If you buy a power converter, make sure its power rating meets or exceeds the power rating of the single device you will use with it. If you're really worried about being without a dryer or curling iron, you might want to simply buy one of these devices in Europe to avoid carrying both the device and the converter around. There's really no need to pack a blow-dryer for your trip to Italy, as most hotels and rental properties will supply one. You'll need to lug a large power converter or power transformer to convert Italy's higher voltage to the lower American voltage-or you'll risk having the curling iron really curl (meaning "fry") your hair. They are extremely high current devices, meaning that combined with the high voltage, they use a whole lot of power (current times voltage = power). These devices cannot often be used in dual voltage situations without voltage conversion. Hair dryers and curling irons are the bane of modern day travel. To buy adapters or converters to take to Italy, see our guide to the latest Power Adapters and Electrical Converters. You may also see round outlets with two or three holes-in most cases, your 2-prong adapter will work fine in these. That's because some, but definitely not all, Italian outlets have three holes-just don't risk it and stick with a 2-prong adapter. You may see adapters with three prongs in a row, but only buy a 2-prong adapter. You can check the back of the device or the "power brick" for the electrical input specifications. Devices like this include most laptops and phones, most recently produced battery chargers, and many small, electrical gadgets, especially those designed for world travel. You can get along with just a plug converter for many of today's small electrical devices designed to run on dual voltages.
You will need a step-down power converter or transformer to safely step the voltage down from 220 to 110. If your appliance is designed to run only on 110-120 volts, you are likely to see smoke, if not fire, from this potent miss-mating. These allow you to plug your electrical device into the Italian wall socket, but they do not convert the electricity to the American 110 volts. Plug adapters are the interfaces between the American flat-pronged plug and Italy's two (or three) round-prong socket. The U-shaped round hole is for grounding. The 2 vertical holes are parallel and connected to the live and neutral wire. You need to plug the device in the 2 vertical holes and 1 round hole.
Some adapters of this type have a USB port, meaning you can use them to charge a cell phone or digital camera via USB. Throughout North America, 15 and 20 amp 120-volt outlets are used. This is fine for devices which are insulated (having a plastic body, for instance). This adapter is ungrounded, which is why it doesn't have a third, center prong. The plug adapters shown in the photo are probably all you need to convert the US rectangular pronged plug to the round prong Italian power plug used in most Italian homes and hotels.
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