Dreame Pocket Hair Dryer two-minute review

The Dreame Pocket Hair Dryer is a petite styler that performs surprisingly well considering its small size. In my hunt for the best hair dryer, I've yet to come across a compact styler that truly delivers full power and perfect performance, but the Dreame Pocket comes tantalizingly close. 

Despite weighing just 10.5oz / 300g and measuring a tiny 1.97 x 5.71 x 7.91in /  5 x 14.5 x 20.1cm, it has all the power and versatility of a full-sized styler. Its high-speed motor operates at 110,000 RPM and generates a powerful airflow of 70 m/s, all while keeping noise levels below 80dB. It provides five modes to suit different hair types and needs, ranging from Cold, Warm and Hot to the Instant Cold Air cool shot, and Hot & Cold Cycling mode designed to reduce potential heat damage. It comes with two attachments: the Unfrizz nozzle for sleek, straight hair, and the Curling nozzle for creating curls or waves.

In my tests, it took 3 minutes and 45 seconds on average to rough dry my long, thin hair using the dryer's Warm mode, on Low speed. This dropped to just 2 minutes and 35 seconds on Warm mode at High speed. The drying time increased slightly to 4 minutes and 5 seconds, on average, when using the Cycling Mode on High speed but the improvement in hair quality was worth this small time sacrifice. 

And all this is before we even get to the fact the Dreame Pocker dryer is foldable. This not only only means it can be easily stored inside its Dreame-branded storage bag ready for travelling, but it also allows you to adjust how the dryer is used. For example, when the dryer is in the "7" shape, it can be used on its own, or with the Unfrizz nozzle attached. You can then extend the barrel up into a "1" shape before attaching the Curling nozzle and turning the dryer into a curling wand. This hinged design additionally allows you to change the angle of the barrel mid-style, to help you dry hard-to-reach areas and bring a high-level of precision and control. 

The dryer isn't perfect, though. The performance of the Curling nozzle lets it down, and the attachments themselves are so clunky that they detract from the effort that has been made to pack a whole load of power into such a compact shape. That doesn't mean the Dreame Pocket isn't a good investment. Whether you need a quick touch-up on the go, or a full styling session at home, this hair dryer delivers professional results in a compact package. Just don't expect miracles.

Dreame Pocket Hair Dryer review: price & availability

• List price: $159.99
• Available: US/EU

The $159.99 / €159 Dreame Pocket hair dryer is the latest launch in Dreame's growing hair care range, joining the $99 / €79 Dreame Gleam, and $129 / €129 Dreame Glory.

It's sold in the US as well as in a select number of countries in continental Europe from the Dreame website, and Amazon. The folding dryer is available in a Titanium Gold color and ships with two attachments – the Unfrizz Nozzle, and Curling Nozzle – as standard.

Its price and power puts the Pocket dryer in the mid-range bracket, sandwiched between the likes of the $129 T3 Featherweight and the $149.99 BaByliss Pro Portofino. Its folding design and compact, lightweight shape also position it in the travel dryer category, where its rivals include the $139 Drybar Baby Buttercup and the $199 GHD Flight+, while the attachments even draw comparisons with the Shark FlexStyle and even the Dyson Airwrap. 

As a result, the Dreame Pocket stands largely in a category of its own and this enhances its value for money and versatility. It's not cheap but these features go a long way towards justifying its price tag.

• Value for money score: 4.5 out of 5

Dreame Pocket Hair Dryer specs

Dreame Pocket Hair Dryer review: design

• 3-in-1 folding design
• 5 modes and 2 airflow speeds
• Curling and Unfrizz attachments
• Comes with storage bag

The first thing I noticed about the Dreame Pocket hair dryer, other than just how light and compact it is at 10oz / 300g, was its folding design. Other foldable dryers tend to mask or disguise the folding mechanism. Dreame instead makes a feature of it by not only designing the hinge in chrome, while the rest of the dryer is a brushed gold color, but also in showing almost the full hinge itself. 

The mechanism is incredibly smooth and the barrel locks securely into place, whether you're using it as a standard dryer, in the so-called "7" shape; extending the barrel upwards into a "1" shape with the Curling nozzle attached; or when you're folding it in half, into an "N" shape, ready to pack into a bag. The Pocket dryer measures 1.97 × 5.71 × 7.91in / 5 × 14 × 20.1cm. 

On the rear of the cylindrical barrel is a curved filter, and there are just two controls on the dryer's handle – the Airflow switch, and a Mode selection button. This buttons are used to control Pocket's two airflow speeds, Low and High, and its five temperature modes:

• Cold 
• Warm
• Hot
• Instant Cold Air Mode 
• Hot & Cold Cycling Mode

The Cold, Warm and Hot modes are relatively self-explanatory. The Instant Cold Air mode is effectively a Cool Shot that allows you to blast your hair with cold air instantly, without having to re-cycle through the modes to reach the dedicated Cold setting. As the name suggests, the Hot and Cold Cycling Mode then cycles between hot and cold air as you style your hair, in a bid to reduce potential heat damage. I first used this feature on the BaByliss Air Wand and while it increases the styling time slightly, it makes a noticeable difference to the finish and feel of your hair. 

It's easy to see at a glance which mode you're using on the Dreame Pocket, thanks to color-coded LEDs on the Mode selection button. A solid blue light represents Cold mode. Press the button again and you'll see a solid orange light which represents Warm mode. A solid red light represents Hot mode, and the lights will repeatedly flash between red and blue on the Cycling Mode. To enable the Instant Cold Air mode, just press and hold the button until the light turns blue. Note that once you stop pressing and holding the button, the dryer will return to whichever mode was previously selected. 

The hair dryer comes with two attachments, designed to create and set a range of straight, wavy and curly styles, and which both lock in to place on the Pocket's barrel using magnets. The Curling Nozzle looks almost identical to the curling wand attachment on the Shark FlexStyle, and it uses the same coanda effect found on both the FlexStyle and Dyson Airwrap to pull the hair and wrap it around the barrel. This dries the hair and sets it into a curl or wave, depending on how tight you wrap the hair, and how long you hold it in place. 

Dreame's Unfrizz Nozzle reminds me of the Flyaway attachment found on the Dyson Supersonic. It uses the Coanda effect to draw the hair towards the attachment, before using the so-called Bernoulli effect to reduce frizz and flyaways. The Bernoulli effect means that the faster the air, the lower the pressure. When used on the Pocket dryer, this effect helps calm flyaway hairs, causing them to lie flat. 

Both attachments are large compared to the compact dryer, and look almost out of place when attached. The Curling nozzle alone is the same height as the entire dryer and this detracts slightly from the travel-friendly nature of the whole setup. To put this into perspective, the dryer ships with a small Dreame-branded, waterproof storage bag which is only just big enough to store the dryer and its 5ft / 1.5m cord. You need to do some clever packing in order to get the zip to do up with the attachments inside, and even then, it's tight.

To truly appeal to all hair types, I would have liked to see the Dreame Pocket ship with a diffuser, but this is a minor point. Also, the Pocket is not dual voltage, unlike the GHD Flight+, which may limit its usability in regions with different electrical standards.

• Design score: 4.5 out of 5

Dreame Pocket Hair Dryer review: performance

• 1000-watt motor
• High-speed motor operates at 110,000RPM 
• 79dB average noise

There is very often a trade-off in power and performance when you buy a travel hair dryer, or even a compact dryer for that fact. This is not the case with the Dreame Pocket. I was amazed – and I don't use that word lightly – with how well this dryer performed on my longer, fine hair. 

The airflow speed, even on Low, does a fantastic job of drying the hair quickly without blasting it into submission. Despite the small barrel and grille, the hair dryer manages to cover a large amount of hair as it dries, and being able to grip the handle completely provides a high level of precision and control, as does the fact you can subtly alter the angle of the barrel to direct the airflow. I had worried that the location of the buttons would cause me to knock them mid-style by accident, but this wasn't the case. They're perfectly positioned to be able to apply enough pressure to change the mode, without ever getting in the way. 

In my tests, it took 3 minutes and 45 seconds on average to rough dry my hair using the Warm mode, on Low speed. This dropped to just 2 minutes and 35 seconds on Warm mode at High speed. The drying time increased slightly to 4 minutes and 5 seconds, on average, when using the Cycling Mode on High speed. 

I experimented with all of the various combinations of airflow speeds versus modes and the best results I achieved were using the Pocket Dryer on Cycling mode at High speed. The smooth and sleek finish it creates is worth the slightly longer drying times, plus after four weeks of use, my hair felt and looked healthier. Adding the Unfrizz nozzle to the mix then further enhanced just how smooth and healthy my hair looked. This nozzle takes a little getting used to as you run it along the shaft of the hair but it makes a noticeable difference. It also helps bring second-day and even bed-hair under control. 

I had less success with the Curling nozzle, however. I've never rated the Airwrap all that highly because I find its curling wands to be poor, and I had the same issue with the Pocket dryer. To get the best results, your hair can't be too dry or too wet and getting this balance right is an art in itself. The Pocket's Curling nozzle does a better job, in my opinion, of pulling the hair into place than the Dyson, but it's still too unwieldy and temperamental for my liking. I get much quicker, better, long-lasting results with my curling tong. I also found the weight distribution to be a little unbalanced when using the Pocket in the "1" shape and this added to my frustrations. This is a major flaw in an otherwise fantastic dryer. 

On the plus side, the magnets do a great job of keeping the attachments locked in place when you need them to, while allowing you to swap the nozzles in and out easily and safely while styling. And the final positive feature of note on the Pocket dryer is how quiet it is. There is little difference, noise-wise, between the Low and High speed settings with both averaging just 79dB during my review period. It is easy to have a conversation, or hear your music or TV while using this dryer.  

• Performance score: 4.5 out of 5

Should you buy the Dreame Pocket Hair Dryer?

Buy it if…

Don’t buy it if….

How I tested the Dreame Pocket Hair Dryer

I used the Dreame Pocket as my go-to styler over the course of four weeks at home and during a weekend trip away. I used it most mornings as a replacement for my usual hair dryer – the Revlon One Step – to dry and style my long, thin hair. For travel testing, I packed the dryer in its storage bag and included it in my carry-on luggage for a weekend trip. 

To thoroughly test the dryer, I experimented with the full range of speed and temperature combinations, and nozzles. I paid close attention to the dryer’s features, how fast and effectively each of the modes and attachments worked, and how easy it was to use. I measured the decibel levels of the dryer on Low and High speeds throughout the testing period to achieve an average noise score. 

Read more about how we test

First reviewed July 2024