Power adaptors for Switzerland

This is just a guess, but maybe it's because often (but not always) the Swiss outlets are recessed such that you need a certain shape to fit into it. The shape is sort of like this: <__>

I don't think there's an electrical difference because I've used a wide variety of converters there that work in other EU countries with no problems.

Swiss electrical sockets are Type J:
http://www.iec.ch/worldplugs/typeJ.htm

The Type J plug has two round pins as well as a grounding pin.... Type
C plugs are perfectly compatible with Type J sockets.

Your two round pin plug is likely a Type C:
http://www.iec.ch/worldplugs/typeC.htm

The Type C electrical plug (or Europlug) is a two-wire plug that has
two round pins. It fits into any socket that accepts 4.0 – 4.8 mm
round contacts on 19 mm centres.

Type C plugs are generally limited for use in appliances that require
2.5 amps or less.

Your Type C plug will not be grounded. Do you have a Type F (two round pins but ground is a clip on the sides of the plug?

As noted above, if your plug's body is the wrong shape (too big) it may not fit in the recessed Type J socket. If that's the case, borrow a Type C to Type J adaptor from your hotel. See Type F:
http://www.iec.ch/worldplugs/typeF.htm

The Type F electrical plug (also known as a Schuko plug) has two 4.8
mm round pins spaced 19 mm apart. It is similar to the Type E plug but
has two earth clips on the side rather than a female earth contact.

It's not about the power, but about the plug. An adapter to the standard Europlug should also work in Switzerland.

James, A properly shaped 2-pin Europlug does fit Swiss sockets. It should have triangular ends, like a squashed hexagon.
See photo here: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/63/Euro-Flachstecker_2.jpg
And diagram here: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4d/Europlug-scheme.png

Some adapters sold oversees are the wrong shape, with round ends, and they do not fit Swiss sockets (or some sockets in other countries).

There is no difference between Swiss electricity and that in other countries in Europe.

Yes, if your adapter looks like (---) instead of <--->, it will not fit in the recessed Swiss outlets. For instance, Rick's adapter https://store.ricksteves.com/shop/p/european-power-adapter will not fit; the one linked by Tonfromleiden will.

The description on Rick's says "Plug Away: These little pluggy things let you connect American-style appliances into oddly shaped European sockets. They'll do the trick across the Continent, including Italy and Switzerland, and even in Iceland."

It looks like it fits because the little triangle shaped extensions are just missing.

Not sure why it would say "not for use in Switzerland".

It might be that the ends don't fit in the Swiss receptacle recess. However, for instance, Rick's adapter is only ½ inch wide while the Swiss receptacle recess is almost ¾ inch (18.5mm) wide so there is some extra room for the corners on Rick's adapter. On the other hand, the adapter I got in the late 80s has big rounded ends (almost dog bone shaped) and would not fit in a Swiss receptacle recess.

If your two-pin adapter has Schuko diameter (4.8mm) pins, they would be too fat for the Swiss receptacle (also for the Italian ones), which is made for 4.0mm diameter pins. A 4.8mm diameter pin is almost the same diameter as a 3/16 inch drill bit; 4.0mm is almost 5/32 inch diameter.

In any case, anything plugged into a two-pin adapter should not, by code, draw more than 2½ amps at 230V (less than 600W). So no hair dryers. Also, for safety reasons, the device should not have a "polarizing" US plug - one blade wider than the other.

Swiss power is unique on the continent in that it is polarized (one of the two current-carrying conductors is neutral - at ground potential), and it might be so marked in the receptacle. A type J grounding plug adapter is non-symmetrical and has a wider socket for the polarizing blade and retains the polarized power. Use a type J adapter for a hair dryer.

@Jeepers
1) The RSE 2-pin adapter posted above is 2-pin, so you SHOULD NOT use it for 3-pin thingies in any country.
2) It is not the correct shape, so there is a risk it will not fit in the sockets in some countries, notably Switzerland.
3) It will not work in the UK, which is totally different.

@ Lee, French 3-pin plugs are polarised, just not Schuko (German) nor Italian. And UK plugs are of course polarised. Historically many appliances in the UK required polarisation. These days there is one common pan-European model, which does not require polarisation

I knew someone might call me out on that, but I didn't want to include French receptacles as polarized because it is my understanding that they are not reliably so.

Because the grounded pin on a French "Schuko" receptacle is offset, the plug can only be inserted one way. Thus French power is polarize-able, but is polarization mandated by code? It is my understanding, based on reading online (not on a travel website) that there are side-by-side duplex receptacles sold for new construction in France in which the right-hand socket of the left-hand receptacle is physically connected to the left-hand socket of the right-hand receptacle. Thus one side would be oppositely polarized versus the other.

If polarization is mandatory in France, since when, and are there older buildings still around from before polarization became standard? There are still buildings (a few, older ones) in the US with non-polarized wiring.

Can someone who has been to Switzerland recently post an Amazon link to one they know works for sure?

I've been to Basel, Luzern, Geneva and Lauterbrunnen. In each place we stayed, the accommodation had adapters we could borrow, if we just asked. In Basel, I had to provide a deposit. Note an adapter is the piece that directly goes into the socket. A converter is sometimes necessary for older appliances. In lieu of purchasing a converter for use in Europe, I purchased a new curling iron that can be used both in the U.S. and Europe. My husband did the same for an electric razor.

Every US curling iron I've seen (I obviously haven't seen them all, but I've seen plenty) have had "polarizing" (one blade wider) US plugs. Safety features mandated by UL are provided by the polarizing plug. Swiss power is polarized, but polarization is only assured if you use a grounding, three-pin Swiss plug adapter. Otherwise the devices are not safe and should not be used.

Here is one that we used recently in Switzerland.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MYBLO5E/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

pamkcs, that one you posted looks good, it has the correct triangular ends.

So, is the takeaway on adapters in Switzerland that my Type C prong MAY work in Switzerland ?

Or do I really need to pick up a 3 prong Type J adapter for Murren ?

Carla, the "takeaway" is that your type C prong will work in Switzerland if your adapter is the correct dimensions, but some of the ones sold outside Europe are the wrong shape, not really type C's.

You only need a "3 prong Type J" if what you are plugging in to the adapter is also 3-prong.

Thank you Chris ! And our electronics are not 3 prong.

But we did buy our adapters here in the US....

So, is the takeaway on adapters in Switzerland that my Type C prong MAY work in Switzerland ?

Yes, our RS Type C adaptor sort of fit in our Swiss hotel's sockets. It was a snug fit requring a push to squeeze it into the socet and a bit tight removing the adaptor.

My 220v iron's Type F Schuko plug required a adaptor that the hotel reception had available on loan. If your Type C prong doesn't work, borrow an adptor from the hotel.

Carla, most Swiss electrical shops and some big supermarkets sell adapters. They do so due to the number of travellers from surrounding countries who also need adapters. US --> CH adapters are also sold
Look for "Interdiscount", a major chain. For example this one: https://www.interdiscount.ch/de/haushalt/haustechnik-stromversorgung/stromkabel-adapter-steckerleisten--C683000/steffen-reiseadapter-usa-auf-ch--P0001474988

Thank you for the heads up !

I spent three nights in a hotel in Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland last week and my RS adaptor did not fit. However, thanks to this thread my husband bought a 3-pack of adaptors for $8 so we were prepared!

@Rita, what didn't fit? Were the pins too big in diameter to fit into the sockets, or did the corners of the housing interfere with the recess?

I have a dimensioned drawing for the Swiss recess and a "So Europe" adapter from Ace Hardware that looks similar to the one sold by RS, and it looks like the Ace adapter would fit, but I have not been in Switzerland to try it in an actual receptacle.

Lee, the pins seem to be the right size. The outlet itself is too small for the RS adaptor to fit into. Chris F explains it so much better (above) than I can!