Adapters/Converters for Eastern Europe?

On that tour and others we have only taken iPhones and iPads. We only needed the correct country adapter to get from the wall socket to the plug style of the devices charger.

Yes, you will need at least an adaptor for every thing you take that has an American style plug on it. You can share the adaptor unless you need to plug everything in at once.

Most electronic devices, cell phones, tablets, laptops, and similar, probably don't need converters. Look at the current charging device for each. If they say "110-220 Volts 50-60 Hertz" or similar words then they can handle the European power and you need nothing else. I use the adaptors you can buy right here from RS that cost about $1 and have never had an issue on these low power devices.

Larger electrical devices such as hair dryers curling irons and so on probably are not compatible with European power. Check them closely. These will require a converter of sufficient strength to work in Europe. Problem is, most hotels, especially the small ones and B&B places, probably don't have high power plugs in the room. Using a converter strong enough to power your hair dryer can and often does cause the fuse to blow, or worse cause a fire due to the current drain. Best option if you absolutely have to have one of these type devices is to buy them once you reach Europe. The other problem with converters is they are extremely heavy when you get one strong enough to run a hair dryer off of.

Thanks so much for your quick replies, Don and Mark! I have some two-pronged adaptors that say they are for Europe, so am I correct in assuming this would work for all the countries on the Eastern European tour?

Info and photo here:
https://www.ricksteves.com/travel-tips/phones-tech/electric-adapters-converters

I have used adapter plugs with two round prongs (same as for most of western Europe) in Hungary, Ukraine, Poland, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria and Montenegro. I've only needed to recharge a smartphone and a tablet. I have a European electric toothbrush, so it has so far needed an adapter only when I traveled to the UK (haven't been to Switzerland recently.)

Yes, the adaptor that one of the other posters provided a link to should work in all the European countries the tour goes to for low power items.

I'm sorry RS, but your adapter (linked in a post above) isn't the right way to go.

The outlets in the countries you will be going to are designed to receive a CEE 7/4 (Schuko) or a CEE 7/6 plug. The sockets are large round recessed affairs and almost identical except for the grounding method. An adapter patterned after the CEE 7/7 plug will properly fit both and will provide a ground when you need it. Here is an example: https://www.amazon.com/Tmvel-American-European-Adapters-Certified/dp/B071S1QV17/ref=sr_1_7?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1532224267&sr=1-7&keywords=schuko+adapter

If you use one of RS's adapters and you hang anything heavy on it (like any rechargers that have the transformer right at the plug) half the time the weight causes it to just fall out; sometimes the weight of the cord will do it. You might have something that requires a ground plug too. The RS device is narrow enough that it wont interfere with a ground plug; meaning the ground plug isn't doing its job.

Also I have come across one shuttered outlet. Without the proper plug, there is no safe way to use the outlet.

I just took this tour with my daughter 6/24-7/7 and we took this device Floval Power Step Down 220V to 110V Voltage Converter with 4-Port USB International Travel Adapter for UK European Etc - [Use for US appliances overseas] https://www.amazon.com/dp/B073J9QWKY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_HD.uBbDVWPGMK

I hope the link works.. if not just go to Amazon and do a search. It has four USB ports on it. I charged my IPhone, IPad and Apple Watch and it worked great. Yes, you could just take an adapter but this allowed us to charge multiple items at one time.

By the way, we loved this tour and our guide Katerina. Rick Steves surprised our group at dinner in Budapest and our guide was also quite surprised as she had no idea he was coming.

Hope this helps!

My laptop, cell phone and the significant other's ipad; all have dual voltage transformers so a step down transformer isn't required. Like someone noted above, look at all the chargers you are taking and see what they say on them. Almost always something like 110v to 240v 50/60 hz. For most of us the only time we will need a step down transformer is to use hair dryers or curling irons....

Thanks for your input, everyone! This RS Travel Forum is great!