mamato4 Posted March 1, 2016 Share Posted March 1, 2016 This will be our first trip to Europe (UK and France). Will we need to purchase adaptors to charge our phones and tablets? For hairdryers also? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted March 1, 2016 Share Posted March 1, 2016 (edited) This will be our first trip to Europe (UK and France). Will we need to purchase adaptors to charge our phones and tablets? For hairdryers also? If you are staying in a hotel, just use the hotel hairdryers. You are dealing with two different things: voltage and plug shape. If your appliances are voltage switching, some phones and tablets are, then all you need is a plug adaptor. If not, then you need a voltage converter. Edited March 1, 2016 by Laura Corin 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted March 1, 2016 Share Posted March 1, 2016 Phones and tablets are usually dual voltage 110V~220V nowadays. My travel hairdryer is dual voltage. You have to check what is printed on yours. You would need travel adapters as the plugs are different. I am not fond of transformers (voltage converters). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MEmama Posted March 1, 2016 Share Posted March 1, 2016 We just use an adapter. They can be found on Amazon and are inexpensive. Ours has multiple USB ports so we could charge both phones at once. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamato4 Posted March 1, 2016 Author Share Posted March 1, 2016 I just checked all our phone plugs and they're rated 110-240 V. So I'll only need a plug adapter. Does UK and France use the same plug shape? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted March 1, 2016 Share Posted March 1, 2016 So I'll only need a plug adapter. Does UK and France use the same plug shape? They use C and G. See link http://www.worldstandards.eu/electricity/plugs-and-sockets/ We use a universal travel adaptor like this one http://www.amazon.com/Universal-Travel-Adapter-plugs-Charger/dp/B00RIDPQ9W 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted March 1, 2016 Share Posted March 1, 2016 I just checked all our phone plugs and they're rated 110-240 V. So I'll only need a plug adapter. Does UK and France use the same plug shape? Different plug shapes. I haven't stayed at a hotel yet without a dryer available. Sometimes you need to ask at the desk. We buy plug adapters at the Pound Store frequently, so easy to get after you arrive if you want more. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mum Posted March 3, 2016 Share Posted March 3, 2016 We charged phones and laptops in USB ports in UK and France. Worked great. The adaptor/converter is what you need for hairdryer. If you just get adaptor, your hairdryer will die. Walgreens has nice adapter/converter for many countries and it has the country it works in printed on each of the different attachments. That's what we used successfully in UK and France. Weather in UK is changeable with enough rain that my girls gave up styling their hair while we were there😊 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted March 3, 2016 Share Posted March 3, 2016 This will be our first trip to Europe (UK and France). Will we need to purchase adaptors to charge our phones and tablets? For hairdryers also? Just a note: beware of phones. Talk in detail to your provider about charges. With most plans, for example, if you have US phones and are in the UK, if you call a family member (also in the UK), it will count as an international call. When we lived in Hong Kong and visited the UK, I used to turn my Hong Kong phone off and rent a phone at the UK airport to use whilst in the UK. This is one such firm: http://londonphonehire.com/rent-hire-mobile-phone-cell-phone-london-heathrow-airport-uk-london/2596/ Again - check charges, particularly if you want to make or receive to/from the US. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lanny Posted March 3, 2016 Share Posted March 3, 2016 Assuming that you live in the USA, you will need adapters or different cables. You can buy just about anything on eBay. That is my "go to" web site when I need to buy something unusual. Here in Colombia, everything electrical is like in the USA, and the phones and TVs, etc. If we were going to Europe, I would need to get a different cable for the AC Adapter for my laptop and I would need to get different AC chargers for our (GSM) Cell phones. If you have CDMA Cell phones, leave them in the USA. If you have unlocked GSM cell phones, take them with you, if they operate on the GSM bands used in the countries you will be visiting. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumto2 Posted March 3, 2016 Share Posted March 3, 2016 If we need extra cell phones overseas we take pay as you go ones with a limited amount on them. That way we cap the expense, no one can mess up several hundred £'s worth. We put a copy of how to use in whatever country in the case along with the rest of the family's numbers on the trip. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted March 3, 2016 Share Posted March 3, 2016 Another option out there are portable chargers. Some can be plugged in overseas. You can charge your stuff midway through your trip there as well. We bought three of them for our trip. The travel time will be so long that our devices will run out of juice before we get there. We aren't bringing cell phones. I don't know a lot about cell phones, but I thought often times they don't work overseas. (But again, I don't know much about it. I just heard that before.) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamato4 Posted March 3, 2016 Author Share Posted March 3, 2016 We're on a pay-as-you-go plan here in the US. Unless we sign up for roaming service, it won't be a problem for us abroad since we won't be able to make or receive calls. I don't think we'll need to make any calls anyway. We're planning on using messaging apps if our group gets separated. We have free wifi at the rental house and I'm making a list of places that offer free wifi in case we need it when we're out and about. Noting the availability of rental phones. Never thought of that. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted March 3, 2016 Share Posted March 3, 2016 We're on a pay-as-you-go plan here in the US. Unlock your phone if it isn't already unlocked. It takes 1-3 days turnaround for your cell provider to supply the unlock code. Once unlock, you can buy a prepaid SIM there if your phone is compatible. Mine is a quadband GSM type of phone so not much issues internationally. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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