The 6 Best Travel Adapters (2023): Plug and Universal Adapters

Simon Hill

Gear

Apr 6, 2023 10:00 AM

When going abroad, the right plugs are essential to keeping your gadgets charged. These are our favorites.

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Best Overall

Epicka Universal Travel Adapter

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$23 at Amazon

Upgrade Pick (and the Safest)

OneAdaptr OneWorld PD

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$49 at OneAdaptr

For Speedy Charging

Zendure Passport III

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$76 at Amazon

Best Travel Adapter Set

Ceptics Adapter Plug Set for Worldwide International Travel

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$15 at Amazon

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Whether you’re planning a country-hopping odyssey or a quick business trip, your journey will go more smoothly with the right kit. That includes a good travel adapter so you can safely charge all of your gadgets wherever you land. We’ve tested several, and our favorites below will work in most parts of the world.

Adapters make great gifts for travelers, and be sure to check out our roundup of other travel essentials if you’re a frequent flier.

Updated April 2023: We added the Mophie 3-in-1 Travel Charger, removed the Ampere Hypercube, and updated prices.

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• Photograph: Epicka

  Best Overall

  Epicka Universal Travel Adapter

  With the capability to work in more than 150 countries, this affordable adapter from Epicka will do the job for most people. It has sliders you push to reveal the three most common international plugs—EU, UK, and US—and you can rotate the pins for sockets in Australia or China. This plug can recharge your power-hungry devices, like laptops and camera batteries, but there are four USB-A ports on the bottom and a 15-watt USB-C port on the side for phones, tablets, smartwatches, and Kindles. It’s not as well constructed as our other two universal adapter picks below, but it’s much cheaper.

  The main problem is the lack of any grounding, which is meant to reduces the risk of an electrical shock if there’s a fault, such as a loose wire inside a device with a metal case. (This video explains grounding really well.) Thankfully, there’s overload protection with an 8-amp fuse, and it comes with a spare, but you should not use this adapter with any device that has a third metal ground pin on its plug.

  $23 at Amazon

• Photograph: OneAdaptr

  Upgrade Pick (and the Safest)

  OneAdaptr OneWorld PD

  The OneWorld PD has sliding toggles on the side that cover the US/Canada, the UK, and Australia/China, and you can pop out a much smaller stand-alone European adapter. It promises to work in more than 150 countries. There are three USB-A ports on the bottom as well as a USB-C port that supports Power Delivery and Quick Charge 3.0 to deliver up to 18 watts. That’s enough to fast-charge most phones and tablets, not so much a laptop. You can plug in your laptop’s AC charger to speedily juice it back up, but that means carrying the heavy charging brick around.

  What sets the AC plugs apart is that each one is earthed. Most universal travel adapters offer two-pin US plugs and make the third pin on the UK plug plastic, but the OneWorld PD provides fully grounded connections for every plug type to protect you from the risk of shock due to faulty wiring. It can handle up to 10 amps. Over-current protection automatically shuts down the power if there’s abnormal usage, and it resets via a button on the top. The rare British Standard 8546 compliance guarantees that the OneWorld PD has been fully tested and is one of the safest travel adapters you can buy. The downside? It’s frequently out of stock.  

  $49 at OneAdaptr

• Photograph: Zendure

  For Speedy Charging

  Zendure Passport III

  Zendure’s all-in-one travel adapter is what I toss in my bag first for every trip. It has a boxy design with sliding toggles to switch between US, European, and British plugs. (It covers more than 200 countries.) There’s an auto-resetting fuse to protect your gadgets from power surges, and the Passport III has a 10 amp limit. The latest version also sports a funky, translucent design with a metallic finish (purple is best). Sadly, there’s no grounding here like the Epicka, so you shouldn’t use this adapter with any device that has a third metal grounding pin on its plug.

  There are four USB-C ports alongside a single USB-A port and an AC socket, so you can charge six devices simultaneously. Using gallium nitride technology, Zendure was able to increase the power output of the USB-C port to 65 watts, capable of fully charging a 13-inch MacBook Pro in under two hours. That means you can leave your laptop’s charging brick behind (if it charges via USB-C). There’s support for the Power Delivery (PD) and Programmable Power Supply (PPS) standards (Samsung uses PPS in its flagship range), so it can fast-charge almost any phone or tablet. It’s expensive, but this travel adapter will satisfy even the most gadget-laden of travelers.

  ★ A Good Alternative: The OneWorld 65 ($69) sports a very similar design, the same 65W charging rate, and support for more than 200 countries. But it has three USB-C and two USB-A ports. It comes in white and has a 10A fuse with a replacement included. WIRED readers can also get a discount with the code OneWorld65_15%Off.

  $76 at Amazon

• Photograph: Ceptics

  Best Travel Adapter Set

  Ceptics Adapter Plug Set for Worldwide International Travel

  Universal adapters don’t always work properly everywhere, and most do not have any grounding. The cheaper and more reliable alternative is to buy individual adapters. This international set from Ceptics is our favorite. It includes five types to cover most of the globe, and they are properly grounded. If you’re visiting only a single destination, just pack the relevant type. None of these adapters have any kind of USB ports, so you will need to bring the respective charging adapter for your gadgets. 

  This set is especially good for Europe, because it includes Type C, E/F, and G adapters (more on this below), so you’re covered for any socket. Ceptics offers an even cheaper and smaller five-piece set, but we don’t recommend it because the adapters are flimsy, there’s no grounding, and the European plug’s design doesn’t work well with the recessed sockets you will sometimes encounter. The drawback of plug adapters is that they’re easy to lose, but at least Ceptics includes a small bag for storage.

  $15 at Amazon

  $14 at Ceptics

Most Popular

• Photograph: RapidX

  For Wireless Charging

  RapidX Modula 5 Modular Wireless Charging System

  A few of the best wireless chargers can be good choices for travel. This modular system from RapidX is compact and capable of wirelessly charging two phones at up to 10 watts each, which makes it a good option for couples or families. The beauty is that you can add or remove pods, and a single charging cable can power up to five. They snap together magnetically and pull apart for easy packing. You can also get additional phone pods ($30), and there’s a version with a phone pod and an Apple Watch pod ($80).

  You get a 30-watt US power adapter and a 5-foot USB-C cable in the box, so you will still want a travel adapter to pair with this system. If you plan to add pods, you will want a more powerful adapter. (RapidX recommends 65 watts or above for three or more devices.)

  $35 at Amazon

• Photograph: Mophie

  For Apple Devices

  Mophie 3-in-1 Travel Charger With MagSafe

  This handy trio of chargers keeps your iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods ticking and folds neatly into a felt carrying case for travel. The magnetic pad in the center can charge your iPhone at the fastest 15-watt rate, the Apple Watch dock pops up for Nightstand mode (sadly no fast charging here), and there is a grooved spot for your AirPods. It is compact and lightweight, and charges all three devices from a single cable and outlet. A 30-watt US wall adapter and a short USB-C to USB-C cable are included, but you must pair this with a travel adapter. We recommend this Mophie charger for travelers in our guide to the best Apple 3-in-1 wireless chargers.

  $150 at Apple

  $150 at Zagg

• Photograph: Getty Images

  International Plug Types and Universal Adapters

  What Type of Adapter Do You Need?

  There are 15 plug types in use across the world. Type A and Type B are used in the US, Canada, Mexico, and Japan; Type C is common across Europe, South America, and Asia; Type E and Type F are found across Europe in places like Germany, Russia, and France; Type G is used in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and a handful of other places; and Type I is used in Australia, New Zealand, China, and Argentina. Universal adapters tend to cover all of these types.

  Some countries are not usually covered by universal adapters, such as India (Type D), Israel (Type H), and South Africa (Type M or N). You’ll need to buy specific plug adapters for those places. To avoid any surprises when you land, double-check what type you need before you travel.

  If you’re visiting just one destination, a basic plug adapter that caters to one plug type is all you need. For trips to multiple destinations or for frequent flyers, a universal travel adapter can prove more versatile. The universal adapters we recommend here have the bonus of including multiple USB ports for charging several mobile devices from a single outlet.

Most Popular

• Photograph: Getty Images

  A Word on Voltage Converters

  Do you really need a voltage converter?

  Voltage converters are big, heavy, expensive, and don’t always work, so it’s probably best not to buy one. The reason you might think you need one is that the AC sockets on all of our recommended travel adapters do not convert the voltage coming from the socket. This means plugging into a UK socket will deliver 220 volts at 50 hertz, which is very different from the 120 volts at 60 hertz you can expect in the US. Don’t worry! Your gear won’t get fried. You just need to make sure anything you plug into one of these universal travel adapters has something like this printed on it: 

  Input: 100–220V 50/60Hz.

  That should include most modern gadgets. If your device or charger can’t handle a variable voltage, it’s probably best to leave it at home. Most places provide hair dryers, irons, and kettles, so there’s no need to take them with you. It’s often cheaper to buy a set with the correct plug at your destination and save luggage space and hassle.

Simon Hill has been writing about tech for more than a decade. He is a regular contributor to WIRED, but you can also find his work at Business Insider, Reviewed, TechRadar, Android Authority, USA Today, Digital Trends, and many other places. Before writing, he worked in games development. He lives… Read more

TopicsTravelchargersbuying guidesShoppingAccessories and Peripherals

More from WIRED

Travel Adaptor for USA | Electrical Safety First

USA travel adaptors

The United States of America entices thousands of tourists every year, who are all looking to discover and explore the country. To make sure you see all the USA has to offer, it’s important to plan your trip, before you set off on your adventure.

USA travel adaptors: which type do I need?

• 
  Type A
• 
  Type B

You will need to consider what to pack, to ensure you can use your personal electrical appliances safely whilst abroad. This normally includes the use of a travel adaptor, which is a device that simply allows you to plug any UK electrical appliance into a foreign electrical socket. It is important to note that it does not convert the voltage or frequency.

For USA there are two associated plug types, types A and B. Plug type A is the plug which has two flat parallel pins and plug type B is the plug which has two flat parallel pins and a grounding pin. USA operates on a 120V supply voltage and 60Hz.

Voltage converters and transformers

Electricity supplies worldwide can vary from anything between 100V and 240V. It can be extremely dangerous to use an electrical appliance that is rated at a voltage different from the supply.

As voltage can differ from country to country, you may need to use a voltage converter or transformer whilst in USA. If the frequency is different, the normal operation of an electrical appliance may also be affected. For example, a 50Hz clock may run faster on a 60Hz electricity supply.  Most voltage converters and transformers come supplied with plug adaptors, so you may not need to buy a separate travel adaptor.

All converters and transformers will have a maximum power rating (AMPS or WATTS) so make sure that any appliance you intend to use does not exceed this rating.

Dual voltage rated appliance

You can determine whether you’ll need to use a converter or transformer, by looking at the appliance rating plate.

A dual voltage rated appliance will display for example ‘INPUT: 110-240V’ on the body of the appliance or its power supply. This means that you will not need a converter or transformer but just a travel adaptor, because the USA operates on a 120V supply voltage, which is within the 110-240V range that the dual voltage appliance operates on.

Single voltage rated appliances

In the USA the supply voltage is 120V. If the appliance or its power supply are not dual voltage rated, the single voltage appliance will have to be used alongside a voltage transformer or converter to allow the appliance to work safely and properly (unless the appliance operates at 120V).

Converters and transformers perform a similar function, but their applications differ. Converters are typically used with appliances that operate for a short duration (1-2hours), whilst most transformers can be used alongside appliances that operate continuously.

It’s important to understand that some travel adaptors are not suitable for any appliances that require an earth connection. These types of travel adaptors should only be used with double insulated equipment, which will be clearly marked with the symbol shown below.

 

We recommend you check your appliances before embarking on your journey, to understand the requirements in USA.

For information on travel adaptors required for other North American countries, follow one of the links below:

Canada | Greenland | Mexico

What do the terms AU, US, UK and EU Plug mean? Difference between plugs

The catalog contains electronic equipment, wardrobe items, children’s toys and other goods. The page of each product has high-quality photographs and a detailed description that allows you to make the right choice. Specifications for electronic equipment are also indicated.

Despite the fact that the main terms are translated into Russian, some expressions are incomprehensible to buyers. For example, some customers are wondering – what does the inscription AU and EU Plug mean in the description of electrical appliances? This term refers to the types of sockets used in various countries of the world. Let’s see what features they have.

What is the difference between AU, US, UK and EU Plug

Today, there are four main types of plugs that have become widespread in Western and Asian countries:

1. AU Plug – has two flat pins. The electrical contacts are arranged horizontally with a slight slope. Devices with a similar plug operate under a voltage of 220-240 volts. In fact, residents of Russia can use such technical devices, the main thing is the availability of an appropriate outlet.
2. US Plug is an American version of the plug. It has two flat pins arranged vertically. There is no slope between electrical contacts. Often used in the USA. You can often find similar electrical outlets in Japan and Korea. Electrical appliances are designed for a voltage of 100-127 volts.
3. UK Plug (sometimes referred to as G) is a British plug with three flat pins. Two electrical contacts are located horizontally, 1 – vertically. Electrical devices equipped with such plugs operate at a standard voltage of 220-240 volts.
4. EU Plug is the European version of the plug. It is equipped with two vertical round pins. The operation of such devices in the states of the post-Soviet space does not require the use of special adapters. The equipment operates under a voltage of 220-240 volts.

When purchasing electronic equipment with a European version of the plug (EU Plug), it is necessary to take into account the presence of additional grounding. Thus, the operation of the electrical appliance will be much safer. Please refer to the product description for the type of plug. If you can’t find the information you’re looking for, read the user reviews. They usually contain useful details about the product.

How to find the right electronics on Joom

The Chinese marketplace often holds large sales, allowing customers to save a lot. Sometimes discounts reach 90%. You can get various accessories for electronic equipment almost free of charge. For example – chargers, adapters, energy storage devices. Before paying for the goods, be sure to read the product description and technical specifications.

Usually the description contains the maximum voltage at which the electrical device operates. The type of plug (AU or EU Plug) is also indicated. We have discussed in detail the meanings of these terms above. Given this feature, each buyer will be able to protect himself from unforeseen financial expenses for the purchase of a specialized adapter.

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Travel Adapter Atcom AT7441 AC adapter

AC adapter Atcom AT7441 UK/US to EU euro socket, white

Allows you to connect devices from more than 150 countries to euro sockets

ATCOM adapter to euro – socket (UK/USEU) A universal adapter with a socket designed for British and American electronic devices will convert the plug to a European-style socket.

If you brought your electronic device from America with a flat plug or from the UK, then you will need to be able to charge it at home from a regular wall outlet.

With the ATCOM to Euro socket (UK/USEU) adapter for two types of plugs, you will not find yourself in an awkward situation when you are abroad, because these standards are valid not only in the USA and Great Britain, but also in a number of other countries.

Nickel-plated connectors.

Body material: Metal, Plastic.

Rated voltage – 220 V (alternating current).

Length – 0.005 m.

Current rating – 10 A.

Travel Adapter Atcom AT7441 network adapter. Universal network adapter for traveling abroad.

Adapter to euro socket (UK/US<=>EU) connectors: CEE 7/7 euro socket SCHUKO

like Russia, Western European countries, Egypt, Israel, Norway, Turkey, etc. Read the full list of countries below….

Compact travel adapter allows you to connect devices from more than 150 countries to Euro sockets.