MargaretandTony

Traveling from the US to Scotland in August. Would rather not use my hair dryer or curling iron with adaptor since I melted two on previous trips! No longer trust adaptors purchased in stores here. I'll be right in Edinburgh for 5 days, what type of store would I look for when I get there to buy these appliances?

desertduds

A long time ago, I bought a blower and iron in Edinburgh. Don't know if it still holds true or not, but they didn't have plugs on the end of the cords, had to go somewhere else to buy the plug and then have someone put the plug on the cord...we had no idea where to go for that,but we happened to ask a salesman in Jener's and he took them to the back room and put the plug on. I had never seen that situation before, but guess different areas have different electrical receptacles. I gave up on converters after I blew ou the electricity in several B&Bs and small hotels.

Glitterball

Hi there

Most appliances now come with plugs fitted so don't worry - although it used to be the case that you did have to go buy one (we've caught up now).

Try Boots, John Lewis, Debenhams - there are branches of all three on or close to Princes Street.

Have a great trip!

annesherrod

There are Boots on almost every street corner too. You will find one very easily.
Have a ball!

loves_to_travel

I now buy dual voltage items for travel and then use the plug adapters that came with my converter. I used my curling iron and battery charger all through Australia and New Zealand without any problems. I have since bought a dual voltage travel iron and hair dryer. Don't use the converter-they don't work. Any appliance that heats up will not work, but the dual voltage stuff seems to work fine.

mari5

Conair make a curling iron , dual voltage (220 and 110) and it switches automatically. Then you just have to have the right adapter plug.. They come in a set for most all countries at WalMart etc in the luggage dept....and the curling iron is at WalMart also! We're going to Scotland in 2 weeks.Have a great time in Aug.! If you can't find the adapater for UK , you can buy one in SCotland. ( funny thing, sometimes the bathroom doesn't have a plug by a mirror. YOu might find one in the room behind something...without a mirror (so that's when "travelers adaptation" comes in!!!)

sheila

Boots, without a doubt. Some of the smaller branches may not have a range of electrical goods, but the big ones will.

Carrybean

"funny thing, sometimes the bathroom doesn't have a plug by a mirror."

I think that's a safety/legal issue. They don't want electrical appliances around water.

Xenos

Argos carry a huge range of hair care appliances and you can find what you want online before you go to save time at www.argos.co.uk

janisj

&quot;<i>&quot;funny thing, sometimes the bathroom doesn't have a plug by a mirror.</i>&quot;

That isn't &quot;sometimes&quot; - there is almost never an outlet in the bathroom (not on the continent either). There are often razor outlets next to the bathroom mirror - but these are not to be used for hair dryers or other appliances. You will have to use the hairdryer in the bedroom.

And I second everyone's suggestion of Boots. You are wise to pick up a European hair dryer. Those that say US models work just fine w/ the plug adaptor are right - <u>most</u> of the time. But as you learned, sometimes they just don't work and either blow all the circuits in the B&amp;B or the hair dryer fries.

MargaretandTony

Thanks to all that responded. I can't believe how great this site is. I appreciate knowing I am not the only one who has had problems with adapters and glad to hear some have not. Best idea yet is buying them on line now and being able to use upon arrival. Thanks again.

MargaretandTony

Just went to Argos website and put in Postal Code of where we will be staying - Presto - right around the block. No need to order ahead of time. Will do the same for Boots. Thanks again!

alanRow

GF blew up my hair dryer a couple of weeks ago &amp; we wandered into Sainsburys and found a replacement for 5GBP (8USD). They also had curlers for a similar price.

Failing that try Asda, John Lewis, House of Fraser, Superdrug

caroline_edinburgh

For the best range you'd want the main Boots which is right in the middle of Princes Street, between Frederick Street and Castle Street.

leonberger

Boots, as others have said, is terrific for this. I now travel with a hair dryer and a curling wand purchased in GB.

And, yes, the curling wand was purchased many years ago - the early 1980's, I think - and it came without a plug. We didn't discover this until we were safely ensconsed in a gorgeous early Georgian B&amp;B &quot;mansion&quot; in the Lake District. My husband and I were sure that a mistake had been made.

Our B&amp;B hosts happened to drop by about that time and we asked them about it. They laughed and explained that this was normal. Then, they whisked off to a private part of the house with my curling iron and returned a few minutes later.

I still have the huge plug, boldly labeled &quot;TYPEWRITER,&quot; which they obviously cut from the electrical cord of that appliance and carefully re-attached to my curling wand. Every time I use the curling wand (10 or more trips in those 20+ years), I fondly remember those two gentlemen and that wonderful B&amp;B.

Unfortunately, I hadn't yet learned to travel with a journal, so I don't have the name of the B&amp;B and don't remember the location. I'd love to go back sometime, but have never stumbled across it again.

Gayle

P.S., I bought my hair dryer just a few years ago and it was boring - no memorable stories to tell about it!

Oh, yes, I also travel with an &quot;extension lead&quot; for those out-of-the-way wall sockets! (Can you tell that I'm not a &quot;pack light and carry it on&quot; type of person??)

Caroline_McConihe

I'm going to Scotland to meet my dad that I haven't seen since I was four. Found out about the difference with electricity and purchased a dual voltage flat iron that came with adapter. Do you think I should be alright. Thinking about taking a multi surge protector with me. Would like to hear your thoughts from people with more experience than me.

alanRow

Can't see the point of the "multi surge protector", UK electricity is pretty reliable and anyhow I couldn't see how a surge would damage what is effectively a heater

flpab

I have bought curling irons and hairdryers on ebay, cheap and they work great. I have found them on the USA site but you can check out the UK site also, paypal will convert the money for you so paying is very simple.

caroline_edinburgh

flpab : if you are still answering the OP, that was 5 years ago ! The recent poster was asking a slightly different question - to which, C_M, I'm afraid I don't know the answer, I've never heard of a multi surge protector.

Caroline_McConihe

I'm still confused. Bought an adapter from Amazon.com which I don't think is going to work for what i'm taking. Keep looking I guess.