The Three Power Adapter Brands That Have Survived Five Years of Travel

Over the last six years I’ve purchased ten travel power adapters. 3 of them are still working – 7 of them broke rather than wore out. This piece attempts to describe the differences between working well and failing, focusing on a few key details that are often overlooked.

The failure modes I’ve seen

Bad travel power adapters suffer from relatively predictable failure modes. Knowing these beforehand will help you to avoid such products in the first place. A bit of forward planning is all you need.

Pin retraction failure: This is by far the most common way in which travel power adapters fail. Typically the pin retraction mechanism gets a bit stiff after a year or so, and eventually jams solidly in place so that you cannot pull the prong back into the adapter any more. I have got rid of three adapters so far due to this sort of problem. Sparking under load: This is a very serious issue. It is caused by a couple of things, the internal contacts not gripping the wall outlet properly, and/or a very flimsy adapter. I have seen this in two adapters, including one that sparked so much that it caused a small fire while it was plugged into a wall outlet in a guesthouse in Hanoi. USB port fails: The built-in USB ports that are integrated in cheap adapters have a tendency to fail within a year or so. This is different from the power outlet which will usually outlive the USB ports. Plug cracks at the strain relief: Sometimes a small crack in the plug plastic will form at the strain relief after having repeatedly inserted / removed a cord.

The three that have survived

I am not going to go out of my way to name specific good brands of travel adapters. For one thing, brands go through up and down periods, and a product that is great one year may be terrible the next. What I can say is that the three travel adapters that I still have, and that are still working after many years of use, have the following characteristics in common:

Solid (non-retractable) regional adapters: a $15 set of four region-specific plugs (US, EU, UK, AU) that have no moving parts. They’re slightly bulkier than a universal but they outlast universal adapters by years. Mine are on year six and still grip wall sockets firmly. One of the universal adapters I use has sliding pins, made of solid metal and has a sturdy spring mechanism to hold the pins in place. It also has a built-in fuse which will blow should there be a surge of power through the adapter. The cheaper universal adapters in the $12-15 range look the same but are made of plastic for the sliding part. They fail frequently. One travel power strip with built-in USB-C PD: A small power strip that will fit in your bag with two universal plug sockets to charge your other devices, and two USB-C powered delivery sockets to charge your laptop, and other fast charged devices like your phone, etc. All the power delivery is rated at 65W. Not all travel power strips have the same amount of powered delivery per USB-C port. Many are only rated at 18W which is not enough to power a modern laptop.

What to test before you trust an adapter

Try your adapter out at home before taking it traveling. Test it out for you by plugging it into a power point and making sure it stays in securely. Gently pull it out of the power point and then see how hot it gets when connected up to a power hungry product such as a laptop and leave it for an hour. You can also test the retractable cord for your adapter by pulling it out and in 10 times. Test out any sliding pins on your universal adapter by retracting and extending them 10 times. This will take about 20 minutes and found 2 adapters that are flawed for travel.

Insert the prongs of the adapter into a powered outlet. If it fits loosely at all, don’t buy it, as it is likely to loosen and fall out of other outlets as well. Gently wiggle it back and forth to test. 4. Even if the adapter feels to be working when you first get it home, it is still worth doing some tests on it. In particular, be wary of adapters that become very hot when powering a real power hungry device such as a laptop. Ideally, test the adapter by powering a laptop for an hour and then feeling the adapter to see if it is hot. A hot adapter is likely to fail on your trip. 8. How flexible is the connecting cable? Pull the cable connecting your appliance to your adapter in and out 10 times. You can easily test this on your desk or a table while sitting at home. Make sure the cable can retract well into the adapter without problems. A connecting cable that does not retract properly is an indication of cheap parts that can come loose on the road. Also make sure the cable sits firmly into the socket and is not loose. For universal adapters with sliding pins, test out the pins. 10 retracts and extends for each pin should be sufficient to test for any abnormal wear. A sticking or grinding feeling in the pins is a sign of poor quality.

This test takes only about 20 minutes, and it has already caught two adapters that I wouldn’t want to take with me on a trip.

The feature that matters more than universality

For most travelers, the major issue isn’t whether an adapter works in 150 countries (as some universal adapters are often marketed), but in how many regions or countries a traveler plans to visit in a year. In reality, for most, that number is 5-10 countries per year. And that can be covered with a set of 4 solid (non-retractable) regional adapters.

The most important feature in an adapter is its current capacity. Cheap travel adapters are usually rated for 6 amps, enough for a few small chargers or devices. But hair dryers, kettles, and other heat-generating appliances can draw a lot of current, up to 10 or 13 amps on 110V circuits or 4-6 amps on 220V circuits. Plugging these kinds of appliances into a 6-amp adapter will either blow the adapter’s fuse or melt its contacts. Look for an adapter with a higher current capacity, 10 amps or 13 amps, and make sure the rating is printed on the adapter’s housing. This is a required feature by international standards.

Heat producing devices draw lots of power. Items like hair dryers and kettles will draw 10 – 13 amps on 110V circuits. This will trip the adapter’s fuse if it’s designed to work on 110V circuits. Devices designed to work on 220V circuits will draw 4 – 6 amps and have similar results. A good adapter will have its required rating printed on the outside of the case in big letters. Look for a 10-amp or 13-amp rating. If the adapter does not have the required rating printed on it – it’s too cheap to use. A local told me that the most reliable adapters are the ones you don’t usually read about.

What I carry now

My current kit, after six years of refinement:

A four-piece regional adapter set in a small case to store them. A small USB-C/USB-A travel charger rated at 65W, used for phone, headphones, and laptop. One USB-C-to-laptop cable. One USB-C-to-phone cable. One Lightning cable for older devices. Three cables, total.

All of this equipment fits in a neat little pouch 12 x 8 x 4 cm and I have not needed to add to the collection of chargers for any place I have visited so far – it’s done a great job over the last two years and must cost a total of about $80.