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Do I need a converter or an adaptor?

11 years ago

I am so confused. We are leaving for Italy this weekend and I don't know if I need converters or adaptors. I have a dual voltage curling iron. Does that mean I need an adaptor? I want to take my IPad. Which does that require? How do I know what I need without ruining my electronics?

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Comments (7)

yayagal
11 years ago
You definitely need an adapter for your Ipad. Most places that sell luggage sell them, as for the curling iron, if it has it's own adapter that's fine. Google online to see which adapter is right for your Ipad.
mitchdesj
11 years ago
The Apple store sells adapters for their products, DH got some a few years ago.
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User
11 years ago
For the curling iron, unless it came with an adapter (i.e., a different plug-end), you'll need it, too, as the outlets it plugs into are different. Most international airports carry converter kits, too. Then remember to switch it to DC when using it overseas.
terezosa / terriks
11 years ago
You should just need plug adapter for both. The curling iron is dual voltage, and the iPad charger supports both 110v and 220v

Here is a link that might be useful: iPad forum
awm03
11 years ago
Below's a good article with explanations & pictures. It discusses curling irons. Just for a head's up, when we were in Italy last year, the 2 prong adapter I bought at Best Buy fit in some places and didn't in others (too narrow). I don't know whether the outlets aren't standardized or whether my adapter was slightly off. Fortunately, DH brought one lent to him by his company (he works for a European firm). So don't buy the cheapest adapter at Best Buy!

Here is a link that might be useful: adapters vs. converters
sovra
11 years ago
I was in Italy recently. You will need an adapter. A US plug won't even fit into their outlets over there-- the prongs are completely different.

I got mine at Staples, but they also carry them at Target. (My Target only had 1 left and it looked like it had been opened, so I went to Staples instead.)

You may also want to minimize the amount of time you leave things plugged in, even with the adapter. A woman in the lobby at one of the hotels we visited said that some hotels use a non-standard voltage and that it was possible to fry electronics even with the adapter. I don't know if there's any truth to it or not, but it did keep me from plugging in as much as I would have otherwise. Since I kept my iPad off or in airplane mode most of the time, I made it through a week with about 20% battery to spare-- you may not need to charge it up as you would if you were using it more heavily. I did run out of battery in my camera before I left... but it was the day before leaving, and I felt that the photos I had were probably more than enough.

Good luck with your trip!
maire_cate
11 years ago
Check with Apple before you leave.

My son had both a convertor and an adapter for his Mac when we went to Ireland last fall. Neither worked. He didn't realize that good old Apple had some special proprietary adapter that he needed instead which required a trip to a computer store to buy.

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