I'm planning to purchase a universal adaptor in advance of my trip to Switzerland and Italy. I have two questions...

1) Is there a particular model/brand that you would recommend? Any that I should avoid?

2) I will be using the adaptor for my cell phone (I bought a Telestial phone for use overseas), digital camera, iPod and laptop computer. In addition to the adaptor, do I need to purchase any kind of voltage converter or surge protector?

By >universal adapter< do you mean plug adapter? Do any of your appliances have a grounding pin in the plug, or just the normal two-blades? If just two blades then all you need is the 'type C' adapter in http://kropla.com/electric2.htm. They are simple devices, and and brand will do. Magellan's is one source of adapters and tranformers.

Do you need a voltage converter? If any of your appliances are 120V only, then yes, you will need a travel transformer. Do NOT buy a solid state voltage converter - anything electronic should be used only with a transformer, which is typically rated for no more than about 50 or 60 watts in travel sizes.

Look on each of your appliances for the electrical requirements. If it says something like 100-240V 50/60Hz, then it will not need a transformer, and can and should be used with a converter plug only.

If your iPod is like mine, it can be charged through a USB port on your laptop. Otherwise, you can buy an Apple iPod USB Power Adapter.

Lastly, do you need a surge protecter? The same rules apply as at home. If you don't have one, then only operate your laptop with the battery, and plug it into the mains just to recharge with the computer off. I use a Belkin Notebook Travel Surge Protector, which is compact and light, allowing me to safely work with the laptop plugged into the mains.

When I wrote: &quot;If just two blades then all you need is the 'type C' adapter...&quot; I wasn't very clear. That is all you need to adapt your two-blade American plug to use in a European socket, <i>provided the appliance is multi-voltage (100-240V) 50/60Hz.</i>

This is a confusing subject, and you will no doubt get many other replies. I live in Europe, and use several American appliances with tranformers and adapter plugs, so it is routine for me. If you are still unsure after reading replies to this thread, take your appliances to an electronics technician who is familiar with travel issues. The spotty sales clerk in Radio Shack probably won't know the right answers.

Your laptop will probably require a grounded plug adapter. Switzerland has its own version of grounded plugs, different than the standard Continental grounded plug. The Swiss grounded model has three round prongs with the one in the middle offset.

Italy's grounded plug has three prongs in a line, at least sometimes. There have been discussions of Italy's various plugs here on Fodors in the past few days. Check out http://tinyurl.com/2uuh99, http://tinyurl.com/yrpszu, http://tinyurl.com/2a8r8a, and http://tinyurl.com/226zw5.

Based on this recent first hand experience it appears that Italy does not have a standard plug. For a general introduction to the electrical situation throughout Europe see http://tinyurl.com/2y9zvv.

Look at the nameplates on all of your equipment. It they all say 110-240 volt and 50-60 Hz then you do not need a transformer, just a plug adapter.

Good advice from hopscotch. It may be that all your appliances will be 100-240V or 120/240V, in which case all you will need is the plug adapter. Don't plug anything into the wall socket unless you are 100% sure, though.

My US laptop had only two flat blades on the plug (no ground pin), so the two round pin plug adapter worked fine (it was 100-240V).

Hopscotch, according to Kropla the two-pin plugs will fit into the Swiss three pin grounded sockets. Did you find that to be true?

I'm not familiar with the term &quot;grounded&quot; and what it means for me. Would this be an example of a grounded plug adapter?

http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html...sin=B000JEYAG2

&gt;two-pin plugs will fit into the Swiss three pin grounded sockets.
Correct

These are the US plugs: http://kropla.com/!ab.htm. The lower (Type B) has a ground pin. If all your devices have Type A plugs, then all you need is a two pin adapter plug.

Again, and I can't emphasize it enough, check the specs on all your devices to determine which can be plugged directly into European wall sockets (with the adapter) and which need to be used with a transformer.

I ended up buying a &quot;step down transformer&quot; and a &quot;world adapter kit&quot; from Brookstone.

The step down transformer has prongs on it that appear to match the outlets in Switzerland and Italy.

However, the salesman at Brookstone told me that, in spite of this, I also needed the world adapter kit. He said that if there was a surge, the world adapter kit would protect my electronics (e.g. laptop, camera, etc.).

Can anyone attest to the accuracy of this statement, or did I get duped by a salesman hoping to sell an extra $25 worth of goods?

Here are the links to the items I bought:

http://brookstone.com/store/product....=Result*R1C1*T

http://brookstone.com/store/product....=Result*R1C1*T

By the way, I check all of my electronics (including my laptop), and they all say 100-240V 50/60Hz.

You got duped, big time.

Since all of your electronics work fine at 220V, there is no need to 'step down' to 110V. Don't bring or use the step down transformer - let the power supply for you electronics do that for you.

As for the &quot;if there is a surge&quot; comment, again I think you were duped. Yes, technically it might be true, but it's no different than in the US.

Specifically for your laptop, it does not run directly off of AC power straight from the outlet, but rather at some DC voltage between 16-20V (each brand is different). The DC voltage comes out of the power supply brick.

I use a 99c adaptor I picked up long ago (2 round prongs) and it works just fine.

&gt;&gt;&gt;By the way, I check all of my electronics (including my laptop), and they all say 100-240V 50/60Hz.&lt;&lt;&lt;

In an earlier post I wrote: &quot;It may be that all your appliances will be 100-240V or 120/240V, in which case all you will need is the plug adapter.&quot;

DON'T operate your devices with the stepdown transformer you have bought - take it back for a refund. Your devices are designed to be used directly from the mains (wall sockets) anywhere in Europe and North America, and just about anywhere else in the world. I wouldn't trust it as a surge protector, either.

Now for the Interchangeable Travel Adapter Kit: why carry around adapters for UK and Australian sockets, when you will be going only to Switzerland and Italy? The base unit included in the kit, that &quot;tells you which voltage is present&quot; is an unecessary gimmick. All you will need is an adapter that allows you to use your US plugs in a European Shuko socket. J62 paid about the right price for one.

&gt;&gt;&gt;Specifically for your laptop, it does not run directly off of AC power straight from the outlet, but rather at some DC voltage between 16-20V (each brand is different). The DC voltage comes out of the power supply brick.&lt;&lt;&lt;

I'm not so sure about that statement. The operating instructions for my laptop state: &quot;When your computer is directly connected to the AC adapter it uses AC power, even if a battery is installed.&quot; I would still advise you use a surge protector such as the Belkin I mentioned in a previous post.

ameelynn, here a a couple of websites to help you get up to speed on travel electricity requirements:

http://www.planetranger.com/site/htm...elec_etc.shtml

http://kropla.com/electric.htm

Thanks for the replies, everyone. I'll probably have to take the transformer back to Brookstone when I get back from my trip. They have a 30-day return policy, so I should be okay since my trip is 20 days long.

I will not even pack the transformer.

With regard to a surge protector... If I do not have time to find/purchase the Belkin surge protector prior to my trip (I leave in less than 24 hours), I'm assuming it is okay for me to just take one of the surge protectors that I use here at home? If that's the case, then I suppose the computer (HP Pavillion laptop) would plug into the surge protector, the surge protector would plug into the adaptor and the adaptor would plug into the wall outlet. Sound right?

ameelynn, check the voltage rating on your surge protector - if it is for 110-120V only, it won't be any good in Europe. My Belkin is 100-240V, so I can use it in both Europe and the US.

Without a surge protector your best option is to charge the computer battery with the computer turned off. Then unplug the computer from the wall and operate it with the battery. That way you won't have to worry about power surges damaging the computer electronics.

Here's what it says:

Suppressed Voltage Rating: 330V (L-NL - GN - G)
Rating: 125Vac 15A 60Hz 1875W

Thanks for your continued assistance. I'm sure its a bit frustrating to have to keep answering so many questions, but I'm learning a lot from you guys and I very much appreciate the help.

I'm not sure what 'Supressed Voltage Rating' means, but the 'Rating: 125Vac 15A 60Hz 1875W' indicates to me that the surge protector is for US voltage only.

Unless you plan to spend a lot of time on your computer, you should be able to use it with the battery and then recharge it after you have turned it off.

Surge wise, it really doesn't matter if you're just charging or actually working with your laptop. The risk is the same. Well, since my first CBM PET PC I never experienced a power surge that destroyed the PC. Even on those that work 24/7 the worst thing that happened were failing capacitors in the power supply.

&gt; AC power straight from the outlet, but rather at some DC voltage between 16-20V
The notebook always operates on 16-20V DC, this is either supplied from the outlet to the &quot;brick&quot; (power supply) or from the battery. The &quot;brick&quot; &quot;transforms&quot; the 230V/AC to 16-20V DC and feeds it to the notebook.

Logos, are you saying the computer electronics are still at risk even if the battery is being charged with the computer switched off?

Yes. It's not &quot;off&quot; it's in charging mode.
Disconnect it.