All of my past trips consisted of using that horrible vacuum cleaner looking thing, to dry my hair in the bathroom of my hotel room. It is suppose to be a hair dryer, but barely did the trick.
For Christmas, my friend bought me a small American %26quot;Euro-style%26quot; hairdryer that has a switch to turn the hair dryer into 125 or 250 volts. It folds up and has an American style electrical prong.
My question is this...if I use my European Outlet/ Prong Converter can I use my new hairdryer??? I am renting an apartment and would hate to blow a fuse or start a fire, or whatever happens when you use the wrong electrical item in Europe. Also, which one would I set it to: 125 or 250?
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It is actually 220 in France but 250 is close enough.
You can get an adaptor for the prongs at airport or at BHV and hardware stores in Paris
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If you see sparks, unplug it!
Seriously, I try to travel w/o one and I have the thickest curly hair, BUT I have a smaller hair dryer that I bring and just use the outlet converter and if need be the eletrical volt converter (hope I make sense). I never have an issue. Make sure to use the hair dryer before you go to make sure it%26#39;s powerful enough for you. Nothing worse than lugging that thing all the way over and it being wimpy!
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A few important points: First, you should turn the control to %26quot;low%26quot;. Second, flip the switch to %26quot;low%26quot;. Third, you%26#39;ll need prongs that fit French outlets (they%26#39;re round, not flat like US prongs). You will NOT need a converter b/c your dryer has one built in - that%26#39;s why it%26#39;s a dual volt dryer. I always keep my dryer on the %26quot;low%26quot; setting (per the directions b/c it will work like you have it on %26quot;high%26quot;) and just plug it in when I want to use it. Naturally, since I keep it on low, as soon as I plug it in, it starts blowing. Having travelled in the past with all sorts of hairdryes that required a converter, I can assure you that you%26#39;ll enjoy the convenience of your dryer. By the way, you can not try it out on the 250 volt setting before you leave for France, as suggested in another posting, or you%26#39;ll ruin the dryer. Also, make sure that you plug it into an appropriate outlet in France - do not use the outlet in the bathroom that is only for electric razors. Hope this helps. I have very thick hair and have learned by trial and error what works best.
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Find out what they have in the apartment. The one in our apartment was just fine. A regular hand held, not one hooked to the wall or a desk drawer.
But, I know what you mean about the hotel dryers. On one trip, my dual voltage dryer just would not turn on. It wasn%26#39;t the one I usually bring, but another because it was %26quot;quieter%26quot;. After a few days of the hotel dryer, I went to a hardware store and bought another. I don%26#39;t know why that particular dryer (Revlon) didn%26#39;t turn on (still works fine at home). My Conair worked just fine.
Have you tried the dual voltage at home? Some of the smaller ones grab your hair into the motor if you%26#39;re not really, really, careful.
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With a %26quot;dual voltage%26quot; hairdryer, all you need is an %26quot;adaptor%26quot; which allows you to plug your flat prongs into the French round-prong outlet. These are cheap and we buy them at home, to avoid hunting for one there. A dual voltage dryer can draw from either a US 110 socket or a French 220- just flip the switch to 250, in France. Be sure to flip it back to 125, when home.
You do not need a %26quot;converter.%26quot; You are not converting between one voltage system and another %26quot;at the wall,%26quot; as we say. Flipping that switch to 250 takes care of it. By the way, don%26#39;t use a converter to try to use your 110 hair dryer, flat iron, etc. For info, call the mfr.
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you might want to consider an alternative - there%26#39;s bound to be a decent hair salon within 1 block of wherever you are staying. get a shampoo/blow dry done there - cost will be comparable, or less, than buying a new blow dryer and/or adapter that might (might not) work. you won%26#39;t have to lug all the dryers, shampoo, conditioner, styling cream, hair spray etc with you. costwise, unless you need daily shampooing, you will come out about the same. you can also buy a good quality dry shampoo at any pharmacy (I use Rene Furterer dry shampoo)to use mid-week, between shampoos at the salon.
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I hate the hotel hair dryers, whether they are here in the states or overseas. Several years ago traveling in England, we blew our converter and hair dryer. We went to the local drug store and picked up a nice hair dryer for the Great British Isles. I loved having a %26quot;good%26quot; hair dryer in England so much that the next year when I went to Paris, I didn%26#39;t even pack a travel one. Our first day there I went to the Monoprix and bought a hair dryer that works in Paris. My best friend travels with me, so we split the cost and now have no worries about converters, lousy hair dryers, etc. I think I spent about 50 euro and it was well worth the money!! That is what I recommend. It may cost a little more, but your trip will be more pleasant.
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I agree with engagedone. We%26#39;ve had bad luck using converters, so we have also just purchased hair dryers and straighteners in France. They work well, and now we don%26#39;t have to bother with converters.
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I manage without hair appliances in Europe because too much trouble, but I do recall there were a couple of threads on here a few months ago about where to get things like that in Paris with some discount places suggested - it might make sense to just buy one there, to carry when you travel, and then you will always have exactly what you need (including the right shape of plug, lol). But personally, I Like the suggestion of going out to a salon and letting them worry about it for you . . . .
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As posters are adding here, there is a lifespan issue with using CONVERTERS on regular US 110 appliances.
Your dual voltage dryer only needs an ADAPTOR- often less than $5, maybe cheaper at Walmart. At 220/250, your dual voltage dryer is going to work the same as a French-bought item. It was a thoughtful- and appropriate- gift.
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