Hmm, I’ve never heard of hostels having these for people to use. Most people bring their own. But, why not email them to ask?

If not, you could always try and borrow them for a short time from a fellow traveler.

What are you planning to plug in? You will need a "UK" adapter plug and a "europe" adapter plug, but depending on what you’re taking you may or may not need a converter. Many battery chargers and electronic gizmos will accept 220 volts (check the "inputs" on the charger or on the oversized plug) so don’t need a converter.

I decided to buy my own today at REI. My digital camera and MP3 player are too important to me to risk battery charger "voltage fry." The one at REI automatically detects the change from 220 to 110, has the different connections, and comes in a small handy travel bag (isn’t that special?). It is an Eagle Creek "Auto Dual Wattage" Converter Set. The price was $50 but ask REI about possible discounts. After a discount, it was about $40.

I think this issue is too important to take for granted. An expensive electrical item can be damaged without the proper converter set. I recommend that you get your own for the amount of travel you will be doing "for the rest of your life!" Borrowing one "wherever you go" will be a drag.

I hope that helps. If there are "alternative" views, I appreciate your "direct" advice. (Get it, AC/DC?)

Keepmovin: Your digital camera and MP3 player will be fine without the converter (assuming they accept 220 as "input&quot and I really doubt that you’ll be less likely to "voltage fry" by using a converter. Plugging anything into a wall outlet that was wired for 220 volts in 1898 is a crapshoot. My view is you now have another item (your $40 + shipping + tax, converter) that it’s possible to fry.

Thanks Old Lady. Wow, that sounds sarcastic. Anyway, the great thing about REI is that I can return the product anytime for a full refund. I will carry it with me and see if it was a waste of money. The guys and gals at REI informed me that, with the many countries I will be traveling to in Europe and with my stay in China for a year, the converter may come in handy. They have never treated me with coercive intent.

I appreciate your advice about being cautious about the converter itself, though. I will learn a lot about this issue in the next year. I will be the converter expert! Well, maybe I will become the "converter fool." Life is about learning and making mistakes. Wow, I just made that up—I’m so intellectual.

It may come in handy if you know how to use it. Look at the electronic item you’re plugging in and see what it says as its input range. If you see something like 110V-240V, and you’re in Europe, you do not need a converter. North American electricity works at 110 and European is about 220 so if your item has that as an input range, all you need is a plug adaptor.

If using the converter, you have to make sure it’s on the right setting, otherwise you’ll fry everything. Read the instructions carefully.

And even with all that, I find converters don’t work so well because they’re heavy and they have a tendency to just fall out of the wall. Or overheat. Or both.

Thanks for the advice, Segacs. (Is a Segacs really the Matrix?) I think, based on Old Lady and your advice, it may be wise just to return the converter and just have the adapter. If both of you have uncovered that the converter is a waste of money, it is good to just carry a simple light-weight adapter. Old Lady refers to the UK and Europe adapters. However, then I see on the Internet (http://kropla.com/el…) that there are several adapters for Europe: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, I, J, K, and M. So, now I am back to thinking about purchasing the entire set! Well, I will take the REI "thang" with me and get back to this website with details of "was my $40 a waste of money?" or not.

Thanks to Kevinseo for starting this useful discussion. You’re it, man, really, you’re the one!

There are lots of different adapters because some outlets are grounded, some have extra safety features (like a GFI circuit in the US) and a few outlets are recessed and have a ground plug that’s reversed (a ground prong actually sticks out of outlet). To get a perfect fit with every type of outlet you’d need numerous plugs.

HOWEVER, all you REALLY need is the general 2-prong "Europe" adapter and the UK one. The converter will usually plug directly into the standard European outlet, but if it’s one of the recessed outlets, sometimes the converter won’t fit, so you have to use an extra adapter plug — which makes the "fall out of the wall" problem even more likely to occur. The 2 adapters you need come with the standard converter (usually comes with a 4 or 5 adapter set) or you can buy a 4 or 5 adapter set for around $10 at Target or Sally Beauty supply.

I recently got a converter set from target for 17.99…it has multiple plugs and hopefully will work to recharge my batteries while I;m in europe.

I successfully plug my cell phone into a UK socket adaptor, and that goes into the wall outlet. This summer, I will bravely attempt the same worrisome feat with my digital camera battery recharger. Both of those items are rated "120-240". As for an electric toothbrush (go ahead, have your laugh), that gets recharged using a 240—>120 transformer that has a standard US outlet.

I would say that if your battery recharger is a separate "thing" unpluggable from the item it goes with, you risk only the charger if you fail to observe the rating notation closest to the electrical input. If all things are housed together (like my cell phone), you must make sure that what goes into it comforms to what is allowed by the rating.

Thank goodness we are separated from Europe by an entire ocean that no extension cord could reach cross to reduce the possibility of mistakes in daily life on this issue.

Noreen — you may not need a converter to charge your batteries. Check the "inputs" for your charger. If it accepts 220 as an input you don’t need the converter, just the adapter plugs (also on sale this week at Target).

Also,
There are adapters that are multi-input and multi-output that are around 8USD. Samsonite has several to choose from: s0=C35TYPT01&storeId=10151&langId=-1” title=“http://www.samsonitecompanystores.com/webapp/scs/servlet/SProductSelector?productcategory=C35&amps0=C35TYPT01&storeId=10151&langId=-1”>http://www.samsonite…

Happy travels

Hi: I am back from my four week European trip. While I was there my camera gave out so bought a new one in Germany, It’s a Pentax Optio S51 digital.
The salesman assured me that I could use the battery charger in Canada. Once home now of course when looking at the gadget it only has the 250V connection. It says 2.5A 250V
What adapter should I be looking for and is an adapter safe or should I be looking to buy a new battery charger only for Canada??

So do the Apple chargers that come with the g4 powerbook work safetly plugged straight into the wall with just the correct male adapter from apple? I mean, i dont need a seperate contraption like a power surge protector or a watt converter or a tessla coil do I ?? ; )

Sheepster: Probably "yes" but check the "inputs" accepted to make sure it includes 220 volts. It will say on the plug or, if it doesn’t have an oversized plug, on the box on the power cord.

ruby: You can buy a reverse adapter for US current — but it will probably cost as much as a new charger. Try Radio Shack (explain your problem) or check on-line at one of the stores that sells obscure travel gizmos.

I actually went into Radio Shack as Old lady suggested and walked out 5 minutes later happy as a clam. For 5.99 I got the proper cord that I needed. Thanks for the help