VCTVTM-150GS - Deluxe 220/240V Step Down Travel Voltage Converter To Use USA Products in Europe & Asia - Good For Laptops & Chargers etc

We've taken this converter on several trips to Europe and Asia and are heading to Australia and India with it. Here's some info that might be helpful.* Most countries other than the US have 220 Volt electric power -vs. 110 in the US - and if you plug in something made only for 110, it will quickly or immediately burn out the device.* There are two things you may need for your trip to another country. A converter steps the voltage down from 220 to 110. An adapter is something that enables your US plug to fit into the outlet in another country since those outlets often take a different shape plug. The adapter is just a little device that has a US female plug in one end and the male plug for a particular country in the other end. It does NOT convert the voltage so if you plug a 110V device in with an adapter, the device will get 220V and burn out. You can get country specific adapters here on Amazon for under $5.00. The plugs in Europe are different than China, etc. so you need to search by country.* Most computers, phones, iPads, and things that have a block between the plug and the device don't need a converter. Look at the block, or brick as it is often called, and it will tell you in small print if it takes both 110 and 220. My Mac, iPhone, and iPad all have such a block and I don't need a current converter for them but I do need a plug adapter.* As a genearl rule for converters, the higher the wattage, the heavier the converter. This particular converter is 150 Watts which works well for my wife and I when we travel and, at a little under three lbs, it's one of the lighter converters. I know that's pretty heavy in a suitcase but, for converters, it's pretty light.* Also, remember you may need an adapter for the converter to plug into the wall socket. This particular converter has a European plug and you'll need an adapter in China, Australia, etc.* Three key things..... One be aware of how many watts you are drawing. Your phone probably draws 5 watts, your iPad 10 and your computer about 20 or more. But most hair dryers or coffee makers will pull well over 150 watts. Plut them into this converter and the fuse in it will blow. Second, go to your hardware store and get a couple of extra fuses. Ours blew in China and we had no extras. We were lucky to find one quickly but it was pure luck. Third, and finally, this converter only has one plug so either you plug things in one at a time or you need a way to turn that one plug into multiple plugs. I have one little strip that does that and I carry it every day in my briefcase and it's terrific- I'm always asked at airports where I got it. Just search for "Monster MP OTG400 BK Outlets To Go 4 Outlet Travel Power Strip (Black)" on Amazon. I travel every week and it's one of my favorite travel tools. When I am in a hotel or at an airport and can find only one available plug, this converts it to four outlets, all with US female sockets.

I thought I should do a review on this device to help others. No doubt the the transformer works fine. I did not take it on my trip to England. I use the adapters instead. I wanted to travel lighter because I will be visiting 4 cities while there. What you should know is that most all consumer electronic devices purchased today are dual voltage. I did not know that and purchased this to charge my cellphone and tablet. I had no 120 VAC only appliances I was taking on my trip and this was not needed. I did not understand this from the other reviews on Amazon. I didn't look at the electrically power requirements of my devices.However, I did have a good look at it. To access the fuse you must have a phillips screw driver to get to it. Some reviews wrote it only worked first time and then stopped. All electric devices have a limit in electric current draw. That's what the fuse is for.I forget what fuse size but know it is NOT a normal fuse easily available at the hardware store. They manufacturer should include a share to help travelers on the road that need this device. Transformers rarely go bad. If it stops working you plugged in something you should not have used. That said, you should only buy this device if you have something electronic on your trip that only uses 120 VAC only. No Hair driers or laser printers or anything that drawer high current. Hope that helps folks.

Since it is a transformer, it is somewhat heavy. There are two things you should keep in mind. First, this is only good up to 150 Watts, so think about what you need it for and how many things you need to have plugged in at the same time. Second, think about whether you really need it at all. Many items these days, such as laptops and phone chargers, can handle both UK and US voltage ranges. Look at the input voltages on your power bricks. For instance, both my laptop brick and my Apple 12W USB Power Adapter lists "Input: 100-240V" and in those cases, all you need is a cheap plug prong adapter to use them because you don't need to convert the voltage on these items before plugging them in.

Most all of our electronics will accept either 110v or 220v, but my electric toothbrush, which I must have, accepts only 110v. With trips to both the Philippines and France (both have only 220v) in the works, I needed a converter. This one seemed to get mostly good reviews so I bought it and have been very pleased. It worked exactly as expected and kept my electric toothbrush fully charged during both trips. At most, it got slightly warm to the touch, but that was about it. My biggest criticism is that it is fairly heavy and bulky, but that's the price I was willing to pay. Obviously, an electric toothbrush is a low-current item, and the instructions for this converter state specifically that it should not be used with anything that produces heat or requires more than 150 watts. However, the item is solidly made and held up well for me on both trips, even when crammed in the outside corner of my carry-on bag, which often ended up getting jammed into overhead storage bins or dropped on hard airport terminal floors.

I am a British citizen yet an American permanent resident so when I decided to visit the UK for a vacation and wanted to take my laptop, I knew I needed something to convert the 240 / 220v current of the UK to suit my 110v laptop. Having searched the internet, I came across this product on Amazon.Once received it, the first thing I notice is how compact and small it is. Well, the proof is in action. In the UK it did exactly what I needed it to do. Also, I found I could connect a US extension lead and plug in not only my laptop but also recharge my camera and camcorder batteries at the same time. The unit handles everything great.If you are looking to travel to the UK this item is a great companion and small enough to pack either in checked or carry on. I even used it in Gatwick to charge my laptop since the laptop batteries were exhausted.Five stars for the unit in doing exactly what I wanted effortlessly.

Just what was needed to prevent my power overload to my North American electronics when I was in China! Kept all my electronics safe!

The modern traveller not only carries socks and under wear but, also electronics. Rechargeable batteries and laptops etc. England requires that your electronics use 240 Volts. Canada is 120. We had two camera's, a gps unit and a net book, each with different charging cables. This unit was invaluable to us and worked wonderfully. Despite its weight we will use it over and over. Smaller units, that I could find, don't have the three prong plug outlet. I also carried a three outlet extention cord to making it possible to charge three things at once. My back pack looked like a bowl of spagetti but, it was worth it. If you travel to Europe even once this unit pays for its self as soon as you check into your first hotel.

Too big and heavy for traveling so retuned it. I'm sure it would have done a great job though.

We bought one of these for our trip to the UK. My wife, sons and I all have iPhones/iPods and we also brought 2 laptops. We used this convertor with a single laptop at a time, or multiple iPhones/iPods (used a 3 outlet extension cord) every day that we were there and it worked wonderfully. Don't be fooled by a plug adapter that simply changes your plug from NA style to UK style and risk damaging your devices. Perfect !

Very heavy would be difficult to pack with that huge cord sticking out. Had to go buy a different one that connects directly to the wall with prongs that pop out (rather that having a big unwieldy wire.