Why these appliances are different
A phone charger may draw 20–100 W, while a hair dryer can draw 1,500–2,200 W. At a lower mains voltage, a single-voltage heating appliance may perform poorly; at a higher voltage it can be damaged and become unsafe.
Dual-voltage models
Some travel hair dryers have a physical 120/230 V selector. Set it before plugging in. A wide automatic input range is more common on electronic chargers than on heating appliances.
Adapter rating and earth
- ✓Confirm the adapter's input and destination plug systems.
- ✓Keep protective earth for Class I appliances.
- ✓Check current and continuous power at the destination voltage.
- ✓Avoid daisy-chaining adapters and extension leads.