kriztinatresch

Hello all,
I'm from the United States and I'm visiting London and Paris in June, I'm very lost on the whole plug in adapters and need help! I want to bring along my Revlon 1875W hairdryer, I looked on the hairdryer and it said it's 125V I also need to take my curler it is 120V, what kind of adapters do I need for Paris and London???? Help me please I'm lost...

Sarastro

Leave them both at home. Using an adapter to plug a 120vac device into a 220vac source will destroy both your hairdryer and curler, could cause electrical problems throughout your hotel, and could start a fire.

Any stepdown transformer that would allow you to safely use a 1800 watt, 120v dryer on a 220v source would cost more than purchasing a new 220v dryer and weigh more than brick.

Most hotels have hairdryers and purchasing 220vac models in London or Paris would save you a lot of time and money. England and the continent use different plug types however so you´ll need at least one plug adapter depending upon which 220vac model you might purchase.

Scootoir

I am sure the Tumi adapter is a very nice product but you may not need something that expensive. We bought something for about $10 at REI last month that fit UK and continental outlets and also accepted USB.

Many hotels in Europe have hair dryers in the room so I make sure it's included in the room and don't have to pack one.

Determine if your appliances are dual voltage. I thought all new electrics would be and got a surprise on my curling iron. If it's dual voltage you can easily use it with the outlet adapter.

janisj

if that is all they say then neither is dual voltage so you <u>definitely</u> should leave both at home.

Either buy dual voltage models and a plug adapter . . . or better yet -- don't take a hair dryer at all. Almost all B&Bs and hotels provide hair dryers that wil work better.

sparkchaser

DO NOT listen to cafegoddess.

Listen to Sarastro and janisj.

thursdaysd

There is a big and crucial difference between an adapter, which simply allows you to insert plug type A into outlet type B, and a converter or transformer, which allows you to use a 120V appliance with 220V electricity.

It is incorrect and dangerous to suggest that a single voltage US appliance can be used in Europe with just an adapter.

Americans used to be notorious for blowing out European power supplies. Since more electronics are dual voltage (probably all tablets and phones, for instance) things have improved, but if the OP owns single voltage appliances she should either buy new ones in Europe or dual voltage ones in the US. And most places will have hairdryers, it's only the curling iron that she would need to replace.

janisj

Oh -- you will need two different adapters for the two countries.

And don't faint reading cafegoddess' link. They won't cost $125, more like $3 or $4 each

I wouldn't bother taking a hair dryer and if you do buy a new dual voltage curling iron, understand it won't work as well as your current one does at home. It won't get quite as hot. Another reason to buy a European one when you get there. If you do buy a single voltage, European curling iron, you will still need one plug adapter.

historytraveler

I've been traveling to Europe for almost 40 years now and except for the very early years have never taken a hairdryer. I've yet to stay in any hotel or B& B that didn't offer a have a hairdryer. It's just one more thing to lug along and a PIA, IMO. Mind thursdaysd' s comment. VIP.

Hooameye

As said leave single voltage (110v)items at home, you'll need an adapter like this to plug your dual voltage equipment into UK sockets. Remember to be legal in the UK, adapters should be fused and the live and neutral pins should be sleeved:
http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Produc...er/9827590.htm

nyse

Stop at a Boots pharmacy or similar in London, and buy curling iron plus adaptor for France. No need for hairdryer.

Please come back and tell us you're going to follow all the excellent advice above ~ these people know what they're talking about!

Christina

I haven't taken a hair dryer on my travels in many many years, I agree that shouldn't be necessary. I have only rarely been in a hotel that didn't have one nowadays, the ones that didn't were pretty bare bone places, of course. But I only wash my hair once a week anyway, so it's not a big deal to me, and I usually let it air dry, even at home. I hardly ever use a hair dryer.

Don't get the whole curling iron thing or the kind of hair style that requires that kind of maintenance. I will say that I have never once blown out anything in Europe when I used my dual voltage appliances (and that was years ago when supposedly wiring wasn't as good) and they worked fine. But if this is a crucial appliance to carry around, I also think it is fairly easy to buy on-site if you are going to a major city first like London.

janisj

>>I will say that I have never once blown out anything in Europe when I used my dual voltage appliances . . . <<


But lots of people <i>have</i>

tuscanlifeedit

I bought a European flat iron on ebay.com a year or two ago. I'm glad I have it.

If I had been going to Paris or London at the time, I wouldn't have made the purchase in advance, but I was headed for a small unfamiliar town in Switzerland. Even then, I see now that I could have waited until arrival.

kriztinatresch

Thanks everyone! I've decided not to bring along a hair dryer and purchase a new curling iron that is dual voltage! I appreciate all the advice and comments! I seen that there is different grades for the plug ins? Grade G for London is what I need and grade C for Paris? I'm looking to make sure they have a USB part as well for my phone charger

Sarastro

<i> I'm looking to make sure they have a USB part as well for my phone charger</i>

That´s a completely different situation. Phone/camera/laptop/USB chargers (actually transformers) pull very few amps and most of these will accept a wide range of voltage inputs; from 120vac to 220vac.

Read the tiny print on your charger. If you see 120vac to 220vac written anywhere, all you will need is the appropriate plug adapter; one for the UK, one for France.

janisj

weird -- what happened to cafegoddess' post? Apparently deleted but no note saying a post was deleted by the moderators

>>I'm looking to make sure they have a USB part as well for my phone charger<<

All you need is the phone charger you already have which you plug in w/ a plug adapter. phone chargers are dual voltage.

thursdaysd

I triangled it, I thought it was dangerous to leave it in case someone didn't read past it. But I have no idea why it just vanished, maybe there is now stealth moderation?

fuzzbucket

You can purchase one adapter which will work in both France and Great Britain, as well as maybe one other country. I bought mine at an electronics shop, but they can be found online and in airports or shops specializing in travel gear. They don't cost any more than buying two separate adapters.

If you're concerned about the availability of hairdryers in your hotel, look at the photos of the room, the list of amenities, or email the hotel.

janisj

>>I triangled it, I thought it was dangerous to leave it in case someone didn't read past it<<

Good idea. Me too -- that often worries me when someone posts totally incorrect info and wonder if the OP runs w/ it without reading later corrections.

>> But I have no idea why it just vanished, maybe there is now stealth moderation?<<

Curious -- I've never noticed posts being deleted w/o the tag line. Maybe it is a new thing??? But that could muddle threads when people respond to a missing post . . . and there is no evidence of the post.

elberko

I've used the Mudder-Universal-International-Adapter with 1 plug and 2 USB ports for a few years, and it's worked well:


I notice a post elsewhere yesterday that was removed and no notification, so maybe they've stopped?