Customer Reviews

Andis 33805 Micro Turbo 1600W Dual Voltage Hair Dryer

5 star:		(63)
4 star:		(16)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(9)

 

 

I bought this item because I was going to Europe for a month. I didn't want the hassle of using a voltage converter because you can only use one electric item at a time, unless you buy more than one converter kit. You do need a plug adaptor, (these are relatively inexpensive), then you just switch the voltage, plug it in and it works great. I used it in Switzerland, France and Italy. When I came home to the States I just switched the voltage back and I now use it at home. It is small and takes up very little space in the suitcase. I would recommend it for anyone in need of a hair dryer traveling abroad.

I purchased this hair dryer for an unusual reason: my old 1875 watt Conair was actually too much wattage for my bathroom (the circuit kept tripping), so I was actually looking for a dryer with LESS wattage. However, I didn't want to sacrifice power, as I hoped not to have to devote any additional drying time to my shoulder-length hair.

So far, I've been pleased with this hair dryer. It does seem a bit louder than my previous model--not obnoxiously so, just a higher, more concentrated fan noise. The dryer is extremely light and compact; it's actually smaller than my folding travel dryer. It is very basic, with a choice of high/low settings only (there is no heat/cool option), but it seems to dry my hair just as efficiently as my old higher-wattage dryer.

UPDATE November 2007: Unfortunately, we had to stop using this hair dryer after about a year. We found that it would cut off in the middle of use, necessitating turning the unit off and re-starting. Cleaning the air filter sometimes helped, but this problem gradually got worse until the dryer was virtually unusable. When we unplugged it, we saw that the connections had actually started to melt! So, I'm sorry to say that I can no longer recommend this hair dryer--it's back to Conair brand for me. I am also decreasing my rating to 3-star; I would make it even lower, but I suspect that we may have a problem with our bathroom outlet which contributed to the hair dryer's early demise.

The Andis 33805 Micro Turbo 1600W Dual Voltage Hair Dryer is a great little personal grooming appliance. It has two settings: Low and High. I use High almost exclusively, even though I have fine, short, grey hair because I don't like to dawdle over grooming in the morning. Its dual voltage selections (125V/250V) would come in handy if travelling (with an added plug adapter). High produces a rapid stream of air that quickly heats up and stays at a steady, moderately high temperature. Low is appropriate if you spend more time styling with some degree of heat--producing a nice smooth and fuller result. However, I'm a Type-A character who wants the job done pronto, so this is my machine of choice. All dryers sound a little loud right in your own ear, but a family member says that the Andis is quieter than the Sunbeam I recently replaced.

I bought this device to replace a Sunbeam compact dryer, which replaced another Sunbeam, which was preceded by at least two Conairs, and a parade of various compact (mostly) dryers over the last 32 years. This is the BEST of the lot. I actually gambled and bought two at once because compact dryers are getting hard to find now, and my confidence has been rewarded.

If you are looking for a quick solution to get going in the morning after your shower, look no further. This one's a winner!

NOTE: I do not own this hair dryer, but to add a review I had to add a star rating. I used the average of 4 stars to keep the rating unchanged.

PLEASE NOTE that a lot of these hair dryers do nothing more than mechanically lock out the on-off switch from using the HI TEMP setting WHEN set for 220 volt input for foreign countries. That is very typical.

PLEASE ALSO NOTE that the Low Heat mode at 220 volts does not work the same as 110 volts. From an electrical point of reference, doubling the voltage yields a four fold increase in power (wattage). If the Low Heat mode at 110 volts (USA value) is 400 watts, then using this dryer in Low Heat mode at 220 volts (eg, Europe) would generate 1600 watts. That's the way the power equation works. That's how my current unit worked when we vacationed in Europe. Low Heat mode at 220 volts generates high heat and a fast fan speed.

WHAT you lose is the low power curling and shaping mode when using these dryers at 220 volts. There is no 400 watt option in the 220 volt setting.

If you want both HIGH and LOW Heat modes, buy a transformer to convert 220 to 110 volts (and be sure it is big enough, power wise, to handle the High Heat wattage). The cost, beyond the purchase price of the transformer, is the added transformer weight in your travel luggage.

I hope this clarifies how these type hair dryers work in Europe.... a retired Electrical Engineer.

PS: Going from USA 60 Hertz (a.k.a. 60 cycles) to European 50 Hertz makes no difference for this appliance.

PPS: Most 220 V countries do NOT use our 110V two prong or three prong wall "plug". Even of you don't buy the transformer,
you will need a plug converter kit to use this hair dryer (found with the luggage in most department stores or on
Amazon under Plug Converter).

Light, Dual Setting, Powerful, Compact. An excellent product, very reliable. This is the second one I have owned the first lasted for eight years in home use and travelled the world!

I bought this dryer to take on a European vacation with me. I was thrilled with the size when it arrived. I used it a few times in the States before I left and it worked great here. When I got to Europe, I tried to change the voltage on it and was totally disappointed. The voltage changer looks like you would use a coin or a screw driver to turn it. When I turned the knob, it fell out of the appliance completely revealing that it wasn't attached to anything within the appliance!! It was just a hole with a little black plug that seemed to be put there to make it look like it would change the voltage. Of course, as soon as my traveling companion plugged it in the 250 volt outlet, it began to smoke. What a rip off!!! I have hair that must be styled and I had to buy a hair-dryer to use while in Europe. I would never recommend this to someone buying it for overseas travel. It simply doesn't change voltage.

I bought this little dryer because I was tired of the heavy Conair that I had. I love this dryer! It has incredible power and is very light weight- HIGHLY RECOMMEND!

I purchased this hair dryer based upon the reviews and a need for a compact hair dryer that can be used internationally.

Beware: Per the manual, this hair dryer will only work on low heat when using the 220V power setting. One will need more time to dry and style one's hair.

This hair dryer is unacceptable because:

1. It only works on low heat when using the 220V power setting.
2. It takes too long to dry and style hair on low heat. I spent 15 minutes just drying my hair on low heat. I have short, paper-thin hair cut in an angled bob. After towel-drying my hair, my hair will dry in about 20-25 minutes. No hair dryer should take 15 minutes to dry short, thin hair.
2. After 15 minutes of low heat, my hair was not even styled.

I'm in the process of getting a refund for this "travel" hair dryer.

Perhaps I got unlucky. But, please remember, that this dryer only works on low heat on the 220V setting. Can make a big difference, if you prefer to spend your time doing fun things, while traveling...like visiting museums, going to local open markets, shopping, trying new cuisines, etc...versus just drying/styling your hair. :)

Bought this for European travel plans. Tried it once and it seemed to work well, but does not fit my needs, so I will be returning it. I use a blow dryer to style my hair and usually use a dryer with a longer barrel. The shorter barrel on this dryer made the airflow blow my hair all around, preventing me from styling. The longer barrel lets me concentrate the airflow to the area I am styling. For just getting your hair dry, this one is probably fine.

This is an exceptional value for an exceptional dryer. I have paid alot more for more well known, brand named dryers. I have long THICK hair and this product dries my hair in half the time other dryers have done in the past. Buy this hair dryer, you won't be sorry.