So I’ll be visiting France, Germany, and Amsterdam next week, but I’m totally confused on how many different power adapters I’ll need, as I’ve seen conflicting information on whether Germany and France are the same, and I’m even more confused about Amsterdam.
Since I’ll be charging only my phone and laptop, I know I only need an adapter instead of a converter, I’m just not sure which types I’ll need.
Your phone and laptop chargers are Class II (double insulation - no earth pin on plug), right? In this case you just need an adapter to Europlug.
You can check it out here (click on the red letters on the left for pictures of, and further information about, the relevant plug and socket types). Different European countries use different, and sometimes multiple, standards.
First of all, all of Europe uses 230 volts. This used to be 220 on the continent and 240 in the UK/Ireland but we split the difference. 
So check whether your power adapters can handle 220 - 240 V—most can these days.
See Wikipedia for an overview of socket types. Germany and the Netherlands use the type F sockets and France type E. However, most grounded power cables are made such that they can fit both. Most devices are ungrounded and use the smaller type C “europlug” that also fits in both types of sockets, and I think even Swiss sockets.
Plug converters are nice and small but can be a bit fiddly, if your power adapters use standard cables, consider getting European versions of those cables rather than a converter plug.
If you use Apple stuff and you have extra plugs, see if you can trade an American one for a European one.
:mad: Damn, I forgot the link!:mad: Here it is.
**njtt’s **link also has a useful page with pictures here (edit: sorry, I see you already mentioned that). Basically, the type C europlug adapter will work almost anywhere in continental Europe for low-power, ungrounded devices such as phone chargers. Things get a bit more complicated for grounded devices such as hairdryers, and type C doesn’t work in UK/Ireland, because we like to be different - as the site says “UK plugs are no doubt among the safest in the world, but also the most hulking and cumbersome.”
The UK electric socket is very safe because the earth pin that goes in the centre hole on the socket, pushes shields down on the holes for the power pins. This stops small inquisitive children from pushing metal objects in the hole to see what happens.
If you are using something like a charger, that doesn’t have an earth, it is quite safe to push a small piece of wood into that top hole to move the shields out of the way. An ordinary two pin plug will then go into the remaining holes. (Don’t let the kiddies see you do it though).
The best way is to buy a universal adaptor like this http://www.amazon.com/Separable-Universal-Adapter-Adaptor-Charger/dp/B00FVTLCX4/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&qid=1407149208&sr=8-13&keywords=universal+adaptor
Also buy a four socket extension lead (if you don’t already have one) and Robert’s your mother’s brother.
Bear in mind that all UK sockets have single pole switches on the ‘live’ side. This means that a wrongly wired appliance may still be live, even if the socket is switched off.
You also need to be sure that anything you plug in is rated for the voltage. ie. 240 volts and 50 Hz. Most will work on either 120 or 240, but you need to be sure.