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Step 1
What Do Wall Plug Adapters Do? Plug adapters allow you to plug appliances made in one country into the very different kind of wall plugs found in another country. You won’t believe what shapes and sizes they come in! Some countries, like England and India, might even have two or three different types of wall plugs, because they’re converting from an old to a new style, but slowly.
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Step 2
How Many Adapters Should You Buy? Make sure to buy enough plug adapters for all of the appliances you’re bringing, from your computer to your hair drier to the battery charger for your camera. And don’t wait until you get there, they usually don’t sell adapters for American appliances anywhere but in America. (A link to TeleAdapt, where you can buy adapters online, is provided in the Resources section at the end of this article.)
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Step 3
What’s Up With That Grounding Prong?: That pesky third round on some American plugs is a “grounding” prong, put there to make sure that your appliance doesn’t get ruined in the very off chance that the connection to the positive or negative prong is damaged. You can bypass it using the three-to-two prong adapter available at most hardware stores.
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Step 4
What is Voltage and Why Should You Care? Voltage is a measure of the energy it takes to move an electrical charge from one point (the wall plug) to another (your hair drier). The difference in the amount of electric charge is measured in volts. In America, electricity flows to wall plugs at about 120V. In Europe, the current moves at about twice that rate. As you might imagine, a 240V current will literally blow your 120V appliance away.
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Step 5
Is Your Appliance Dual-Voltage?: Many appliances, especially travel versions of appliances like small hairdryers, have a switch that lets you choose between 120V and 240V. You need to make sure you switch it to the correct voltage, otherwise it’ll burn up.
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Step 6
Will Your Device Auto-Detect Voltage? Most laptop computers, video cameras, and battery chargers are made for both voltages, and will automatically detect and adjust the voltage. You’ll usually find the voltage capacity of the appliance on the back of the device, stamped into the plastic. (By the way, the dual-voltage immersion heater is my favorite little device for heating water on the road.)
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Step 7
Consider Transforming: If you want to travel with a few appliances that don't switch between 120 and 240V, consider packing a transformer. Americans visiting France will need to plug your 120V appliances into a 240V wall plug, so you'll need to boost the voltage with a step-up transformer. If you're from France and are traveling to America, you'll need a 240V to 120V step-down transformer.
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Step 8
Wattage Matters: Buy a transformer that will handle the highest-wattage appliance you want to use. In general, the higher the wattage the device can handle, the higher the price tag of the transformer. You can buy transformers that can both step-up and step-down, which are even more expensive. Transformers are large and heavy, but worthwhile investments if you’re not planning on carrying your own luggage or you're staying put for extended periods of time.
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Step 9
Euro Power-Plug PackAll adapters and devices mentioned in this primer can be ordered online at TeleAdapt, a company who has been in the business longer than anyone. (See the link in the Resources section below.) They have a huge online catalog where you can buy individual plugs or handy power-plug packs for countries or regions. They also offer 24x7 phone support around the world, and I know firsthand that they have excellent customer service. Bon Voyage!
