I know with all the serious concerns about Covid, this might seem crazy but wondering with limited outlets and needing plugs does it make more sense for me to purchase once in Rome a blow dryer etc? Anyone have an idea on costs? We are staying in an apartment for 3 weeks.
Posted by
Seattle, WA
16190 posts
You can see representative prices on Amazon.it:
If you have Amazon Prime it is good for free shipping on other country sites—-we have used it in the UK and France. But we also find it fun to go to an Italian store and find what we need. When we were in Venice for a month, we bought a grip pan and other kitchen needs at a Ratti hardware store down the street.
Posted by
Minnesota 🎒
15800 posts
Joann, are you sure your apartment won't come with a blowdryer?
Posted by
Los Angeles
4385 posts
My wife just went through a similar analysis for our trip to France. She bought her hair iron on regular normal Amazon before the trip, just make sure it's dual voltage. You'll have to decide whether to get one that has Euro outlets or use an adapter. I was just in an Amazon store and they had a travel section which coincidentally had dual voltage hair dryers, so they are not hard to find.
However there was a problem with the gadget once we got to Paris, so she went to an appliance store and bought one there. Lots of options. They seem to cost pretty much the same around the world, they all come out of China anyway.
Posted by
11136 posts
I bought a dual travel hair dryer from Magellan’s in the US and change the setting when I go to Europe.
Every apartment we have rented including in Rome always supplied a hair dryer.
Posted by
Philadelphia, USA
246 posts
I would just buy one here and make sure it has a dual voltage setting. Then it’s still usable when you return home instead of needing an adaptor for it
Posted by
Western Canada
3100 posts
If you're in the same apartment for three weeks, just ask the host if there is one there already.
I don't rent apartments now that don't have them, as I'm trying to get my bag as light as possible these days.
In the ,let's see, last 7 or 8 places I've rented in Italy, all of them have had a blow dryer.
Perhaps you could ask your host to buy one so it's there when you arrive, and you can pay him/her back.
Posted by
Colorado
471 posts
Just don't bring your one from home. In my experience, using a current converter with a product that heats is a recipe for disaster. I went to England once with a friend who was adamant that she had to have "her" hairdryer. Not good and it lasted about three days. It will die and you won't bring it back.