I am going to Italy from America and am confused about the Converters/Adaptors?
I am going to Italy from America and am confused about the Converters/Adaptors. Do I need both? Also do I need special types for certain appliances such as a cell phone charger, laptop charger, hair straightener, blow dryer, camera charger, etc... Also if I plan to travel around Europe will the same time of converter or adaptor that I get for Italy work throughout other places in Europe such as Greece, France, Germany, and Spain? Also any additional information you know that would be helpful for me would be great. I am so confused about so many things and would love to be 100% prepared before I go overseas.
Other - Italy - 5 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
If you want to use American electrical devices in Italy, you'll need a plug adapter or power converter. egypt lover http://www.travelviaegypt.com/
2 :
You'll need one voltage converter, which will drop down the European 240 volts to the US 110 volts (so you don't blow out your equipment). You will need different plug adaptors for different countries. Note if you are going to be using the converter for both charging and heat-producing appliances, it will need to be a combination wattage converter. It's pricey, but absolutely necessary. Here's one that includes the four most common adaptor plugs: http://www.magellans.com/store/Adaptor_Plugs___Converters___Adaptor___Converter_KitsEA247?Args= Also, note that a lot of appliances and laptops are dual voltage, which means they don't need a voltage converter. It will say it on the item, or you'll see something like 110/240 or AC100V-240V.
3 :
I've lived in Italy for the past ten years and most of my electronics were bought in the US including several laptops, a couple of short wave radios, and cameras/chargers. I have never had or needed a voltage converter for any of them. For the laptop, cell phone charger, and camera charger all you need is the plug adapter. The same one will work in most of Europe as long as you're not going to the EU. Check the power supply. The label will say something like Input: 100 - 240 Vac 50/60 hz. This tells you that it accepts both European and North American input power. You'll want something like this: http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2104181 . They're widely available. In addition to Radio Shack, you can find them at Target, Walmart, Brookstones, Best Buy most luggage stores, airport shops, ... For the hair products, you need to check the product literature for a similar statement. Some are dual voltage and others may have a switch that you have to set to change from one voltage to the other. In either case, you need a plug adapter. If you have older products that are only for US voltages, you need the voltage converter. If you do need a voltage converter for these, it should be a high wattage type. If you do end up getting a voltage converter as well as a plug adapters, check the product literature for the chargers, laptops etc. I have several Sony cameras and the instructions for use specifically say NOT to use them with a voltage converter to avoid potential damage. You can buy plug adapters/voltage converters here in Europe as well.
4 :
My husband bought an adapter for me. It is a black box looking thing. It is like an international adaptor. I can plug in my american flat iron, and cell phone charger. Or flip a switch and plug in the hair dryer I bought here. The plug looked like the regular italian plugs, but was not. lol. But it fits into the adaptor. Not sure where he got it though. Sorry. If you are staying in hotels, you can call ahead and ask if they have any converters or adaptors available.
5 :
Hi there, First things first - check your appliances' chargers! They will tell you if you need a power converter. How to do this? Fairly straightforward - take (say) a phone charger. Look for a label featuring many security compliance logos as well as the word "INPUT" (usually quite small). If you see "100-240 V" or "110-230 V" (or any permutation similar to that), your charger does not need a Voltage converter, only a plug adapter (see link in sources for an example!) If you get a simple two-prong plug adapter (usually something like "US-Europe") you will be fine. It is best to get two pronged adapter as all European plugs (except the UK) have holes for two prongs, with slight regional (but negligible) differences. I have found a really useful plug adapter (see link below) which can adapt US (and other plugs) into European two-pronged, UK bulky three-pronged, Australian and (if necessary) US two-pronged. It also protects my appliances against power spikes and surges. Final advantage: it is small and portable. You may however, want to pick your own adapter - and the one for Italy will (as I said earlier) work fine in all European countries except the UK and Ireland. Hope this helped and enjoy visiting Europe! JPJ
Read more discussions :
