I am leaving for Spain in a week, and I am planning on buying a blow dryer when I get there. I am wondering if anyone knows of a good place to get an inexpensive blow dryerin Madrid? Of course I know that El Corte Inglés would sell blow dryers, but I am wondering if there are any other (less expennsive) options. Thanks!

Three years ago, I purchased a blow dryer (1600 watts) in El Corte Inglés...not the main store, but their lesser priced place...it may even be on another floor in the building...now that I think of it. Frankly, I asked one of the clerks and he directed me to the other place. The dryer was considerably less than those sold on the main floor and it still works great.

My advice? Ask in El Corte Inglés and hope they are helpful.

Sheryl

You could try Carrefour (was Continente years ago). Here is their website http://www.carrefour.es/index.html
I compare it to a super Wal-Mart. The only disadvantage is that many times it is on the outskirts of the city.

If you want to go to a non touristy area of Madrid, but perfectly safe, go to the metro station Ciudad Lineal (line 5). Just outside the metro there is a mall called Alcala Norte and, in the basement, there is an appliance shop called Hermanos Perez. One of the most (if not the most) unexpensive shops in Madrid for that kind of goods. They also have another branch in calle Alcala, more or less at metro Quintana (North side of the street).

I'm a little surprised nobody has mentioned "Los Chinos" yet. These are small-ish (actually, not so small in many cases) stores which are owned/operated by Asian/Chinese families throughout Madrid which sells mainly Chinese-made products but cheap. The quality is questionable but for some basic things (like decks of cards, lighters, plastic flowers, etcetera) they can be a cheap shopping option. I don't know if they sell blow dryers but some probably do as they often sell small electronics like radios, CD players, music boxes, etcetera.

Saludos, MadridMan

just to conclude the topic...I was able to buy an inexpensive travel blowdryer in the Corte Inglés for 10.90 €. It is working really well and it is so compact!