A good friend is going to Paris in a few days (and I’m pretty frickin’ damn envious of it, too!). Ahem…anyway, she’s going to need a voltage converter for her hot rollers and hair dryer. Can anyone advise what kind of voltage converter she’ll need in order to operate these in Paris?
It is the standard European pronged one. They are labeled as such in the stores. I bought a kit from Radio Shack when I went to Paris last year. It worked fine although your friend may want to rig up a combination of plugs that end in a (U.S.) power strip so you can run multiple things.
Stores that sell these include Radio Shack, Brookstone, and Circuit City (I have but them there in the past year).
She’ll need a 220-to-110 V stepdown converter rated at minimum for the largest wattage device she intends to use. Be sure it includes the correct plug adaptor for French electrical outlets. It’s important to note that some high-wattage converters work by chopping the AC waveform at 110 V, and these are NOT suitable for many electronic devices, and should only be used on nonelectronic resistive-heating appliances, like hair dryers and curling irons. The package will usually indicate if this is the case. There are types which can be used to safely power electronics, but as these use either a stepdown transformer or a switching power supply, they are either bulky or expensive, respectively.
I should add that if she only wants one for bathroom appliances, you can just by the European one by itself and it doesn’t cost much (<$15). You can also buy a world kit with many converters for about twice that.
It’s a myth that you need a transformer to use appliances in Europe. Haven’t you seen the Travelocity commercials with the wandering gnome?
PS: The above is a joke. The gnome almost dies when plugging something in.
Thanks very much for the info, everyone. I’ll pass it along
While that is a joke when it comes to appliances, it’s useful to know that most electronics and associated devices (laptops, iPods, battery rechargers, synthesizers, etc…) often run on dual voltages, and only a cheap ($2 or so) plug converter is required, not a full-on step-down transformer. If you look at the power ratings for your electronics, most will show 110~220V.
A lot of US hairdryers are dual voltage (my wife has one) because it’s a common appliance to take on trips. If she has one that’s dual voltage, she will only need the adaptor plug.
Your friend may not need the hair dryer. Many hotels 2 stars or over have them. Have your friend contact the hotel directly to confirm this fact. She may be able to save some space and weight in her suitcase.
PS-I’m envious, too.
She seems to be at least equally concerned about her hot rollers as her hair dryer, and thus seems to want either to find a converter here or to perhaps buy one over there. But thanks for your suggestions.
P.S.: Her dryer has what looks like a slotted screw head on the handle that says 125 to the right (with a little arrow currently pointing that direction) and 250 on the left. I assume that relates to voltage and that this is one of the dual use dryers you all are speaking of?
Yes.
If the only other thing she wants to bring is the hot roller set, then the 1600 W converter that Radio Shack sells should suffice, assuming the roller set draws less than 1600 W. It’s about $20 or so, IIRC. It’s the kind I mentioned earlier that generally should not be used to power electronics.
You’ll probably be even more envious when you hear it’s costing her only $900 for round trip airfare and a week’s stay in a perfectly nice though modest hotel. I had no idea things were so inexpensive at this time of year.
Tell her to take warm clothing. Paris can be frigid this time of year.
AAaarrrgghhh! For that price I’d make it to Seattle and have to sleep in the airport (I’m in Alaska). I’ve made the move from envious to suicidal. Thanks, Starving Artist!
Really, I’m happy she got a great deal and I’d hope she can find out if her hotel there has in-room dryers. More room in the suitcase for souvenirs.
Thanks, Caractacus. Sorry about ruining your day. Just because I’m green with envy it doesn’t mean I have to spread it around, huh?
I think she’s probably gonna go ahead and try to get one here so she won’t have to go off in search of one after she gets there. She’ll be leaving here at five in the afternoon and won’t arrive in Paris until fifteen hours later, so she’s expecting to be pretty frazzed by the time she gets there and she doesn’t relish the idea of having to set about trying to find a converter before she sleeps and does her hair.
And I’ve warned her about the possible weather there, Chefguy. Most people don’t realize how far north on the globe Paris is. But thanks for the heads up.
Thanks for the answer on this, Q.E.D. 
Somehow I overlooked your post when I was here earlier.
Highs of 42 and lows of 23 all this week (and last week too) so make sure that friend wraps up warm !
Geez! Worse than I thought. I’ll advise. Thanks.