American Express Travel Tips - Electrical Appliances

Useful Information Index / Electrical Appliance Tips

Electrical Appliance Tips

In Canada, we use 110-volt alternating current, whereas most other countries use 220-volt alternating current.

If you try to use a North American shaver, iron, or hair dryer in a foreign outlet, the high voltage will overheat and destroy the appliance and could shock you.
To use a North American appliance, buy a converter. For a hair dryer, travel iron, or water-and-coffee heater, you need a 50-1600-watt converter.
If an outlet is labeled "for shavers only," it can handle appliances operating at only 15 to 20 watts.

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