Home appliances are essential to modern life and need to be properly maintained in order for them to last. Small and large home appliances can make chores easier to accomplish. They come in many types and with different voltage requirements as well. Before you buy any appliance, make sure to check its power and voltage specifications.
If you try to plug in a 220 volt home appliance into 110 volt plug, the appliance might not work properly; the appliance may even get damaged. A 220 volt appliance without a motor—like a toaster, for example—will not heat up properly when plugged into a 110 volt outlet. A motored appliance plugged into a reduced voltage outlet may burn out, producing smoke or even starting a fire. This is why you need a proper converter or a transformer when using 220 volt appliances in the US.
Be sure to buy a step down converter for 220 volt home appliances that you want to plug into a 110 volt socket. Note that some converters are dual-purpose; they can work as step down or step up converters and are therefore very practical if you regularly travel to different parts of the world and want the freedom to run both 220 volt and 110 volt home appliances anywhere. Also note that some 220 volt appliances may require a voltage transformer instead of just a converter. Electronics with chips and circuit boards (such as printers, laptops, and the like) will need a proper voltage transformer. On the other hand, electric appliances that use high-powered mechanical motors as heating elements (such as hair dryers and irons) need either a transformer or a converter. Electric and electronic 220 volt home appliances can run transformers, but electronics don’t work with converters.
