Steckdosen Arten: Types of Outlets and What to Expect When Traveling

Have you ever been unpleasantly surprised with the type of outlet after you have reached a hotel in a country you’re visiting? If, for instance, you are going from the USA to Germany, or somewhere else in Europe, there is absolutely no denying the fact that you may not be met with the same outlets that you are used to in your home country. And, such an unpleasant surprise can really ruin your holiday.

Here’s something to help you understand different types of outlets: https://home.howstuffworks.com/how-to-understand-electrical-outlets.htm

How can this ruin your holiday, though? Well, imagine traveling and not being able to charge your devices anywhere. Your phone and your laptop will die, and you will be left with no means of communicating with the people you love. And then, if you’re taking a camera, and the battery on it dies as well, you may be quite disappointed as well, since you won’t get to capture the amazing views that you are seeing during your travels.

Being without your devices on your travels is, to say the least, an inconvenience. This is why you should undeniably be aware of the different steckdosen arten, or outlet types, whether you are visiting Germany or any other country in the world. After all, it is much better for you to learn about this and know what to expect, than to just assume everything will be the same, and then get discouraged after you arrive at your new destination.

What Types of Outlets Are There?

As it should be clear by now, different electrical outlet types are used in different parts of the world. And, well, there are some widely used ones that you should know about. For starters, there is the type A, which is often used in North America and Japan, as well as parts of Central America. Then there is the type B, also used in those areas, and often providing additional safety through grounding. Click this to better understand types A and B.

Moving on, there is the type C, also known as the Europlug, and it is one of the most common ones in the entire world. It has two round pins, and 220-240 voltage. It is used in most of Europe, with the exception of Ireland and the UK, and it is also widespread in Asia, the Middle East, and Africa, as well as South America.

Now, as mentioned, the type C is used in most of Europe. But then, there is also the type E that is often used in Poland, France and Belgium, and that comes with two round pins and an additional grounding hole. Type F is also used in Europe and is quite common in Germany, and it has two round pins and grounding clips on the side, while type G, with three rectangular pins is common in the UK, as well as Ireland, the United Arab Emirates, and other places. Finally, type I is also a widespread one, consisting of two angled flat pins and an optional grounding pin, and found in China, Australia, and New Zealand.

What to Expect When Traveling?

Apart from the ones I have mentioned, there are also some less common types that can be found in different places in the world. What you should know when traveling, though, is that you can expect these differences. Meaning, thus, that you should get properly prepared before setting off, as that is how you will avoid those unpleasant surprises.

How can you get prepared, though? Well, for one thing, you should check the Steckdosen Arten, that is, the outlet types, before leaving for a desired destination. And you can use some reliable online sources to do that, sources listing different types for different countries, and thus letting you know what to expect. Checking this is of utmost importance, because that is how you will know that to do in order to get prepared for your travels and to not be annoyed when you arrive there and notice a different outlet than the one you are used to in your home country.

How to Prepare?

I’ve mentioned a few times that getting prepared is important when it comes to the outlets. But, what is it that you should do apart from checking what to expect in one country or another? Well, what you can do is invest in a travel adapter that will allow you to plug your devices into outlets that are of different shapes.

That, however, is not all. Since there are differences in voltages around the world as well, you may also want to invest in a voltage converter. So, check the voltage before packing as well, in order to understand if you may need a converter in the country you are visiting, and then buy one if the answer is yes, and enjoy your travels without worrying about not being able to charge and plug in your devices.