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From the research I did before I traveled overseas, you should be fine IF you get the right adapter. Make sure you get one that's meant for appliances and not something less demanding, like charging batteries.

I haven't ever actually tried this, so I could be wrong, but I would expect it to work. Good luck!

My mother-in-law did something similar for her coffee machine. She did the voltage adapter for a while, but eventually had one plug in her kitchen rewired for European voltage, which wasn't that expensive (apparently).

I had the same problem, but with lamps. Any good hardware store or electrician supply store will have these little plug adapters that convert European plugs to American plugs for just a few dollars. Whenever I see them, I usually buy a few at a time as they are great for the many European travelers I get (husband is German).

You will need a step down / step up transformer. They work fine but make sure you get the correct Watt capacity for the product you are going to use it with. If your machine requires 1500 Watts don't get one that outputs 500 Watts.

They are easy to use but heavy and somewhat bulky.

http://tinyurl.com/3u3sq6

Cindy,

A plug adapter only works if there is already a transformer on your product (like a laptop that always has a power adapter).

A plug adapter merely allows you to plug the item into your wall outlet, it does nothing to convert voltage.

I'd recommend against it because most transformers aren't really built to handle products that like espresso makers. Most are used for things like portable video game consoles, laptops, or cell phones, so anything requiring real power which produces heat will probably blow out the transformer. Or worse, it might blow out your machine.

Case in point, I tried using a US rice cooker with a transformer in the UK. The transformer and the rice cooker blew out in 30 seconds. I wasn't too upset because I got the rice cooker for free and the transformer was only about $20. But I would've cried it was a FrancisFrancis espresso maker.

misswills,

That will certainly happen if you do not match the Watts correctly. If matched properly, there is no reason for anything to blow out. Transformers with higher wattage allowances are more expensive for a reason.

PS: I'm not sure what the wattage of the Illy espresso maker is but it will likely be above 1000 watts and below 1500 watts.

I doubt you will blow it up because the voltages are higher overseas so you will be decreasing the power not increasing. Worst case scenario it will run really slowly not explode. A friend of mine brought a hair dryer from Italy and gave it up because it didn't work well over here even with an alternator/adaptor. Anything that creates heat uses a ton of energy so its going to be tougher to convert.

sally599,

"Anything that creates heat uses a ton of energy so its going to be tougher to convert."

Unless you buy the correct and proper product as shown in this link: http://tinyurl.com/3u3sq6

You need to match wattage properly!!! I have several watts demanding European appliances that are run through transformers and they've worked fine for close to a decade now.

I've always had luck with personal electronics but have fried anything with a heating element instantly.

I live in Italy, and my mother sent me a Kitchen Aid mixer from the States because here they only sell the Artisan models. Anyway, I had the right adapter, and the mixer went really slowly nonetheless. One day I saw a different adapter, (from Muji) and notices that the wattage was ok and technically it should've worked. But, But... the mixer fried after going at supersonic speed for 30 seconds.

heidh,

"I've always had luck with personal electronics but have fried anything with a heating element instantly."

That's because the wattage was not matched and/or the transformer was poorly made. If you are going to use a $400 mixer, don't buy a $30 transformer.

As someone who has lived abroad, we need start with some basics.

US = 110v
rest of the world = 220v

To be honest, 220v seems to be better for running everything from a power standpoint so not sure why we still use 110.

The short answer is no.

It is very simple to run a 110 product on a 220v as long as you use a transformer, you do not fry it.

If you try to use a 220v product with a 110v power grid, you do not fry it but you can damage the product because it is not getting enough power. Example.. 220V hot water pot in a 220V socket boils water in less then a min, a 220V hot water pot in a 110v socket boils water in maybe 15 mins. Everything will run slower if they run at all, and by running slower the product my be damaged. Now, you may be get a 220V installed in your house but I do not see it being easy or worth the cost.

$20 is really really cheap for a transformer. Last time I went transformer shopping, buying good high-wattage transformers cost anywhere from 80-200 dollars. Also, the kind we had would sometime blow out but all we had to do was replace a tiny, cheap fuse and we were good to go.

The transformers would blow, not whatever was plugged into them.

joebelt, the wattages were matched up on my transformer. I had checked before I bought the transformer. But it just wasn't able to handle the difference. It was probably because my transformer wasn't the best. But at the same time, would you spend $80 to buy a transformer for a free rice cooker? I had that transformer around for other electronics and it fit the wattages, so I gave it a go. But unfortunately, I found out the hard way that it wasn't going to work.

I would also hate for the poster of the original question to find out the hard way on a fantastic FrancisFrancis espresso maker that wattage conversions don't always work as planned.

Joebelt, you seem to know a thing of two, so maybe you can give me ray of hope. With one of those transformers, do you think I'll be able to take my (American) KitchenAid to the UK? What about a fuzzy logic rice cooker?

renata:
check your electronics or appliances, on the cord tags or the manual will say the voltage range if its 110v-220v you should be able to use the thing anywhere, you just need a little plug hole adapter for other countries. when i went to new zealand everything worked great (cameras, phone, chargers, computer) with just a $3 plug adapter from samsonite.

misswills

"But at the same time, would you spend $80 to buy a transformer for a free rice cooker? "

Who's talking about a free rice cooker? We are talking about a $100 espresso maker so yes, I would spend $80 in a heartbeat to properly power an expensive appliance.

* $1000 espresso maker

RalphEMole,

All the items you list have their own power adapters. That is why you only need a plug adapter. Last I checked blenders, coffee machines, etc. don't have power adapters. If you just use a plug adapter on a big appliance like a microwave, you are headed for disaster central.

I had a Smeg fridge freezer from the US brough over and these guys helped me with tecnical data and the conversion: http://www.internetkitchenappliances.co.uk/

Joebelt is right. If you get a cheapy $20 transformers you will get bad results. Something made for your cell phone charger is a little out of it's league.

I will add to that. Don't match the watts needed, exceed. So if that unit takes 1500 watts, buy the 1800 watt transformer. No sense in running the transformer right at its limit. Computer guys can tell you how bad it is to have a 400 watt power supply and use all 400 of it.

And don't sweat that you are using a transformer. Laptops and fluorescent lights have been using them for years.

In most electronics, too little voltage is a worse problem than too much. Too much current blows the fuse, too little causes things to open or close on a circuit board that shouldn't.

joebelt all I said was that it would be tougher to convert and more expensive or less readily available both correlate with tougher. I didn't say impossible, I just think this person needs to realize they aren't going to be pulling out a little plug adaptor here. It is something they are going to have to think about, i.e matching the wattage. It is also going to matter where they live. My apartment was built in the 1920s it seems to be incompatible with things like space heaters and irons, causing some sort of internal shut down mechanism to trigger even though they don't trip the circuit breaker. So the bottom line is that there are a lot of variables. If you're they type who is into electricity and doing things for yourself then this is probably a great deal, but if not then you'll probably regret it.

Interesting reading this. Does anyone know where I could go for more info on adapting appliances to the UK?

The items I have are worth moving if I can be confident they'll work, but worth selling if they won't (mine is not a free rice cooker but one of those $100 computer-programmed ones).

I do understand that the simple plug adapter isn't going to cut it. I've heard more stories of people failing to convert than succeeding. I'd like to think they were just doing it wrong, but I don't know.

sally599 ,

That is ridiculous. This is a VERY simple affair. Just don't go an buy a transformer at the "5 and dime" store. If you have quality appliances, get a quality transformer with matching wattage. It's really not brain surgery.

BTW, you should get your 1920s apartment checked out by a licensed electrician. What you describe is not safe and is a fire hazard!!!

Illy basically gives the Francis Francis away if you commit to buying a certain amount of coffee from them. I haven't priced it out but if you drink a lot of coffee it's prob a pretty good deal. The illy website has the details

renata --

sell what you can, it is really a hassle living with the sorts of convertors you need to run your appliances -- i.e., check the link in joebelt's first comment above.

Those things are HUGE and clunky (they will clutter up your TINY English kitchen), and they use fuses which you have to replace.

Using these sorts of convertors on North American appliances in Europe -- things like hair dryers and food processors, things with motors (as opposed to lamps, for example) -- often shortens their lifespan.

Take the advice of someone who moved to Europe a year ago -- sell your stuff at home (or put it in storage) and buy new in Europe.

If you are only going to be here a while, check around for other expats who are decamping home -- they often sell their stuff cheap -- or just buy cheaper models here (no way were we going to buy another Dualit toaster here).

monika1,

"Using these sorts of convertors on North American appliances in Europe -- things like hair dryers and food processors, things with motors (as opposed to lamps, for example) -- often shortens their lifespan."

OR buy the proper transformer so your items don't get damaged. As I said I have been using mine for close to 10 years and no item has been damaged and I've never had to replace a fuse.