Deb

I KNOW this has been beaten to death. But we're leaving in 32 days, and my head is spinning with adapter/buy-it-over-there/use the hotel's advice. <BR> <BR>First, I need a dryer with power (very thick hair), so the hotel dryer's are out of the question (especially if they're anything like American hotel dryers). <BR> <BR>Second, I have a converter/adapter set I could bring if I buy a hair dryer that is 1600W or less. But, according to Fodorite advice, that probably won't work well. <BR> <BR>Last, (see message title) if I buy a hair dryer in Paris (our first stop), will it work in Rome & Venice. Or, do I need to bring or buy another converter/adapter (or buy a second dryer in Italy)? <BR> <BR>Please help... thank you in advance.

Walter

If you buy it in Europe you won't need a converter, their voltage is the same. A converter (in this case) steps-down the voltage from ~220V to ~110V. You will probably just need another adaptor for the plugs in different countries. Go to http://kropla.com for info on the adaptors. I recall that most of the Italian hotels I recently stayed in had this type of plug in the bathroom [•••] but they also have a round type. HTH Regards, Walter

Deb

France and Italy don't take the same type of hair dryer so you would need to buy two or use what is in the room.

Ger

Deb: <BR> <BR>If you buy a hairdryer in Paris (try the BHV store on Rue de Rivoli - has everything) it should work in Italy as voltage is the same (no step down/step up converter required). You may or may not need a plug converter - in France you need a two round prong plug which I have found works also in hotels I have stayed in in Rome (I have gound this standard in Europe execpt in the UK). However, I came across the three prong round years ago in rural Italy. <BR> <BR>As another person with thick hair, I have taken to travelling with velcro rollers as an alternative.

Marty

Deb: If you buy your hair dryer in Italy, all you will need is a possible adaptor for the plug which you can buy at the airport in Paris. Last year, I bought a hairdryer in Italy, and I still had to buy an adaptor in Italy for the type of outlet that our hotel had, just as you would here if you have a three prong on your US hairdryer, and your wall sockets only accept two prongs. You can probably buy the adaptors in the US before you leave at Brookstone or somewhere. I used the ones that I had to go with my old converter when I went to London last month.

Deb

You all are the best! I really appreciate you taking the time to answer my question. <BR>Walter - I'll check that website to see if the adaptors I have will work. Thanks! <BR>Ger - I'll probably end up at that store in Paris - great tip! <BR>I feel so much better! If anyone else has any more advice, I'd still love to hear it, of course.

Joyce

There is no reason that the same dryer will not work in both France and Italy. As someone mentioned, the adaptor plug is generally the same throughout Europe (has been for me). However, if for any reason it didn't work, your hotel would always be glad to lend you the needed adaptor. No need to buy anything. I've used the same dryer (purchased in the U.S. with dual voltage) with the same adaptor throughout Europe.

Brian in Atlanta

I agree with Joyce. I think all outlets/voltages are the same in western Europe on the continent (2 round prongs). So the same dryer should work fine in France, Spain, Belgium, Italy, etc. Just be sure not to use the low-voltage outlet in the bathroom that's designed for razors. <BR> <BR>Once you cross the English channel, you have to deal with those funny-looking 3-prongers.

Patrick

I guess I don't get the problem. Go to any K-mart or Wallmart. Buy a 1600 watt dual voltage hair dryer. Mine was about $19 with brush and comb attachments. All you will need is a little prong adapter that you can pick up here or once you get to Italy for a dollar or less. A dual voltage 1600 watt hairdryer switched to 220 will only work on "low" in Europe, but that "low" is the equivalent to "high" in the US. In fact mine seems to dry faster in Europe on low than it does at home on high.

frazzled

O.K., Patrick (or someone else), tell me where here I can get a prong adapter for $1.00. All I can find around my town is a set of prong adapters that costs $40.00, made by Samsanite. I don't want to pay more for the adaper than the dryer.

Patrick

Any simple hardware store in any European country will have them sold singly. I have seen them in the US as well, at travel stores, although I agree mostly they are now trying to package those massive multi units which include adaptors for Antartica, Afghanistan, and Tibet I suppose. I grabbed one of my two prong adaptors from my drawer full at home before my last trip to Europe and surprisingly the prongs were too fat to fit in the holes in the hotels in France or Italy -- I have no idea where they were to be used. I stopped in a store in Venice and picked up a new one -- I know it was less than a dollar. Also I'd be surprised if your hotel didn't have a whole drawer full of them to lend.

Christina

I agree completely with Patrick; I don't ever understand why people have such elaborate and expensive plans for hair dryers when you can walk into a Kmart, Walmart, drugstore, etc and buy a dual voltage travel hair dryer in the US for $20 or less. I have several of those European two-pin adapters, and have only paid a couple dollars for them, one came free with one of those water immersion coil heaters (I bought that at AAA travel store). I've bought those single Eur. plug adaptors for a couple dollars at AAA travel stores, and in (cheap) luggage stores and the luggage sections of JC Penneys, etc. (where they have that rack of travel doo-hickeys). It's the expensive luggage stores that try to sell you a set of 10 plugs or whatever, in my experience. Usually you can easily buy these at the airport, also, either here or in Europe. I have been to European cities and needed one (I forget why) and it was not as easy to find one in a hardware store as you would think, and that was in Paris; the smaller neighborhood Parisian hardware stores really did not have them (they don't stock for tourists), nor did Monoprix. Maybe you live in a consumer-unfriendly town, Frazzled; that would not surprise me if it's not a major city. However, surely you can find a dual-voltage hair dryer, there are many brands of them (Conair, Vidal Sasson, Revlon, etc). If I did not live near a big city, I'd probably just wait to get one in the airport or something; if I didn't trust that, I'd travel to nearest AAA travel store, that shouldn't be too far, there is a list online; they carry Franzus products which are pretty good (plenty of single adaptors) and you can also check their web site which gives an 800 number you can call for them to tell you where to buy their products near you (www.franzus.com). I think map stores usually have these gadgets, also.

Paige

Just to add to the confusion... I live in Germany and have a dryer I bought here, with 2 round prongs. I've taken it to Italy before and the prongs were too fat to fit in the outlet. Anyone have an explanation for that?

Queenie

In my experience, having the right adaptor prongs isn't as much of a problem an matching the shampoo to the country. Believe it or not, your hair will wash and dry faster if you use local shampoos and conditioners. French shampoo rinses out better in France and Italian shampoo rinses out better in Italy, and US shampoo just makes a mess in your cosmetic case when the bottles explode due to pressurization flying over the ocean.

Deb

(original poster) <BR>OK... Thanks to all of your fabulous advice, here's what I'm going to do: <BR>1) I'm going to buy a 1600W dual wattage ("international") hairdryer here in the US (so I can use it when we're back - I'm very practical) <BR>2) I'll bring the converter & adapters I already have with the different sizes of round prongs for Italy & France. <BR>Sound good? Am I missing anything important? Thanks again!!!!

helen

The fat thin plug thing - I think I can resolve it. The fatter plugs are the newer ones and they have replaced the thinner versions in most European countries. You can buy an adapter in the host country to make your adapter fatter - not dangerous so Im told. If so the hair could really end up frizzzzeeee...

Walter

Deb: If you get a dual *voltage* hairdryer you will not need a converter, just the plug adaptors. Regards, Walter <BR>