While hair dryers are usually found in most hotel rooms, Airbnbs or holiday lets, there’s no guarantee that you’ll find straighteners when you check in to your accommodation.

If you’re keen to avoid frizz in humid climates but don’t want to take up too much space in your luggage, a cordless straightening iron is an excellent idea, but are these portable tools really as effective as the regular kind?

With a week-long trip to Cyprus on the horizon, I trialled three of the most popular rechargeable straighteners to decide which – if any – would make it into my suitcase…

1. Babyliss 9000 Cordless Straightener, £200

One of the first cordless straighteners on the market, the Babyliss 9000 is really impressive, especially for the price. With three temperature settings, (160°C, 180°C and 200°C) its ceramic plates heat up quickly and feel just as powerful as my usual wired straighteners, leaving my hair sleek and smooth.

The only downside is that this is the largest and heaviest of the three tools, but it’s also the cheapest by quite a margin and comes with a carry case, two-pin European plug adapter and two-year guarantee.

2. Cloud Nine The Cordless Iron Pro, £349

You might have spotted these stylish straighteners in the girls’ dressing room on this year’s Love Island. New from Cloud Nine, this is the most expensive tool I tried, but you get a lot for your money.

The straightener comes with a large faux leather box, a roll bag, travel case, charging pod, two extra plug adaptors and a heat guard, plus a Love Island mirror and water bottle. The narrow, light design makes it easy portable and while the ceramic plates only heat up to a maximum of 170°C, the vibrating ‘Revive’ mode gives added oomph – more than enough to smooth my wavy locks.

3. GHD Unplugged Cordless Hair Straightener, £299

The first cordless tool from the original hair straightening experts, the new GHD Unplugged is available in matte black or white and comes with a zip-up travel pouch.

The smallest (by length) of the straighteners I tried, its ceramic plates heat up to 185°C and it comes with a USB-C charger so you don’t have to take an additional bulky plug away with you. It heated up quickly and provided strong, frizz-fighting power for my hair in just a few strokes.

The verdict

All the cordless straighteners I tried were excellent in terms of getting the job done – my hair went from frizzy and wavy to smooth and straight in no time. So which is the best?

If price is the most important factor for you, the Babyliss 9000 is the obvious choice. If you want a compact tool that heats all the way up to 185°C then the GHD is your best best, though with 20 minutes of power from a full charge compared to around 30 minutes with the other devices the battery doesn’t last as long.

As for me, I decided to take the Cloud Nine with me on holiday, mainly because the lower temperature and narrow plates better suit my fine, short hair, and in its skinny travel pouch it was the lightest and the easiest to slot into my suitcase.