Travel Power Wattage Calculator
The Travel Power Wattage Calculator works out how much current your device draws at your destination's voltage and checks that figure against the destination's standard socket rating. Enter your device's wattage in watts, pick your destination country, and click Calculate to get your device's current draw in amps and whether it sits within the local socket's rated capacity. This is the number that actually matters for high-draw devices like hair dryers and kettles — a plug that physically fits can still overload a socket or a shared travel adapter if the wattage is too high for it. Also see the voltage and plug compatibility checker.
Calculate Device Wattage & Socket Load
How the Wattage Calculator Works
Current draw follows a fixed relationship: amps = watts ÷ volts. The calculator divides your device's wattage by the destination's standard voltage to get the current draw it will actually pull there, then compares that to the maximum amperage the destination's standard plug type is rated for. If the current draw is higher than the socket rating, the socket, adapter, or wiring is being asked to carry more electrical load than it's built for.
The Watts, Volts and Amps Formula
Power (watts), voltage (volts) and current (amps) are locked together by watts = volts × amps, rearranged here as amps = watts ÷ volts. Knowing any two of the three tells you the third, which is why a device's rating plate usually only needs to print two of them.
Reading Socket Amperage Off a Plug Type
Each plug type carries a maximum amperage rating as part of its standard — a Type G socket, for instance, is rated higher than a Type C Europlug socket. That amperage rating, not the wall voltage, is the ceiling the calculator checks your device's current draw against.
Why Wattage Matters More Than Voltage for High-Draw Devices
A plug that physically fits and a device that's rated for the local voltage can still be the wrong choice if the wattage is too high for what's carrying it. Low-wattage electronics — phones, laptops, cameras — never get close to a socket's limit. Heat-producing appliances like hair dryers, kettles, and travel irons draw far more current for the same plug, which is where the socket and adapter rating actually starts to matter.
| Device category | Typical wattage |
|---|---|
| Phone / tablet charger | 5-30W |
| Laptop charger | 45-100W |
| Electric shaver / toothbrush | 5-15W |
| CPAP machine | 30-70W |
| Hair straightener | 40-80W |
| Hair dryer | 800-1800W |
| Travel kettle / clothes iron | 600-1200W |
Figures are typical ranges for reference, not a substitute for the wattage printed on your specific device.
Travel Adapter Wattage Limits
Most universal travel adapters are rated well below what a wall socket itself can handle — commonly around 6A, roughly 1300W at 220-240V or 700W at 100-120V. A device can be entirely safe plugged directly into the wall and still overload a small universal adapter, so it's worth checking the adapter's own rating separately from the destination's socket rating. Next, check the USB-C Charger Travel Compatibility Checker.
Where to Find Your Device's Wattage
Check the rating plate on the device or its power brick — wattage is usually printed directly, often next to the voltage and amperage figures. If only volts and amps are listed, multiply them together to get the same watts figure this calculator expects.
How do I find my device's wattage if it's not printed anywhere?
Check the rating plate or manual first — wattage is usually printed alongside the voltage and amperage. If only amps and volts are shown, multiply them together (watts = volts × amps) to get the same figure the calculator uses.
Why does the calculator use the lower of two listed voltages for dual-voltage countries?
A handful of countries list two standard voltages because different regions or older buildings run one or the other. The calculator uses the lower figure because current draw is highest at the lowest voltage for a fixed wattage — checking against the worst case keeps the result safe rather than optimistic.
What happens if my device exceeds the socket's rated capacity?
Overloading a socket or extension lead can trip a breaker, or in poorly wired or older buildings, cause overheating. It's not automatically dangerous for a single high-wattage device plugged directly into a wall socket, but it becomes a real risk when combined with other devices on the same circuit or run through an undersized universal travel adapter.
Does a converter change how much wattage my device can draw?
No — a voltage converter changes the voltage, not the current limit of the socket, adapter, or converter itself. Every converter has its own maximum wattage rating, and that number needs to cover your device's wattage with headroom, separately from whether the wall socket can supply it.
Is watts the same as VA (volt-amps) on a converter's rating plate?
Not quite — VA is voltage multiplied by current with no adjustment for how efficiently a device uses that power, while watts (real power) accounts for it. For simple resistive appliances like kettles and hair dryers the two numbers are close enough to treat as equal; for electronics with a power supply, the VA figure printed on a converter is often somewhat higher than the watts figure, so sizing against watts still leaves headroom.