Italy 2019 - Power Converter/Adapter Needed?

Your profile doesn’t indicate where you’re from, but I’m assuming somewhere in North America?

Yes, you will certainly need Plug Adaptors. Whether you need Voltage Converters will depend on what type of devices you’re travelling with. Apple products will work fine with just Plug Adaptors.

Could you provide further details on what type of devices you’ll be taking?

It's extremely unlikely that you will need anything but a simple plug adapter:
https://www.ricksteves.com/travel-tips/phones-tech/electric-adapters-converters

Stick with iphone and watch. Do not take hair dryers, straighteners, etc.

Here is an illustration of plug adapters (chosen for its graphics; I am not endorsing a particular brand or source.) Italy has followed other European countries in adopting grounded sockets, using a three-tine setup. But you might encounter places still using the old two-prong alignment, so I carry both -- see the two adapters on the left of the picture. The three square tines adapter is needed in England. The adapter with two prongs and a hole is for France.

https://www.amazon.ca/TESSAN-Universal-International-GermanyFrance-PlugAdapter/dp/B01N0HJWP5/ref=pd_sbs_23_6/130-5801575-0496227?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B01N0HJWP5&pd_rd_r=6f0b2245-58bb-11e9-afa9-5fd63f932696&pd_rd_w=SAasd&pd_rd_wg=V5VC3&pf_rd_p=5dcda75b-8643-4da3-9bb1-5c0233790500&pf_rd_r=Y6MFSPVZXN4S6RK279T5&psc=1&refRID=Y6MFSPVZXN4S6RK279T5

Thanks everyone! We’re based in the US. Just curious, no to hair dryer & hair straightener?

First, hair dryers are commonly available at hotels and B&Bs. Second, if you bring a US model hair dryer it will require a high wattage, voltage converter that is heavy, expensive, and the hair dryer will not work that well. If it is dual voltage its performance still will be marginal. Items that require high wattage (anything with a heating element) will not work well even with a converter.

opk,

As mentioned in the previous replies, most hotels these days provide hair dryers, either hard wired in the room, in a drawer in the bathroom or less commonly available on request from the hotel staff.

Unless the hair straightener is a dual / multi-voltage model, I wouldn't recommend using it with a voltage convertor. I won't bother going into a lengthy discussion on the reasons for that. The manufacturers of some straighteners (Chi?) specifically prohibit the use of their products with voltage converters.

If you absolutely must have a hair straightener, you could either.....

• buy a travel straightener from Amazon such as one of these models. IF it has a switch to select the operating voltage, be sure to set if for Europe prior to leaving home. That way you won't forget.
• buy a European model when you arrive in Italy. Your hotel staff should be able to provide the names of local stores.

The Plug Adaptor kit mentioned in a previous reply should work fine. You could also add a couple of the small two-pin Euro plugs as it's always a good idea to have "spares".

We vacationed in Italy in February/March this year and did not bring any voltage/power converters. We purchased the two-prong plug adapters (VR2 Continental Europe Electrical Adapter) from the RS website for $1 each. We charged our Iphones and other devices with their designated USB power cord, wall charger and adapter on the end (at the hotel, on the train, in the airport, etc). I used the hairdryer in the hotel (which wasn't great, but worked) and brought a 110-240v hairbrush straightener which only needed a 2 prong plug adapter on the end. Enjoy! Ciao, Sheila
Edited to add: I purchased the straightener brush on Amazon for under $35. I was skeptical, but it never overheated and was perfect. (Hair Straightening Brush 3.0, Buture Mini Hair Straightener Travel Size Anti-scald MCH 110-240V)

So if I am just taking electronics such as a phone, watch, maybe a camera, and a tablet from the US to Italy, we'll only need an adapter? What would one need a converter for?

First off this is call hijacking and not consider good taste. You should start you own separate question rather than piggybacking on some one else. But to answer your question -- you need a converter when the device you are using ONLY accepts 120volts. The standard voltage in Europe 220-240. You need to step down the voltage or your device will simply burn up. MOST modern electronics are capable of handling 240 because they have a built in converter. However, it is extremely important for you to check the input tag to make sure your devices will handle 240 volts. Do not make assumptions.

If you are only going to need them for a iPhone and Apple watch, you can purchase one of these...

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07FLXQLVC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s03?ie=UTF8&psc=1
or
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07SHKCF3R/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s04?ie=UTF8&psc=1

That way you can just carry the USB cords for your phone and watch and not the plug.

We used these just recently and they worked great.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07SHKCF3R/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s04?ie=UTF8&psc=1

To simplify, I find it helpful to separate out the functions of the two items:

An ADAPTOR allows your square plugged devices to go into the round holes in Italian hotel rooms. Adaptors are very cheap, and very small, so bring a couple. They weigh maybe one ounce apiece. You're ADAPTING your plug to fit into Italian walls.

A CONVERTER is a heavy device that makes it possible for your American appliance, which can only run on 110 volt AC current, to CONVERT the 220 to 240 volt AC current to 110 volts so your appliance isn't fried when you plug it in. Aside from some CPAP machines and those immersion water heater coils that let you make tea, I don't know of many modern appliances that only run on 110 volts.

The reason most of us don't recommend high WATTAGE appliances like hair dryers and hair straightening wands is because depending upon where you are staying, they may exceed the wattage of your outlet and blow a fuse or trip a breaker in the hotel. That often leads to an angry confrontation with hotel owners who equip their guestrooms with hair dryers of the appropriate wattage and don't like guests overloading the circuits. Think of it this way: If it requires HEAT to work, you probably don't want to bring it. Use the local appliances instead.

Most electric and electronic things manufactured in the past couple of decades will work on either 110 volts or 240 volts. There is either a sticker on the cord saying as much or that information is molded into the plastic casing. My electric toothbrush, a Water Pic, my laptops, my charging devices for my iPhones, my MacBook, the charging device for my digital camera, and anything else I might want to buy can be recharged using the ADAPTER to plug it into the walls.

I did not need a converter in Europe until I started taking my CPAP machine. The "travel adapter & converter" I use weighs six oz. and is about 2.5 inches square, with four different built-in plug styles and I slide out whichever one I need. I switch to "converter" for my CPAP machine and "adapter" when charging my iphone, as the iphone charger has its own converter. If I had my iphone only, all I would need would be the proper plug adapter.

When we were in France, we just bought a hair straightener so it would work there. We stopped in a department store sort of like Target or Walmart but much smaller. Believe me, a converter still doesn’t work for hair dryers - had a scary moment once (my husband warned me!). You will need adaptors so buy several. I’ve left them in the outlets in hotels or needed them to charge multiple electronics.

In Ireland this year I "forgot" that they used the British adapter (had several of the European 2 pin adapters). Front desk produced a wide assortment.

In an emergency go to the front desk. They had and entire box of powerpacks and adapters. Apparently it is not unusual for these to be left behind.

I purchased a convertor in 1999 for our first European trip. Pretty sure I have not carried it since that first trip. Hotels have hair dryers in the room, at worst they will loan you one at the front.

Just curious, no to hair dryer & hair straightener?

If you must have those items or, the hotel/rental is inadequate, go purchase one after you check-in/get settled. Trying to use one from the US, even the travel-type never measure up to what you expect/need. Remember, you're in Italy, there's PLENTY of beauty supply stores or, entire departments devoted to that channel.

So if I am just taking electronics such as a phone, watch, maybe a camera, and a tablet from the US to Italy, we'll only need an adapter? What would one need a converter for?

No converter necessary. Modern electronics are set-up now where you'll only need the adaptor for int'l travel. It's been at least 10-years since I last carried an converter. I carry two adaptors when traveling, this one is for basic, doesn't take up much room and this one when I need to have multiple items charged all at-once or, you get THAT room where there's only one plug and you and your partner have three devices each that need charging.

Dual voltage straighteners, curlers, and hair dryers are available in the US. I don't take a hair dryer, but I do take a curling iron. I use a converter for the battery chargers for my camera. That's really the only thing I need it for, but it does provide more charging options if you have multiple devices. The are several plug-in spots plus several USB ports on my converter.