Traveling Internationally with a Hair Dryer or Straightener
Will My Hair Dryer or Straightener Work in Europe?
Here’s the bad news, there is no short answer to this question.
The good news is we have all the information you’ll need right here.
For more information on traveling with a hair dryer to Europe,
watch the full video below.
Step #1
First, you'll need to find out what voltage range your hair dryer or straightener supports. Like any other electronic item, there should be a label on it that shows all the electrical specifications. You need to look for the voltage and wattage. If it reads "100-240V" or "110-220V" that means your hair dryer supports Dual Voltage and can work anywhere in the world without requiring a voltage converter. You would only need the appropriate adapter for that country which you can find in Step #2.
If your hair dryer is 120V or 125V only then it will not work in Europe with just an adapter plug. You’ll need a proper voltage converter. Read our voltage guide to determine the correct size voltage converter you'll need. However, we highly recommend a dual voltage hair dryer for travel because the high-power travel voltage converters for hair dryers do not work very well and are only designed to work for a few minutes.
120V or 125V Only Devices
Is your hair dryer 120V only? If so, look at the power requirement in W (watts) and see if it's less than 2000W. Devices marked in that range are compatible with the Ceptics LX-C2000 Travel Voltage Converter in Europe. This product comes with a separate 2000W outlet for hair dryers. It also features USB ports to charge your mobile phones, tables, etc. Please note that it is NOT compatible with digital temperature control and auto shut off hair dryers with electronic circuit boards such as Dyson and Shark Flexstyle products.
Step #2
Now that you know that your hair dryer is dual voltage (125V/250V) or rated for worldwide voltage (110-240V) it's time to find out which adapter you need. Your hair dryer will most likely have a typical two-prong US plug, so you’ll need an adapter with at least that type of input. All of the Ceptics travel adapters accept the standard US plug. Please refer to our country and adapter type chart to select the correct type of adapter for the country you’re visiting.
The Ceptics CTU Series adapters come with a US 3 prong input for your hair dryer and 2 USB outputs for your mobile phone chargers and other USB powered devices. The CTU-EU Set is the perfect kit to cover all of Europe.
Download Country Adapter Chart