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Adapter vs Converter: Which Do You Need Abroad?
Adapter vs converter: chargers need only a plug adapter; hair dryers and heating appliances need a converter or a dual-voltage model. Read the label.
Adapter vs converter is the first question to settle before packing anything with a plug. An adapter changes the shape of the plug; a converter changes the voltage. Your chargers need only the first, and anything that heats up may need the second. One line on the label tells you which.
Read the label
Every charger and appliance states its input near the cord or on the power brick.
| Label says | Meaning | In a 230 V country |
|---|---|---|
| 100–240 V ~ 50/60 Hz | Dual-voltage | Adapter only |
| 110–120 V ~ 60 Hz | Single-voltage, US | Converter, or leave it at home |
| 120/240 V with a switch | Switchable | Flip the switch, adapter only |
Phones, tablets, laptops, cameras, e-readers, toothbrush bases and most shavers are dual-voltage. Hair dryers, straighteners, curling irons, travel kettles and clothes steamers sold in the US are often single-voltage, because heating elements are built for one supply.
Adapters
An adapter is a passive shape changer. US plugs are Type A (two flat pins) and Type B (two flat pins plus a round ground pin). The destinations on this site use nine other socket types, and the plug pages show each country's type and whether a US plug fits at all.
Type C, the two-round-pin Europlug, fits sockets of Type C, E, F, J, K, L and N, which covers most of Europe. A Type C adapter is the cheapest, lightest way to charge across the continent. Grounded plugs need grounded adapters: a laptop brick with a three-pin Type B plug does not fit a two-pin Type C adapter, so buy one with a ground pin for the destination (Type E/F for most of Europe, Type G for the UK and Ireland, Type I for Australia and China). Universal adapters cover most shapes in one block; check the wattage rating if you plan to run anything beyond chargers through them.
Converters
A converter steps 230 V down to 120 V. They are rated in watts and must exceed the appliance's wattage, so a 1,875 W hair dryer needs a 2,000 W converter, which is a brick rather than a travel accessory. Cheap "travel converters" rated 50–200 W are for shavers, not dryers. The practical answer for heating appliances is a dual-voltage travel model, or the one in the hotel bathroom.
Frequency
The US runs at 60 Hz; most of Europe and Asia run at 50 Hz. Chargers do not care. A few motor-driven or clock devices run slightly fast or slow. Japan is the odd case with both 50 and 60 Hz depending on the region, which is why its plug page notes it.
Countries that fool people
The Philippines has sockets that accept flat US pins, so the plug fits, but the supply is 230 V: chargers are fine, a US hair dryer is not. Mexico runs at 127 V on US-shaped sockets, which is close enough that everything from home works. Switzerland accepts the ungrounded Type C plug but not the grounded Type F, so a European adapter with side clips does not fit.
Adapter vs converter comes down to the label: dual-voltage means adapter, single-voltage means converter or stay home, and the plug pages give the verdict for each destination.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a voltage converter for my phone charger?
No. Phone, tablet, laptop and camera chargers are rated 100–240 V and work on any country's supply. They need only a plug adapter where the socket shape differs.
What happens if I plug a 120 V hair dryer into a 230 V socket?
It draws far more power than it was designed for, overheats and usually fails within seconds, sometimes tripping the circuit. Use a dual-voltage model or a converter rated above its wattage.
Does a universal travel adapter convert voltage?
Almost never. Universal adapters change the pin shape only. Some include USB ports with their own power supply, which is not the same as converting mains voltage.