I have a hairdryer and curling iron (that are dual voltage)that I want to take--- I also have a convertor kit---Someone told me just to take the round adapter plugs and that is all I need--Another told me that the dryer will work but will have less power that way--- The thing is heavy--What should I do?? no jokes please! I don't want to buy one there

Italia, <BR>From my experience everywhere in Europe BUT England uses the round adapter plugs. <BR> <BR>If your dryer is dual voltage, it will work with just the plug - I have noticed a little less power but I would not carry the extra weight because of it. Have fun.

If you have dual voltage appliances, you don't need a CONVERTOR (that converts 110 volt to 220 volt). Yes, your appliances will probably run slower. You will need the ADAPTOR plugs (U.S. electrical outlets have flat openings, one larger than the other, some with a grounding opening underneath; in France and Italy and Spain {these I know}, the outlets have ROUND openings, so you need to adapt our flat-pronged plugs to round prongs. In Great Britain, they have outlets with small tunnels, and the plug is the size of a Buick. You will need that adaptor as well if you're visiting the U.K.). <BR>

Thanks

This is probably more detail than you need, but I recently used my dual-voltage blow dryer in France (the dryer has a little switch to change it from U.S. 110 voltage to the 220 voltage in Europe). In the U.S. the dryer has a low and high setting. In France at 220 voltage, the setting labelled "low" worked much stronger, more like the high setting I am used to in the U.S. The setting labelled "high" could not be used when the dryer was switched to 220 voltage (I couldn't even move the button over to the position labelled "high'; it was blocked.) It worked fine for me because I usually just use the high setting anyway, it just came out "high" though the button was in the low position!

pj, sounds like you have the same hairdryer I have. Works the same way. I bought it at Walmart (it's a Vidal Sassoon hairdryer) and cost about $18.95. I bought it after blowing out all the power on our entire floor at the Negresco Hotel in Nice using my old one with a converter. They came to each room and apologized for the power outage which no one seemed to know the cause of. Only I knew, and now all of Fodor's as well.

Who, me retentive? Nah. <BR> <BR>However, I tend to emit sparks when I see "convertOrs" and "adaptOrs" instead of (the correct) "convertErs" and "adaptErs." I wish I knew a handy rule for the -or vs. -er endings, but, no. <BR> <BR>Italia, there are numerous adapter plug sets for sale all over the place. They typically contain the standard Euro 2-pin and the clunky Brit 3-pin plugs, as well as the cool Australia/NZ/So. Pacific oblique 2-pin jobs. Also, quite a number of hotels on the continent now have universal sockets somewhere in the rooms, though seldom in the loo - the authorities must still be convinced that we'll dry our hair or shave while sitting in the tub or on that beeday thang with the water running. Woo-hoo. <BR> <BR>If anything, your appliances might run a little hotter, and with fewer setting options, than at home. Most hair dryers lock out the "high" switch setting and just offer a "low" switch option, although the heating level is the same or greater than the "high" at home. <BR> <BR>A voltage converter (combined with plug adapters) MAY offer more flexibility, but be sure to check to make sure the converter is able to handle the power rating (1200 watts, etc.) of the appliance. Many can't and melt happens.

John, I too am anal-retentive, so I empathize....but, here in the U.S., either spelling -ER or -OR is acceptable. <BR>And look that up in your Funk and Wagnalls.

One does need to convert to being adaptive when traveling, you just have to plug into the right mindset and connect to the higher power. <BR>

My brain hertz.