Travelling can be stressful, but there are gadgets and gizmos to help us bring the tech we want with no worries over compatibility and keeping your phone charged! Adapters can convert a mains socket of one "type" into another, but how do you know which to get for your specific travels?
What Are Plug Types?
The first thing to understand is that plugs are not really designated as "UK" and "EU". In fact, there are 15 plug types! Understanding which you'll need is vital to having a stress-free trip to Europe.
You can view a breakdown of all the plug types here, and an adaptor that covers a lot of them!
Which Plug Types are UK and EU?
To properly convert an EU to UK plug you need an adapter that supports both "Types" used in those places. Using the information above we can see that the UK plug type is Type G. Type G plugs have 3 prongs each with a cuboid shape (Rather than cylinders) and you'll recognise these from phone chargers to Televisions!
The EU plug type is generally Type C, but there's a little more to it than that. Type C plugs feature two prongs, both cylindrical (You can see why a UK device would be completely incompatible).
On top of that, Europe also hosts Type E and Type F plugs, but don't worry! One adapter can accept Types C, E and F as they all rely on the two cylindrical contact points. Things could have gotten very complicated otherwise!
Which Adapter Do I Need For Europe?
With all of the ins-and-outs of the sockets sorted, the verdict is:
Type C to Type G adapters will allow you to convert an EU plug socket in to a UK plug socket. That means your current UK phone chargers, portable TVs and anything else will be able to plug right in even when abroad across all of Europe!
For a deeper insight read our overview of Universal Adapters, or to rush off to Europe right away pick up a WAP150 and go, go, go!
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