Best brand of international power adapters?
#1
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Join Date: Feb 2012
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Best brand of international power adapters?
What is the highest quality brand of international power adapters based on your actual experience?
Any must-have features I should look for?
Any brands to stay away from?
I need a new Type G adapter for UK, Hong Kong and Singapore. (I'm actually going only to Hong Kong and Singapore on next trip.)
Searching turned up very few recent threads on this here except for one in 2017:
When I searched for Schuko power adapters they all seemed to be Euro style. However, this brand came up as though it was a brand of Schuko
Any must-have features I should look for?
Any brands to stay away from?
I need a new Type G adapter for UK, Hong Kong and Singapore. (I'm actually going only to Hong Kong and Singapore on next trip.)
Searching turned up very few recent threads on this here except for one in 2017:
When I searched for Schuko power adapters they all seemed to be Euro style. However, this brand came up as though it was a brand of Schuko
#2
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: DEL
Posts: 1,053
Schuko is the German name for the grounded plug (type F) used in about half of Continental Europe, not a brand name. What I believe pseudoswede was referring to is that there are a lot of really low-quality, sometimes dangerous ungrounded (Europlug/type C) adapters for the Continent out there.
If you're just looking for a plug adapter, the type G adapters tend to be better quality and priced to match vs. the super-cheap fire hazard Europlug adapters. The with the blue lettering are pretty much the standard design and work fine. On principle, I'd avoid anything that doesn't have the half-insulated hot/neutral pins--if the manufacturer was too cheap to do those right, what else did they do wrong? Luckily those seem rare, even from the Chinese eBay sellers.
If you're just looking for a plug adapter, the type G adapters tend to be better quality and priced to match vs. the super-cheap fire hazard Europlug adapters. The with the blue lettering are pretty much the standard design and work fine. On principle, I'd avoid anything that doesn't have the half-insulated hot/neutral pins--if the manufacturer was too cheap to do those right, what else did they do wrong? Luckily those seem rare, even from the Chinese eBay sellers.
Last edited by der_saeufer; Feb 10, 2019 at 2:59 pm Reason: fix typo. Europlug is type C.
#3
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The "Ceptics" ones on Amazon with the blue lettering are pretty much the standard design and work fine.
#4
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Schuko is the German name for the grounded plug (type F) used in about half of Continental Europe, not a brand name.
The "Ceptics" ones on Amazon with the blue lettering are pretty much the standard design and work fine. On principle, I'd avoid anything that doesn't have the half-insulated hot/neutral pins--if the manufacturer was too cheap to do those right, what else did they do wrong? Luckily those seem rare, even from the Chinese eBay sellers.
Just out of curiousity, how could I spot one that does not have the "half-insulated hot/neutral pins" ?
#5
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I thought we had an entire wiki for this question at Power Outlet Shape Adapter Advice
#6
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I thought we had an entire wiki for this question at Power Outlet Shape Adapter Advice
As an aside, I hardly even use adapters anymore; I have a collection of power cords for my laptop and just charge other stuff off the laptop. Just as cheap, but even lighter and one less failure point.
#7
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Look at the photos--notice how the longer top (earth aka ground) pin is bare metal but the other two (hot and neutral) have a coating for half their length? That's a safety measure that makes it very difficult to shock yourself when plugging in or unplugging a device. It's required by the standard, so any adapter that doesn't have it is by definition low quality. Even my $1 Chinese eBay adapters have them.
We do, but that wiki mostly covers the "universal" adapters rather than the single-purpose ones the OP asked about. Some good info in the thread though.
As an aside, I hardly even use adapters anymore; I have a collection of power cords for my laptop and just charge other stuff off the laptop. Just as cheap, but even lighter and one less failure point.
We do, but that wiki mostly covers the "universal" adapters rather than the single-purpose ones the OP asked about. Some good info in the thread though.
As an aside, I hardly even use adapters anymore; I have a collection of power cords for my laptop and just charge other stuff off the laptop. Just as cheap, but even lighter and one less failure point.
#8
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I also did the "charge from laptop" tactic and in turn charge the laptop from the Mu One w/ its international heads. It worked but I am glad I will have the Maru & Masa to have some extra USB C ports for (much) speedier charging. Also the One Mix Yoga 2S doesn't charge from 5V which makes this tricky. I also did the figure eight replacement or , when such was required, the mickey mouse cable replacement which is even better because those plug shape adapters are big and unwieldy.
#9
Join Date: Oct 2003
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I also usually carry figure-8 and the relevant Apple duck head plugs if I'm traveling for a longer period or with others. If I'm packing light then I might bring 1 USB-C, 1 USB-A 2 port charger, and a folding adapter. I'll probably upgrade to a GaN 2 port USB-C charger when I see one I like under 7 oz.
I also like WonPro adapters WAD series with the extra NEMA plug on top so I don't necessarily lose an outlet https://www.wonpro.com/en/product-c3...eceptacle.html (for those occasions where the single outlet is also where the only lamp is plugged in) and the one with a switch for use with an immersion coil https://www.wonpro.com/en/product-c3...er-switch.html https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/20110852-post11.html
I also like WonPro adapters WAD series with the extra NEMA plug on top so I don't necessarily lose an outlet https://www.wonpro.com/en/product-c3...eceptacle.html (for those occasions where the single outlet is also where the only lamp is plugged in) and the one with a switch for use with an immersion coil https://www.wonpro.com/en/product-c3...er-switch.html https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/20110852-post11.html
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No idea where the OP is from, but the UK, HK and Singapore all use the same type of plug so only need for one. Talk of Euro adapters for European plugs is irrelevant.
#13
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I've been very happy with the adapters sold by Austin House.
#14
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As LondonElite helpfully posted the illustration, I'll just add that the Anker USB unit,
(the sixth photo on the left of the Amazon page shows the rear, figure-8 design), uses that type of power cord and allows me to place the USB block on a nightstand or a desk in UK (or if I'm on the Continent, EU) hotel rooms, many of which contain only one or two electrical outlets, sometimes in really inconvenient locations, like behind the bed.
#15
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Schuko is the German name for the grounded plug (type F) used in about half of Continental Europe, not a brand name. What I believe pseudoswede was referring to is that there are a lot of really low-quality, sometimes dangerous ungrounded (Europlug/type C) adapters for the Continent out there.
I have tried a few type C adapters while in Sweden, but they never seem to fit snug--it's like the pins are often 0.5mm too narrow. I never have that issue with type F adapters. I have a bag full of type F adapters that stay in Sweden, and I always carry 3-4 in my backpack for the family while we travel.