Travel Plug Adapters

If you’re planning to go out of your country for a bit, either on business or vacation (aka holiday) and will be taking anything requiring a power source, you’re most likely going to need a travel plug adapter to plug that thing in. There are some exceptions (like some countries in the Caribbean) where US-type plugs are used.

For less than $30 you can get an adapter that will convert from just about any plug type to another. The Kensington Travel Plug Adapter shown even has a USB plug that you can swap in to charge your USB devices. But, MAKE SURE anything you plug in will work with the voltage in the country you’re going to. The plug adapters won’t convert power from one voltage to another and could give your trip an unpleasant turn.

I used this travel plug adapter on a recent trip to Germany, and I couldn’t have asked for more. It’s light, small to pack and does the job well. The little sliders in the side let you choose the type of plug you need without having to carry 8 different plugs – allowing it to work in 150 countries. It sports a nice little safety button too that makes sure the sliders don’t move while you’re plugging it into the wall.

Most laptops are now designed with the power adapter being able to handle anywhere from 110-240 volts, but you can find this easily on the label on the power adapter – just to make sure. If you want to use some other device that doesn’t support the voltage at your destination, you need to be looking for a travel power converter instead.