The 5 Best Travel Adapters, Tested and Reviewed

Oct 28, 2024

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Whether you prefer a set of specific adapters or something universal, these are the best options on the market.

In This Article

Travelers these days have all types of gear and gadgets that require power: cellphones, headphones, cameras, laptops, and even their toothbrushes. When venturing abroad, you’ll often find that not every hotel, airport lounge, or even public mode of transportation accommodates the U.S. plug, which means you likely need an adapter and/or a converter for international trips.

Our favorite adapters and converters are compact, work in multiple countries, have several ports including both USB and AC sockets, and, of course, power your tech essentials without frying them. As avid travelers, we tested an array of products on actual trips across the world and ranked them based on ease of use, effectiveness, and value to bring you the best picks for every scenario. We were especially impressed with the EPICKA Universal Travel Adapter, which is able to charge up to six devices at once and comes in a lightweight block design.

Below, find our favorite easy-to-use adapters and converters for your next international journey.

It’s able to charge six devices at once.

This is not a converter, so you shouldn’t use it for things like curling irons and hair dryers.

Ready to use in more than 150 countries, this adapter from Epicka can charge six devices at the same time, as it comes with four USB-A ports, 1 USB-C port, and 1 AC socket. It works with all USB-enabled devices including iPhones and Androids, and can charge laptops, cameras, tablets, and power banks, too. It eliminates the need to purchase individual adapters for each trip, which makes it a great money-saving travel product. The adapter also has a built-in, double 8A fuse and safety shutters that keep children from trying to plug other items into the socket. The adapter comes in four different colors, and has a 1-year limited warranty.

Updates writer Asia Longon Palomba tested the adapter in the Azores Islands and in Portugal on a weeklong trip. She used it to charge her iPhone, AirPods, portable chargers, Amazon Fire Tablet and the accessories for her DJI Mini Drone. She loved that it was small and easy to pack, plus it’s simple to switch over to different prongs from country to country. “The adapter is extremely lightweight yet durable, which is perfect for traveling light or with only carry-on luggage, which is how I traveled,” she says. She also notes that she wears a size 5 US/35 EUR shoe, and was able to store the adapter and its case easily in a shoe in her suitcase. However, the only downside Palomba found was that the carrying case didn’t have a small interior slip pocket, which would be great to hold the extras like spare fuses so they don’t get lost.

The Details: 2.8 x 1.97 x 2.05 inches | 5.1 ounces | No converter | 6 ports | 1 AC, 4 USB-A, 1 USB-C | 240 volts

There are six attachments that work with the adapter and a small pouch to carry them in.

The attachments can get lost easily.

With two AC outlets, two USB-A ports, and an attached USB-C cable, the Ceptics World Travel Adapter Kit is great for charging multiple devices at once. It also comes with six adapters that work in Europe (Type C), UK (Type G), the U.S. (Type B), Australia and China (Type 1), Germany and France (Type E/F), and Japan (Type A). Plus, it comes with a handy travel pouch as well. Palomba also tested this adapter on her trip to the Azores and Portugal, using it again to charge the same devices mentioned above. She likes that the adapter is strong and sturdy while remaining lightweight, but found it inconvenient to have to constantly check an included pamphlet to see which attachment worked where. “The pamphlet can easily fit into the suede pouch that accompanies the adapter so that you can travel with it, but I wish there was an easier, more streamlined way for users to know which attachments worked where,” she says.

As far as the multiple plug attachments go, Palomba didn’t like that they weren’t automatically built into the device. “Some of the attachments are bulkier than others, so it’s not as compact as other adapters on the market, which is problematic for those traveling on the lighter side.” However, you could bring only the attachments you need, assuming you wouldn’t need all six for a trip.

That said, the adapter does have great charging capacity and is highly durable, with Palomba noting these factors among the best she tested. Plus, she especially appreciated its built-in USB-C cable.

The Details: 2.75 x 1.5 x 3.75 inches | 4.5 ounces | No converter | 5 ports | 2 AC, 2 USB-A, 1 USB-C | 240 volts

The adapters have two ports in each unit.

These adapters are all the same Type C style.

If you’re heading to a country that uses Type C plugs, this three pack of adapters from Ceptics is a great choice. Each one comes with a two-in-one input that allows you to plug a two- or three-prong North American outlet into each adapter. It’s great for packing along to charge multiple items on a trip, or great for sharing on family and friend trips. It’s compatible in most European countries, including Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, the Azores, the Balearic Islands, Belarus, and Belgium, but it will not work in Ireland, the UK (London), or Scotland. Associate editorial director Morgan Ashley Parker has used this set of adapters for the past eight years to charge her phone, power bank, headphones, AirFly, iPad, and travel vacuum. She loves the price, the small size, and the fact that it includes three adapters in case you need to charge or use things at the same time in different parts of the room. “I’m personally not into the brick that serves many countries since it’s so bulky, so this is my personal preferred style,” she says. “I love that the set includes three so if something happens to one, (or you leave it behind or have to share), you have backups already. I usually travel with just two in case, and leave one back at home.”

The Details: 1.5 x 1.5 x 1.75 inches | 3 ounces | No converter | 6 ports | 6 AC outlets | 250 volts

You can charge three devices at once in most European countries.

There is only one AC port on the adapter.

For European travel with USB-A devices, the Tessan Travel Plug Adapter is great for personal use, as it comes with two USB-A ports and one Type C socket, allowing you to charge up to three devices at once. It works in most European countries, including Spain, Iceland, Germany, Turkey, Austria, Greece, Croatia, and more, but it will not work in the UK, Ireland, or Scotland. The two USB-A ports can charge at a speed of up to 2.4A max per port, and work well for cell phones, tablets, cameras, etc. And at 3 ounces, the adapter fits into the palm of your hand and is easy to tuck away into a carry on or purse.

Senior commerce editor Jasmine Grant has used this adapter during a two-week trip to London, Germany, Switzerland, and Milan, and on another trip to Croatia. She loves that she can charge multiple devices at one time, with all devices charging equally as fast. “I never at any point noticed a lag in charging time or any overheating,” she says. “The material doesn’t feel flimsy or cheap, and has held up even after being shoved into many different personal items and suitcases.

The Details: 2.8 x 2.3 x 2.6 inches | 3 ounces | No converter | 3 ports | 1 AC, 2 USB-A | 250 volts

This adapter allows you to only bring cords instead of bulkier charging blocks.

This is only for USB ports.

Compatible in most European countries such as Norway, Italy, Spain, Iceland, Romania, Sweden, Serbia, Bosnia, and more, this simple USB adapter from Usinfly is great for devices where you don’t want to take the AC outlet portion of the device. It comes with two USB-C ports and two USB-A ports, giving you four USB ports to charge your phone, laptop, tablets, and other devices. The adapter has a built-in safety protection system that recognizes the phone model you plug in, which protects your device from overcharging, overheating, and short circuiting. The Type C socket will stop charging devices when they’re fully charged as well. Parker bought this specific adapter on a trip to Portugal, and says it’s easy to use because you don’t need to bring something like the iPhone charging block and can instead just bring the cords you need. “For something that can charge four devices, it’s still very compact and fits in a purse, so it’s well worth it versus buying individual adapters for each product.”

The Details: 2.16 x 1.77 x 1 inches | 5 grams | No converter | 4 ports | 2 USB-A, 2 USB-C | 240 volts

Three adapters we tested couldn’t quite earn a spot on our list but had standout features that may meet the needs of some travelers.

Apple Travel Adapter Kit: Made by Apple, for Apple products, this kit has seven AC plugs that work for iPhones, iPods, iPads, and Mac laptops in North America, Japan, China, the UK, Europe, Korea, Australia, Hong Kong, and Brazil. It’s great because it’s an Apple-certified product, so we know our devices are safe. However, you need Apple's power adapter brick to serve as a base.

Bestek Travel Adapter and Voltage Converter: Three AC outlets and four USB ports give you the power to charge up to seven devices at once, making it easy to charge their phones, laptops, tables, and camera batteries. Three plug adapters are also included and work in more than 150 countries, and the unit also is a converter. However, this adapter is much bulkier than other ones on this list.

Jarvania European Travel Plug Adapter: One AC and two USB ports allow you to charge three devices at once in numerous European countries using Type C outlets, and the added Type G plug adapter means you can also use this in the UK. However, the UK adapter is separate, and could be lost easily.

To test these adapters, we took each adapter on an international trip, inserting the adapters into compatible wall sockets. We plugged in low-power devices, like a phone charger or headphone chargers, and made sure the device was charging. We used the adapter at least two times during testing, noting how effective the adapters were at charging low-powered devices, and how the adapters performed when powering devices with different voltage requirements. If the adapter worked with a low-powered device, we then used the adapter with a high-power device, like a laptop or hair dryer, noting how the adapter charged these devices and if there was overheating, noises, smoke, etc.

We also took a look at how high quality the adapters themselves were, noting overall construction, if each came with attachments or not, how seamlessly attachments fit into the adapter, and how easy and clear instructions were.

Before leaving on your trip, be sure to check out what types of outlets are used in the countries you’re visiting, and buy adapters and converters accordingly. The last thing you’ll want is to accidentally fry your travel steamer (or other device) while abroad and spend the rest of the trip sporting wrinkles. Some hotels provide USB ports inside hotel rooms, but it’s best to make sure they’re available before arriving empty-handed.

If you’re visiting numerous countries and are in a rush, it’s sometimes easier to simply buy a kit with several adapters for multiple different destinations, which can save you money instead of buying numerous adapters. Lots of kits are small enough to tuck away in your bag or carry-on, so just be sure that you take along the ones you need.

Travel + Leisure / Alexander Huang

Always be sure to read the instructions that come with your adapter or converter, and be sure to pay attention to the power details. You may think a converter is safe for your styling tools or appliances when it's actually not, and you could fry your device, or blow a fuse, if the adapter doesn’t convert voltage.

An adapter is used when you need to plug a specific type of prong into a different socket. It allows you to plug your U.S.-style prong into an outlet in another country that uses a different type of plug. A converter is different in that it changes the voltage of an outlet to match the voltage of the item being plugged in. Some countries use 110/120 volts, while others use 220/240 volts. If you don’t use a converter, you could ruin your device, or even risk a fire.

If your destination has a different prong type than your outlets at home, then you’ll need an adapter. But if the voltage is different in the place you’re traveling than it is at home, you’ll need a converter to convert that voltage. Some products have dual voltage, which means the device can handle voltages from all over the world.

Most of Europe uses Type C plugs, which also fit into Type E, F, H, J, K, L, and N sockets that may replace Type C in places such as Denmark, Switzerland, and Italy. (England and the rest of the U.K. uses Type G.) Always double check exactly which one you’ll need before your departure.

For this article, the T+L team tested and reviewed numerous adapters and converters to find the best of the best for countries across the world. Freelance writer and world traveler Amanda Ogle further researched travel adapters to add additional insights to this list.

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