The first order of business is to determine whether your appliance require a converter/transformer to be used abroad. You have to look at the voltage ratings of that appliance. If your electrical item has a rating such as 100V-240V, it means that particular appliance is dual voltage. You should be able to use that product in a 220V region without necessarily needing a converter or transformer. Most camcorder battery chargers and laptops are dual voltage meaning you probably won’t need a converter to operate them. However, you may still require a plug adapter that is used to plug it in to the outlet abroad.

If you determine that your appliance requires a converter/transformer, you’ll need to figure out which one or which type to buy. You should check the watt rating of your item. If that’s not available, you can calculate the wattage by multiplying amps times voltage. When you are selecting a transformer/converter for purchase, you must select one that will match with the wattage ratings of your appliance. Once you’ve taken care of the voltage, you still may need to have an adapter to plug everything into the wall.