<Most of the time they work just hunky dory . . . but when they don't it is not fun.>
Which is true of any hair appliance. I've blown the circuit in my own house with a malfunctioning hair dryer, but I'm not about to go bewaring people about it.

Dual voltage hair appliances work great until they don't. And cheapie appliances tend to be less reliable than better quality ones. And the sun rises in the east.

So go ahead -- use one. Your choice. But this OP <u>wants to buy a single voltage flat iron</u>. The question was will the same one work in different countries. The answer is yes.

Perhaps she doesn't realize she need not buy one only for use in Europe. Nice underlining, though, kudos.

My dual voltage hair dryer blew the fuse in the entire floor of my Rome hotel. A few days later, the same thing happened in Venice. I then went into the nearest Standa or Upim and bought a new inexpensive one to get me through the rest of the trip. That was more than ten years ago and I'm still using the Italian one whenever we go to Europe. I'm sure there are a lot of people who have never had a problem with their appliances, but I know many who have. I like knowing that mine will probably present no problem there. It's still going strong after all this time, but probably has only had, in reality, a couple of years of usage.

Something I never liked about my dual voltage hair dryer was that when switched to European voltage, there was no slow fan speed. The way it worked was to mechanically prevent selecting the High speed setting, and having all the increased voltage run it at High and Hot when set on the Low setting. (I hope this makes sense - I could never write a technical manual.)

And I know that this discussion is about flat irons/hair straighteners, so please forgive me for continuing on about hair dryers.

>>Perhaps she doesn't realize she need not buy one only for use in Europe.<<

Oh, I'm pretty sure tuscanlifeedit has traveled enough to know the difference.

Well, I think I'm going to buy one. I hope to continue to travel to Europe as much as in the past, when I had curly wash and go hair. I want to buy a "hair straightener" that I feel comfortable with, using in all sorts of accommodations in Europe.

Thanks all.

well thank goodness that's cleared up. I had mind pictures of tuscanlifeedit doing her ironing whilst travelling and thought that's keen!!

I bought one in Paris at Darty in 2005 (I think that's correct)...anyway, it has been to Paris 10 times, London 5 times, Rome & Florence twice, Munich twice, etc. AND it still works great!! In fact, I think it gets hotter than my US model. I have curly hair that I prefer to wear straight, so I completely understand your thought process, tuscanlifeedit!

northie, I don't even do my ironing at home.

A wrinkle might get hit with an iron every couple of months, but I'm generally not that kind of girl.

Now I get it. jansj must be angling for a free European hair straightener! Only that could explain her tenacity in rebutting my every remark.

When my dual voltage hair dryer blew the circuit for the entire small hotel in San Quirico d'Orcia, I was mortified! On our next trip, I bought s travel hair dryer in Paris. However, it didn't have enough power to dry my thick, curly hair. I've basically decided to just put my hair up when I travel, or let it do what it wants (and avoid mirrors!)

Life must be difficult for you, newbE--surrounded by people who are so stupid and lacking in common sense--unwilling to accept your superiority.

That's how Kanye must feel.

I've never used a flat iron, but have used dual voltage curling irons, electric curlers (travel set) and hair dryers all over Europe with no problems. My home hair dryer is also my travel dryer I take on every trip (it's small and the handle folds). Some appliances you need to manually switch while others switch on their own. The trick to using any dual voltage appliance that heats is to turn it to the low setting, not high. At low, it will operate as if on high in the US.

I have read flat irons are a bit more temperamental and don't produce the proper heat.

Well said elberko!

NewbE, illegitimi non carborundum.

I bought one 7 years ago after my US straightener bit the dust in Paris with an adapter. It has worked in France, Italy and Portugal--totally worth the money.

I have never had any luck with a US hair appliance in other countries...I have very thick hair and nothing gets hot enough or is powerful enough to work well.

I bought my thick-curly-hair granddaughter a European version of a hair straightener on eBay and it worked a treat in Ireland. My dual-voltage travel hair dryer on the other hand refused to switch from 110 to 220 or whatever and it now resides somewhere in a landfill near Dublin. I bought an Irish one and it has survived and worked well for two visits.

I purchased this iron from Magellan's back in 2010 for a trip to Germany, and I have used it on several trips abroad since. It's great. And I can use here in States as well. Just use your adapter and you are ready to go!

http://www.magellans.com/itemdy00.aspx?T1=MEP109

Nope, too many stories of dual voltage not working. I'm getting a 220 v.