Will my plug work abroad?
Pick where you are from and where you are going. We compare plug shapes, voltage and frequency, and tell you what you actually need to pack.
What an adapter can and cannot do
A plug adapter
Changes the shape of the pins only. It carries no electronics, so it cannot change voltage or frequency. Cheap ones are fine for chargers, but check the amp rating before plugging in a hairdryer or a kettle.
A voltage converter
Rewrites 220–240 V down to 110–120 V (or up). Needed for single-voltage appliances such as some hairdryers, curling irons, electric shavers and travel kettles. Heavy, hot and expensive — often it is easier to buy a dual-voltage device.
Nothing at all
Most phones, laptops, camera chargers and electric toothbrushes are marked 100–240 V, 50/60 Hz. In that case you only need the pin shape to match — or a universal adapter.
How to read a device label
Look for the small print on the power brick. If it says INPUT: 100–240 V, 50/60 Hz the device is dual-voltage and works anywhere in the world; you only need the pins to fit. If it names a single voltage — 120 V 60 Hz or 230 V 50 Hz — it needs a converter on the wrong grid, and plugging it in directly will usually destroy it.
Frequency is the quieter problem. A 50 Hz motor on a 60 Hz supply runs about 20% faster, which matters for clocks, fans and anything with a synchronous motor, but not for electronics that convert to DC anyway.