Ireland: Adapter or converter?
 

Hello. My friends and I leave for Ireland in 1 week from tomorrow! To say that we are excited would be a HUGE understatement. I am putting all the finishing touches to my plans, and I have just a few questions.

1. Do I need to buy a converter for Ireland or just an adapter? I will be taking my phone charger, camera chargers, kindle charger, hairdryer, and hair straightener.

2. Depending on which one I need, can you recommend a good one? I have been looking on Amazon, but most of the reviews send mixed signals. Some say they work well in Ireland while others say they don't.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Where are you coming from?

We live in the US and needed both--the adaptor because the plugs are different and the converter because the current is different. DH ordered a combo one from the UK.

You need an adapter.. then for anything which is not duel voltage you need a converter. What are you planning to bring.. Hair dryers, irons anything that has a heating element will run hotter than normal so either buy local or avoid long use.

Most places have hair dryers these days so no need to bring one. I haven't used a converter but my iron does run hot as Tony said so I just turn it down to 1/2 normal heat and don't leave it on real long. As far as cameras,etc. most are dual voltage. I just bring an adapter for the different plugs.

That said, people have told me that I'm lucky using the iron without a converter but after 10 trips all over Europe & Ireland I've never had an issue--maybe just lucky.

< Do I need to buy a converter for Ireland or just an adapter? I will be taking my phone charger, camera chargers, kindle charger, hairdryer, and hair straightener. >

For the chargers, you'll need an adapter only. Every one of those should be dual voltage. If not, you must have a really old phone and camera. (The Kindle will be dual voltage, no doubt).

For the hair-manglers, you're better off NOT taking a hairdryer even if you have an adapter. Check the voltage specs on the hair-straightener and if it's 110-250v AC, then you just need an adapter.

If your hotel has hair dryers (most do, unless you're staying in a hostel) and you really need a hair straightener, you might be better off just buying an inexpensive one when you get to Ireland. No worries about whether it'll fry, and probably not much more expensive than buying a converter and lugging it there (mine is not light).

I use a Chi daily at home, and have borrowed a British one before for a UK trip, but the last several years I've found life is just easier when I don't worry about whether my hair is perfectly straight on vacation!

It has become so simple, so do not fret.

In the olden days, I lugged an idiot converter with me, mainly because I had to have this new "high tech" digital video camera with me. I carried grounded outlet adapters with me everywhere for goodness sakes.

15 years later...
I don't have a single hair dryer or curler that is not dual voltage now, and actually, now I never carry either appliance.

Shop for dual voltage (with the expectation you must use a UK adaptor) or just borrow something at the hotels.

Obviously as a carry-on devotee, I'd say, "borrow". Most places have a hair dryer of sorts.

All electronics now are dual voltage, no matter what the store guys say. I just had another "geek" guy tell me with all confidence as I was running for cheap UK adapter before a London flight (because my husband LOST his) that "This will not be able to charge your smartphone--it will blow it out."

My response: "You're nuts! I've been charging everything on adapters before you hit high school!

Nothing against geeks--I'd be PROUD to be a geek.

Here's the deal:
I carry a dual USB charger and plunk it into an UK/Ireland adaptor and push it into the outlet. My husband carries the same.

Because husband carries iPad, he has to have the Apple USB cord (and it takes forever sometimes). My Kindle, my US Android phone (I put it on airplane mode and just use its Wifi), and my cheapie Europe GSM phone all take the same USB connector.

Here is an example of a dual USB charger:
http://www.target.com/p/griffin-powe...8/-/A-14507189

but there are SO many out there. I grab things at TJMaxx/Marshalls check-out lines.

Again, no matter what sales people tell you, it's just NoT that hard. :)

Enjoy Ireland. We do equate it to "joy" in our lives.
AZ

<i>
Ireland: Adapter or converter?
Posted by: Holly217 on Mar 6, 14 at 8:12am Posted in: Europe Tagged: Ireland
1. Do I need to buy a converter for Ireland or just an adapter? I will be taking my phone charger, camera chargers, kindle charger, hairdryer, and hair straightener. </i>

A converter is potentially a dangerous device. See http://tinyurl.com/luva2b3.

Hair dryers have been furnished in every hotel, hostel, B&B, and college dorm I've stayed in for years. That includes a trip to Ireland and the UK six years ago. Hair straighteners are not furnished.

You will definitely need a plug adapter. With all your electrical devices you might want to consider bringing a 250 volt power surge strip so you can plug all your chargers in overnight. Spare electrical outlets are not common in Europe.