Hair Dryers and Etc

In Europe, you cannot plug the hair dryer in to a socket in the bathroom. (Only men can plug their shavers in a socket in the bathroom.) There should always be a hair dryer in the room, but it may not be in the bathroom. It may be tucked away in a desk drawer or closet.

If you want to take your own hairdryer because you don’t trust what type you’ll find supplied by the hotel or ship, then here is some information about what to take.

The Nitty Gritty

American hair dryers are 110 volts, while European ones are 220 volts. If you see a range of voltages printed on the item or its plug (such as “110–220”), that will work in Europe (see hair straightener picture below). Some older appliances have a voltage switch marked 110 (US) and 220 (Europe) — switch it to 220 when you pack it in your suitcase so you don’t forget.

For hairdryers, the best one we had was one that had a switch on it that you moved manually to switch it between 110 and 220 volts (but you had to have a penny handy). One day it died and so we took our regular hair dryer from home – over there and even with a converter – it burned up. So we just ended up buying a mini hair dryer in Glasgow (great shopping there).

Notice the UK 3 prongs on the hair dryer above. Here is a post about the UK and the EU having different electrical plugs.

Here is a dual voltage travel hair dryer from Amazon (but you will still need an adapter).

Curling Irons

If you need a curling iron, it is permissible to bring a butane one as carry-on – read the rules here: https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/items/butane-curling-irons-cordless  

I would recommend trying it at home first, read the reviews and be careful using them. I read one review where someone complained that the curling iron burned her hair.

Y'all I just bought a travel curling iron and I LOVE IT!! I've been using it at home. I have thin (and more thining recently) hair and no one told me I could just use a curling iron to have a full head of hair! There is NO humidity in Colorado and mine curls when I travel so I haven't had a curling iron for a while. But I'm totally in love with this one!

It gets hot really fast, it has multiple heat settings, my hair slides through it or I can hold it longer for tighter curls, and it is dual voltage so you just need an adapter!

The only negative is that the little black tip at the end isn't very big so you can burn your fingers if you're not careful.

Mini Curling Iron for Short Hair Dual Voltage with European UK Plug Adapter Ceramic Travel Small Curling Iron 3/4 Inch Barrel Curler

Hair Straightener or Flat Iron

My hair curls really nicely in Ireland and Scotland, so I personally do not use a hair straightener. But on our golf trip to Ireland, my roommate used a hair straightener and it worked – while we were inside. :-D

She bought a dual voltage “Super Styler” specifically for that trip. She said it automatically switched to the right voltage.

Close-up showing dual voltage

Please let me know if there is anything else I can help you with.