(Apologies if this has been answered recently - couldn’t find a thread.)

We are headed to Johannesburg and Cape Town, and I can’t figure out which power adapters to purchase. I’ve read that type N is the standard but only adopted recently - but if staying in hotels (Marriott), would type N be fine? Or should we also get some type M? Have never been so don’t know what to expect.

I have both N and M plug adapters. I have used the N only once in South Africa (we've been going sine 2015).

From my experience with larger international hotel chains, you will use the M sparingly as most of the rooms have universal electrical outlets for personal electronics. Most of the electrical outlets in hotel rooms, for their equipment (lamps, hair dryers, etc) are type M. Our last trip to South Africa as in August of 2021.

Most of our experience outside of Johannesburg, Cape Town and the wine areas if the Western Cape have been in the safari areas in and around the Kruger Park. All of the plug usage there has been the M plugs.

The vast majority of plugs will actually be type M, regardless of N being the nominal standard. Bring an adaptor just in case your hotels don’t have a universal option for you.

https://www.power-plugs-sockets.com/us/south-africa/
https://www.worldstandards.eu/electr...and-sockets/m/
https://www.worldstandards.eu/electr...and-sockets/n/

USA is 120V 60 Hz
Most phones/laptops chargers are dual voltage/dual frequency.
Many plug in small appliances, like hair dryers, are not.
Check the labels.

I have one of those multiple slide out plugs found on amazon and has 4 usb ports. Never found a place it wouldn’t work.

Thank you all very much! I’ll look into getting some M type adapters.

From my post in Travel Technology.

"A few years ago, I got something along the lines of these:
and never looked back. I haven't traveled with "multi-country" adapters since. One can debate about wattage, etc. But, these handle all my US-plug device needs. The company "Tessan" seems to have all different types of adaptors, capacities, etc."

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I've been traveling to/from living in SA on and off for the better part of 25 years and I've never even heard the terms "M" or "N" type plug. When I first went there for my first visit I brought an international converter brick thing that was a series of sliders, etc to get the "right" plug which NEVER stayed in the outlet to well. Gradually I moved to "double adaptors" from Spar and now, I find most if not all places have plugs that accommodate the aforementioned Tessan adaptors to get be a USB and USA plug option.

Welcome to South Africa!

I bought these Type Ms for when I was in South Africa back only to find that the Marriott/Hilton type hotels also had UK and/or EU plugs as well. Sometimes those were more convenient and closer to the bed or desk than the Type M in a wall somewhere. I guess they get so many European tourists that they had those as well.

Most hotels that cater to foreign tourists have UK style type G outlets as well, but keep in mind that many EU standard type C and especially type F adapters will not fit the south african type N outlet because of the size/shape of the actual socket even though the pins are compatible.

I've experienced exactly that issue with several of my regular EU adapters.

The plug you linked will not fit into an M type outlet. It will fit into an N type.