Help in using the universal travel adapter

Are you perhaps looking for a USB port?
I don't think it has that.

https://store.ricksteves.com/shop/p/travel-power-adapter

Isn't there a plug on the opposite side from the prongs into which you can plug your US plug? Perhaps you've not received it yet. The photo on the online shop doesn't show that side of the adapter.

Here's an example of one with photos showing both sides of the adapter.

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=england+adapters+for+travel&adgrpid=160023798855&hvadid=692956343675&hvdev=m&hvexpln=68&hvlocphy=9031996&hvnetw=g&hvocijid=178605287051527518--&hvqmt=b&hvrand=178605287051527518&hvtargid=kwd-738526096072&hydadcr=12157_13376093&tag=hydsma-20&ref=pd_sl_93mcfc39et_b_p68

Thank you, all, for your input.
The adapters have a pattern of holes on the other side that I was unable to plug anything into.
I just tried again--turns out I wasn't pressing hard enough! I got the plug for my laptop to plug into the UK adapter. So, all seems well.

Thanks!

Don’t forget to flick the switch on the wall socket in the UK.

Glad you got it to plug in!

Thank you!
And also for the point about flicking the switch on the UK wall socket. :-)

I think the forum has said in the past that in the UK not all outlets play nice with universal adapters, so you might want to buy an adapter or two to stand by.

Got it, thx!

Note that the universal adapter sold on this site has a plastic ground prong, which is not conducting. It is there to open the shutters on a UK receptacle so that the conducting pins of the plug can enter the receptacle. It might have an American side that accepts a three pin, grounding plug, but the ground, which is there for safety reasons, will not be active. For your own safety, as well as for possible code compliance, I would NOT recommend using this adapter with a US grounding plug.

However, UK power is polarized, and the grounding prong, even though plastic, does assure that line and neutral conductors are always in the correct position, assuming the adapter was designed correctly (I can't tell because the "store's" view doesn't show the US receptacle side).

The website says that the adapter is for a max of 750W, but that is not accurate. A UK plug is supposed to have a 3 amp fuse, which at 230V-240V would limit the power to 690W-720W. Does this adapter really have the fuse? If not, it's not to code. The EU plug, as shown, has only two pins. That's a non-grounding type C plug that is limited by code to 2½ amps, or 575W.

Hm. Complicated. In any case, my husband and I each ordered one of these, which was rated well on Wirecutter:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B078S3M2NX/?tag=thewire06-20&linkCode=xm2&ascsubtag=F0401HZT2CBH4PYZS5QWW9ZXRXHYZ&th=1

I rarely have issues, but sometimes the sockets are a bit loose and the cube things don't sit properly.

I like to bring a couple of the simplest/smallest type in addition to combo things, just in case.
Like these:
https://store.ricksteves.com/shop/p/european-power-adapter

I think that what you ordered will do what you want it to do even though it doesn't comply with UK wiring directives and if used as designed but not in compliance with UK wiring it could be dangerous or a fire hazard.

The device that is in the link you just posted has two significant faults - the long earth prong for UK power points is plastic so no protection for US 3 prong plugs is provided even though it works to open the shutters; and it is fitted with an 8 amp fuse. UK requires no more than a 3 amp fuse for a plastic prong. If it were correctly wired for non-low wattage it would be fitted with a 13 amp fuse, 8 is neither one or the other.

If all you want to do is charge a couple of phones or power a laptop you should be OK. Whatever you do, don't use a high wattage hair dryer or other heat based device on it - that 8 amp fuse will go poof when you push go. A dryer needs a 13 amp fuse.

To simplify the tech lingo - the three terms to become familiar with are voltage (how much electric potential there is, measured in Volts, North America is around 115 V, UK and Europe and musch of the rest of the world around 230 V); amperage (how much actual electricity is flowing through the appliance or you, a 20 watt phone charger will be in the range of 100 milliamps, a hair dryer will be up to 13 amps or 130 times higher), and wattage (watts are simply the product of volts times amps and measures the amount of work or heat being done or created - 115 volts times 8 amps = 920 watts in North America, those same 8 amps in Europe at 230 would be 1,840 watts).

So in order to be safe and avoid nasty encounters with landlords or hotel managers if you use this device self-police yourself to only power low wattage devices like chargers in the UK.

one other thing about safety in that item, in the description it says "In addition, it is certified by RoHS, CE, and FCC, ensuring its safety and reliability."

CE is the European safety authority and products sold for use in the UK and Europe require that. FCC is the US Federal Communications Commission and I fail to see why they would want to certify it - usually manufacturers self certify compliance, but there is nothing radio with changing the shape of a plug so I don't understand that at all.

RoHS is only about recycling and dangerous substances.

But most of all something electrical sold in the US must have the UL of Underwriters Laboratories on it. That's not there.

Because of the missing UL I wonder if the other alphabet soup is just that or if it really would stand their examination.

To me, "CE certified" means that the product came from China, and they have absolutely no concept as to what the CE mark means.

In 2000, I was working as an engineer for a company that wanted "CE certification" for one of their product to be sold in Europe, but they had no idea about how to go about getting it. I had to do some research to find out how. What I found, at the time, was that CE was a "self certification" process. You did a safety analysis based on guidelines published by CE (had to do a lot with risk assessment), then you could put the CE mark on your product. CE never looked at your analysis, but you were required to save it in a special file in you company's office. If anything ever happened, and someone was killed or injured by your product, CE would come to see the analysis. If you could not show that you had done the analysis (no saved file) or had not done it in accordance with the guidelines, you would be in big legal trouble.

So when I see the description on a product from China that says that it is "CE certified" and see the CE Mark on the product, I figure the mark is just there because it was part of the markings on the product they copied and they have no idea of what it means.

Actually, I believe, plugs and adapters are regulated by the individual country (because each country has there own standards; it's not an EU thing), and that CE doesn't even have anything to do with the "certification" of plugs and adapters.

This is my major objection to products sold on Amazon. They import products from other counties that don't require the safety standard of the US, but because they aren't selling them for US usage, they seem to be immune from US regulation. Specifically, adapters (Schuko plugs) sold for use on non-polarized European power supply systems that accepts a US product which, because of one wider blade, can only work here on a polarized system.

Those Epicka chargers are fine. I use their products. Never had a problem.

Enjoy your trip.