The 5 Best Travel Adapters (2022) - WIRED

When going abroad, the right plugs are essential to keeping your gadgets ... Ceptics Adapter Plug Set for Worldwide International Travel. SkiptomaincontentBackchannelBusinessCultureGearIdeasScienceSecurityPodcastsVideoArtificialIntelligenceClimateGamesNewslettersMagazineEventsWiredInsiderJobsCouponsHowtoKeepPhotosandVideosFromTakingUpSpaceonYourPhoneTheBestiPhone12CasesandAccessoriesHowtoGetYourGoogleStadiaRefundTheBestMouseforEveryKindofGamerBuyingGuidesGadgetLabNewsletterThepandemicisfarfromover,butpartsoftheworldareonceagainwelcomingtravelers.Whetheryou'replanningacountry-hoppingodysseyoraquickbusinesstrip,yourjourneywillgomoresmoothlywiththerightkit.Thatincludesagoodtraveladaptersoyoucansafelychargeallofyourgadgetswhereveryouland.We'vetestedseveral,andourfavoritesbelowwillworkinmostpartsoftheworld. Adaptersmakegreatgiftsfortravelers,andbesuretocheckoutourroundupofothertravelessentialsifyou’reafrequentflier.UpdatedAugust2022:WeswitchedintheZendurePassportIII,addedtheOneWorld65,andremovedthePassportIIProandTwelveSouthPlugBugDuoastheyarenolongeravailable.SpecialofferforGearreaders:Geta1-yearsubscriptiontoWIREDfor$5($25off).ThisincludesunlimitedaccesstoWIRED.comandourprintmagazine(ifyou'dlike).Subscriptionshelpfundtheworkwedoeveryday.Ifyoubuysomethingusinglinksinourstories,wemayearnacommission.Thishelpssupportourjournalism.Learnmore.PleasealsoconsidersubscribingtoWIREDPhotograph:EpickaBestOverallEpickaUniversalTravelAdapterWiththecapabilitytoworkinmorethan150countries,thisaffordableadapterfromEpickawilldothejobformostpeople.Ithasslidersyoupushtorevealthethreemostcommoninternationalplugs—EU,UK,andUS—andyoucanrotatethepinsforsocketsinAustraliaorChina.Thisplugcanrechargeyourpower-hungrydevices,likelaptopsandcamerabatteries,buttherearefourUSB-Aportsonthebottomanda15-wattUSB-Cportonthesideforphones,tablets,smartwatches,andKindles.It’snotaswellconstructedasourothertwouniversaladapterpicksbelow,butit'smuchcheaper.Themainproblemisthelackofanygrounding,whichismeanttoreducestheriskofanelectricalshockifthere'safault,suchasaloosewireinsideadevicewithametalcase.(Thisvideoexplainsgroundingreallywell.)Thankfully,there'soverloadprotectionwithan8-ampfuse,anditcomeswithaspare,butyoushouldnotusethisadapterwithanydevicethathasathirdmetalgroundpinonitsplug.$23atAmazonPhotograph:OneAdaptrUpgradePick(andtheSafest)OneAdaptrOneWorldPDTheOneWorldPDhasslidingtogglesonthesidethatcovertheUS/Canada,theUK,andAustralia/China,andyoucanpopoutamuchsmallerstand-aloneEuropeanadapter.Itpromisestoworkinmorethan150countries.TherearethreeUSB-AportsonthebottomaswellasaUSB-CportthatsupportsPowerDeliveryandQuickCharge3.0todeliverupto18watts.That'senoughtofast-chargemostphonesandtablets,notsomuchalaptop.Youcanpluginyourlaptop'sACchargertospeedilyjuiceitbackup,butthatmeanscarryingtheheavychargingbrickaround.WhatsetstheACplugsapartisthateachoneisearthed.Mostuniversaltraveladaptersoffertwo-pinUSplugsandmakethethirdpinontheUKplugplastic,buttheOneWorldPDprovidesfullygroundedconnectionsforeveryplugtypetoprotectyoufromtheriskofshockduetofaultywiring.Itcanhandleupto10amps.Over-currentprotectionautomaticallyshutsdownthepowerifthere’sabnormalusage,anditresetsviaabuttononthetop.TherareBritishStandard8546complianceguaranteesthattheOneWorldPDhasbeenfullytestedandisoneofthesafesttraveladaptersyoucanbuy.Thedownside?It'sfrequentlyoutofstock. $50atOneAdaptrPhotograph:ZendureForSpeedyChargingZendurePassportIIIZendure'sall-in-onetraveladapteriswhatItossinmybagfirstforeverytrip.IthasaboxydesignwithslidingtogglestoswitchbetweenUS,European,andBritishplugs.(Itcoversmorethan200countries.)There’sanauto-resettingfusetoprotectyourgadgetsfrompowersurges,andthePassportIIIhasa10amplimit.Thelatestversionalsosportsafunky,translucentdesignwithametallicfinish(purpleisbest).Sadly,there'snogroundinghereliketheEpicka,soyoushouldn'tusethisadapterwithanydevicethathasathirdmetalgroundingpinonitsplug.TherearefourUSB-CportsalongsideasingleUSB-AportandanACsocket,soyoucanchargesixdevicessimultaneously.Usinggalliumnitridetechnology,ZendurewasabletoincreasethepoweroutputoftheUSB-Cportto65watts,capableoffullycharginga13-inchMacBookProinundertwohours.Thatmeansyoucanleaveyourlaptop'schargingbrickbehind(ifitchargesviaUSB-C).There’ssupportforthePowerDelivery(PD)andProgrammablePowerSupply(PPS)standards(SamsungusesPPSinitsflagshiprange),soitcanfast-chargealmostanyphoneortablet.It’sexpensive,butthistraveladapterwillsatisfyeventhemostgadget-ladenoftravelers.★AGoodAlternative:TheOneWorld65($69)sportsaverysimilardesign,thesame65Wchargingrate,andsupportformorethan200countries.ButithasthreeUSB-CandtwoUSB-Aports.Itcomesinwhiteandhasa10Afusewithareplacementincluded.WIREDreaderscanalsogetadiscountwiththecodeOneWorld65_15%Off.$80$70atZendureMostPopulargearGiveYourBackaBreakWithOurFavoriteOfficeChairsJulianChokkattugearPowerUpAnywhereWithOurFavoritePortableChargersScottGilbertsongearThe12BestElectricBikesforEveryKindofRideAdrienneSogearTheBestiPhone14CasesandAccessoriesJulianChokkattuPhotograph:CepticsBestTravelAdapterSetCepticsAdapterPlugSetforWorldwideInternationalTravelUniversaladaptersdon'talwaysworkproperlyeverywhere,andmostdonothaveanygrounding.Thecheaperandmorereliablealternativeistobuyindividualadapters.ThisinternationalsetfromCepticsisourfavorite.Itincludesfivetypestocovermostoftheglobe,andtheyareproperlygrounded.Ifyou’revisitingonlyasingledestination,justpacktherelevanttype.NoneoftheseadaptershaveanykindofUSBports,soyouwillneedtobringtherespectivechargingadapterforyourgadgets. ThissetisespeciallygoodforEurope,becauseitincludesTypeC,E/F,andGadapters(moreonthisbelow),soyou’recoveredforanysocket.Cepticsoffersanevencheaperandsmallerfive-pieceset,butwedon’trecommenditbecausetheadaptersareflimsy,there’snogrounding,andtheEuropeanplug'sdesigndoesn’tworkwellwiththerecessedsocketsyouwillsometimesencounter.Thedrawbackofplugadaptersisthatthey’reeasytolose,butatleastCepticsincludesasmallbagforstorage.$15$14atAmazon$14atCepticsPhotograph:RapidXForWirelessChargingRapidXModula5ModularWirelessChargingSystemAfewofthebestwirelesschargerscanbegoodchoicesfortravel.ThismodularsystemfromRapidXiscompactandcapableofwirelesslychargingtwophonesatupto10wattseach,whichmakesitagoodoptionforcouplesorfamilies.Thebeautyisthatyoucanaddorremovepods,andasinglechargingcablecanpoweruptofive.Theysnaptogethermagneticallyandpullapartforeasypacking.Youcanalsogetadditionalphonepods($30),andthere’saversionwithaphonepodandanAppleWatchpod($80).Yougeta30-wattUSpoweradapteranda5-footUSB-Ccableinthebox,soyouwillstillwantatraveladaptertopairwiththissystem.Ifyouplantoaddpods,youwillwantamorepowerfuladapter.(RapidXrecommends65wattsoraboveforthreeormoredevices.) ★AGoodAlternative:TheAmpereHypercube($200)isasimilarideathatcombinesthree10-wattwirelesschargingpadsandaUSB-Cchargingport,withanalarmclock,LEDnightlight,andoptionalsleepsounds.Thefivepanelscanfoldflatorformacube,andtheycanalsobefoldedupconcertina-styleforpacking.You’llneedaUSB-Cchargingcableanda60-wattpoweradapter.Thebuildqualityisn'tstellar,butthiscombinesalotofusefulfeaturesandisfrequentlydiscounted.$80$50atAmazonPhotograph:GettyImagesInternationalPlugTypesandUniversalAdaptersWhatTypeofAdapterDoYouNeed?Thereare15plugtypesinuseacrosstheworld.TypeAandTypeBareusedintheUS,Canada,Mexico,andJapan;TypeCiscommonacrossEurope,SouthAmerica,andAsia;TypeEandTypeFarefoundacrossEuropeinplaceslikeGermany,Russia,andFrance;TypeGisusedintheUnitedKingdom,Ireland,andahandfulofotherplaces;andTypeIisusedinAustralia,NewZealand,China,andArgentina.Universaladapterstendtocoverallofthesetypes.Somecountriesarenotusuallycoveredbyuniversaladapters,suchasIndia(TypeD),Israel(TypeH),andSouthAfrica(TypeMorN).You'llneedtobuyspecificplugadaptersforthoseplaces.Toavoidanysurpriseswhenyouland,double-checkwhattypeyouneedbeforeyoutravel.Ifyou'revisitingjustonedestination,abasicplugadapterthatcaterstooneplugtypeisallyouneed.Fortripstomultipledestinationsorforfrequentflyers,auniversaltraveladaptercanprovemoreversatile.TheuniversaladapterswerecommendherehavethebonusofincludingmultipleUSBportsforchargingseveralmobiledevicesfromasingleoutlet.MostPopulargearGiveYourBackaBreakWithOurFavoriteOfficeChairsJulianChokkattugearPowerUpAnywhereWithOurFavoritePortableChargersScottGilbertsongearThe12BestElectricBikesforEveryKindofRideAdrienneSogearTheBestiPhone14CasesandAccessoriesJulianChokkattuPhotograph:GettyImagesAWordonVoltageConvertersDoyoureallyneedavoltageconverter?Voltageconvertersarebig,heavy,expensive,anddon’talwayswork,soit’sprobablybestnottobuyone.ThereasonyoumightthinkyouneedoneisthattheACsocketsonallofourrecommendedtraveladaptersdonotconvertthevoltagecomingfromthesocket.ThismeanspluggingintoaUKsocketwilldeliver220voltsat50hertz,whichisverydifferentfromthe120voltsat60hertzyoucanexpectintheUS.Don'tworry!Yourgearwon'tgetfried.Youjustneedtomakesureanythingyouplugintooneoftheseuniversaltraveladaptershassomethinglikethisprintedonit: Input:100–220V50/60Hz.Thatshouldincludemostmoderngadgets.Ifyourdeviceorchargercan’thandleavariablevoltage,it’sprobablybesttoleaveitathome.Mostplacesprovidehairdryers,irons,andkettles,sothere’snoneedtotakethemwithyou.It'softencheapertobuyasetwiththecorrectplugatyourdestinationandsaveluggagespaceandhassle.SimonHillhasbeenwritingabouttechformorethanadecade.HeisaregularcontributortoWIRED,butyoucanalsofindhisworkatBusinessInsider,Reviewed,TechRadar,AndroidAuthority,USAToday,DigitalTrends,andmanyotherplaces.Beforewriting,heworkedingamesdevelopment.Helives...ReadmoreContributorTwitterTopicsTravelchargersbuyingguidesShoppingAccessoriesandPeripheralsTheBestNintendoSwitchGamesforEveryKindofPlayerFromHyruletoHallownest,theseareourabsolutefavoritevideogameescapesfortheOLEDSwitch,Switch,andSwitchLite.WIREDStaffTheBestApple3-in-1WirelessChargersKeepyouriPhone,AppleWatch,andAirPodstoppedupwiththeseWIRED-testeddockingsystems.SimonHillTheBestUSBFlashDrivesforUltra-PortableStorageTheseWIRED-testedmemorysticksareavirtualfilingcabinetinyourpocket.SimonHillTheBestWirelessGamingHeadsetsforEveryKindofPlayerTheseWIRED-tested,battery-poweredheadphoneswillserveyouwellwhetheryou’rechattingwithteammatesinFortniteorcoworkersinZoom.EricRavenscraftTheBestiPhone12CasesandAccessoriesThe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