delicate patch of hair. Mini hair straighteners are also useful for those with very short hair, for which a full-size straightener is too bulky.
Mini hair straightener for travel features
Temperature range
Hair straighteners typically have a temperature range somewhere from 250-400 degrees. However, it’s advisable not to set a flat iron to higher than 395 degrees to avoid damage to your hair. If you have thick hair, look for a mini straightener with a high temperature range. Those that only reach the low to mid 300s might not be effective on thick hair.
Frizz-reducing technology
Many hair straighteners today have frizz-reducing technology such as ceramic-coated plates and negative ionic technology. This type of technology is great for not only reducing frizz but also locking moisture into the hair and protecting it against damage. It also creates for a very smooth experience when running the flat iron over your hair.
Quick heating
Nobody has time to wait for a hair straightener that takes a long time to heat up. If you’re traveling, you likely have appointments to get to, reservations to be on time for and planes to catch. Look for a mini hair straightener for travel that heats up quickly. Some reach the desired temperature in as little as 30 seconds.
Mini hair straightener for travel cost
Mini hair straighteners for travel are quite affordable and range from $15-$30.
Mini hair straightener for travel FAQ
What are mini hair straighteners good for?
A. A mini hair straightener can be great for straightening bangs, taming pixie cuts and other short styles as well as doing a quick touch-up to your straightened hair while at work or away from your home.
Are flat irons bad for your hair?
A. Using any type of hot appliance on your hair is always more damaging than not styling the hair at all. That being said, many advancements have been made in hair straighteners to reduce their damaging effects on hair, such as tourmaline ceramic technology.
Which mini hair straightener for travel should I get?
Best of the best mini hair straightener for travel
BaBylissPRO Nano Titanium Mini Straightening Iron: available at Amazon
Our take: This is a salon-quality straightener in a compact body that delivers professional results on the go.
What we like: This travel flat iron releases negative ions to reduce frizz, leaving hair smooth and shiny. It distributes heat evenly and comes with a convenient travel pouch. With just half-inch plates and a 6-inch length, it’s a highly portable option.
What we dislike: The handle can overheat.
Best bang for your buck mini hair straightener for travel
Conair Mini Dual Deluxe Styler: available at Amazon
Our take: This dual-action tool has a curling and straightening plate, eliminating the need to pack a curling iron when you travel.
What we like: This mini hair straightener heats up fast so you can start styling your hair quickly. It has a 5/8th-inch straightening plate and ceramic technology to eliminate frizz. Considering all the styles you can create with it, it’s a great value.
What we dislike: It only reaches 356 degrees.
Honorable mention mini hair straightener for travel
AmoVee Mini Flat Iron: available at Amazon
Our take: This is an affordable and reliable mini straightener with many features that make it safe and easy to use.
What we like: With 3D floating plates, this straightener shouldn’t ever pull or snag at your hair.
It has a 360-degree swivel cord, making it easy to reach around your head, a non-slip grip and a useful power indicator light.
What we dislike: It has a fixed temperature that cannot be adjusted. Julia Austin is a writer for BestReviews. BestReviews is a product review company with a singular mission: to help simplify your purchasing decisions and save you time and money.
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