Simran SMF-200 Deluxe 200 Watts Step Down Voltage Converter for International Travel to 220V / 240V Countries ~ Ideal for Blackberry, Laptops, iPods & Phones etc by SIMRAN
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Digital camera reviews of Simran SMF-200 Deluxe 200 Watts Step Down Voltage Converter for International Travel to 220V / 240V Countries ~ Ideal for Blackberry, Laptops, iPods & Phones etc
Digital camera Review: A Little Bit Heavy, But Great!
Summary: 5 Stars
This product worked exactly as advertised. It was a little bit heavy and clunky, but well worth it to protect my laptop. I'd read other reviews that warned that these converters can get very hot, so I was on the lookout for fire hazards. However, after leaving it plugged in all day, it was actually cooler than the original powerbox of my laptop. I'd highly recommend this product, it worked perfectly. One caveat: it only comes with a two-round-prong plug, so if your outlet is different, (like mine in the UK) you WILL need an adapter plug. Luckily I had one. Great value for the money!Digital camera Review: As advertised, worked great.
Summary: 5 Stars
I went for a study abroad in London this past summer and I needed a device to convert the voltage so I could use all of my electronics. This product worked well, but I did not know what type of plug I needed for London. This unfortuantely was not the right plug, but I did have an adapter in my room.
London plugs are three pronged in nature.
If you are travelling anywhere, try to find information on the outlets, or just bring an adapter along with you on the trip.
Pros: Great price, fast shipping, easy to use, worked great with an adapter.
Cons: A little heavy (I'm sure other converters are of a similar weight, but it was just another item that added to my suitcase weight), not the right plug for London outlets.
Digital camera Review: Be careful! This is only a 2 amp device!
Summary: 3 Stars
I received this device today and am quite disappointed in it, as it's only rated for 2 amps, is heavy, and the advertisement on the website doesn't state the amperage. So, buyers beware!
To explain my extreme disappointment, you should understand what the traveling and power conversion requirement is and how it works. US/Canadian power is 110/120 volts, and Europe/The Rest of the Universe is 220/240 volts. That's approximately twice what our US/Canadian devices can handle; so you have to get a power converter to step the voltage down to something your devices can handle without getting fried into expensive doorstops or paperweights...or burning your lodgings down with you in them!
The simple solution to the problem is to buy a power converter. But various converters are rated for different outputs. The one I'm reviewing is rated for 200 WATTS maximum, or 1.6 AMPS. This is barely sufficient for my laptop, which has an input power requirement of 1.5 amps. (See your device's power supply for the INPUT AMP REQUIREMENT.) And you can forget a hair dryer - not enough power available!
And because I did not know how the conversion of numbers (from watts to amps) worked, I got caught with my proverbial shorts down when I bought this item.
LET ME EXPLAIN HOW POWER CONVERSION MATH WORKS SO YOU CAN DO THE MATH YOURSELVES:
Watts are a measurement of consumption. The wattage of a device tells you how much power it requires. But you likely have amperage requirements on your device power supply...so how much wattage or voltage do you need in the converter?
It's simple math, thank goodness. Here are the formulae, which I wish I had earlier:
WATTS / VOLTS = AMPS. So, if you have a 200watt converter, you divide by the volatge (120) and get the result of 1.6 amps.
VOLTS x AMPS = WATTS
WATTS x AMPS = VOLTS (not particularly useful, as voltage should be constant)
And, now that I know what to look for, I have found far better options than this item for approximately the same price.
(A big thank you to my electrician friend who explained this to me.)
Digital camera Review: Broke after 24h
Summary: 1 Stars
I bought the device for a lamp 3x40 watts output (maximum output for the converter is said to be 200 watts), and the device stopped working after 24h.
Very disappointed.
Digital camera Review: Burned out with a flat iron
Summary: 2 Stars
There has been some discussion here about using this converter to power a flat iron. My wife has a relatively expensive Paul Mitchell model. The label is clearly marked 40 Watts (and 110V only). We took it and this converter on a trip to the Netherlands and Belgium. It worked for two or three uses then, on the next day with the flat iron, it worked for a while then quit. We let it cool down overnight and tried it in the morning but it was kaput. Would not work at all for any device. My wife really wanted her flat iron so on the outside chance that this particular converter was a lemon we purchased another converter that was rated 75 watts (the only one I could find in Brugges) and it burned out on the first try.
Turns out, the other items we brought with us were dual voltage. The battery charger that came with the digital camera, our phones, the iPad, even my wife's curling iron (yes, guys, she had a flat iron and a curling iron and I didn't dare ask why). I was surprised about the dual voltage but, I suppose, they are internationally sold products so maybe it makes sense. Anyhow, definitely check to see if you even need this. Knowing what we know now, we would have sprung for a dual voltage flat iron before leaving and not have bothered packing this brick of an item. A more expensive option but her current flat iron will wear out eventually and we would get the value out of the second one then.