We are travelling to Italy in a week or so, we bought the small white, two prong adapter from Rick Steves to charge our phones. Now we have read we need something else. Anyone have some insight as to what we need? Thank you.
Posted by
Orange Park, Fl
985 posts
The little two slim round prong adapter is what I used in Italy last fall. This sounds like what you have. All you need is your regular wall charging cord to plug into the adapter. I used a hub with usb cables for my electronics as I was charging several items and my hub plugged right into the adapter.
It looks like this - euro adapter
Posted by
Houston
3518 posts
I use the adapter plug from Rick Steves everywhere in Italy without issue.
You should check to make sure the charger you have for your phone will work with European power. If it does (and nearly everyone does) it will say 110/220 V on it.
Posted by
4518 posts
Italy does have a unique plug, but this is only for high wattage items like microwaves or electric kettles. The remainder of the outlets are the usual European 2-pin plug. Unless you are bringing something high wattage (not recommend!) you will be fine.
Posted by
OP
Albuquerque, NM, USA
38 posts
Thank you all for the replies. I bought the one from Rick Steves, like the black one shown in the first response. Cool!
Posted by
Placentia, CA
1059 posts
Robert,
I recommend that you bring a very small extension cord with you (under 6 feet). You can plug the extension cord into the adapter and have multiple devices to plug into the extension cord. Be sure to tape the adapter to the extension cord so you don't accidently leave the adapter plug in the wall socket. I found that the plugs in our hotels were not always convenient and the extension cord gave me enough length to reach the desk or bed.
Posted by
11156 posts
I always bring along several plug adapters as mentioned before, sometimes you leave them in hotel plug when checking out.
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19092 posts
The male (European) end of that two pin adapter is what is called a Europlug. This ungrounded plug is only legal for up to 2.5 amps or less (about 600 watts) and should not be used with a US three prong, grounding plug or with a polarized, 2 blade plug (one blade wider than the other).
There are several versions of the two pin adapter. My local ACE Hardware sells one for "Northern Europe". It's pins are 4.8 mm (~3/16 in.) diameter, and it will fit into receptacles in France, Germany, Czechia, et al, but it will not fit in Italian receptacles. The one sold as "Southern Europe" has 4.0 mm (~5/32 in.), and it will fit in receptacles all over the continent.
This website has information about receptacles all over Europe. Type F is the German Schuko plug used in most of Europe; Type E is the French variation of it. Type J is Switzerland; Type L is for Italy.
Type C is the low amperage Europlug which should fit into any of the receptacle type mentioned above.
It should be noted that only the Swiss receptacles and some newer ones in France are polarized.
Type G is for Ireland and the former EU country of UK.
I have an old (1980s) adapter that fits most receptacles in Europe, but has ends too fat to allow it to go into the Swiss receptacles.