UK Plug Type
UK plugs are Type G — three rectangular pins arranged in a triangle. The UK plug is internally fused (3A or 13A fuse inside). Unique to UK, Ireland, Malta, Cyprus, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, parts of the Middle East.
- 3 rectangular pins — top is earth (10mm × 4mm), bottom two are 6.4mm × 4mm
- Live and neutral pins partly insulated — built-in safety
- Includes a fuse (3A for low-power, 13A for high-power devices)
- Switched sockets — UK sockets have on/off switches
Voltage
- 230V at 50Hz — UK standard
- USA/Canada 110V at 60Hz — different! Single-voltage US devices may fail
- EU 230V at 50Hz — same voltage but different plug shape (Type C/F)
- Australia 230V at 50Hz — same voltage, different plug (Type I)
What to Buy
- Travel adapter — works for one device, £3-8 (Boots, Tesco, airports)
- Universal travel adapter — fits multiple countries (US/EU/UK/AU), £15-25
- USB-C/USB-A adapter — combines plug + USB ports, £15
- Multi-port travel adapter with surge protection — £25-40 (most secure for laptops/electronics)
Where to Buy
- Boots — every UK high street + airports (£3-15)
- Tesco / Sainsbury's / Asda — supermarkets (£3-8)
- Argos — fast online + collect (£5-25)
- Amazon UK — cheapest, next-day Prime
- UK Airports — last resort (most expensive, £10-25)
Dual-Voltage Devices
Check the label of your charger or device for the input voltage range. Most modern electronics are dual-voltage (100-240V), so they only need a plug adapter, not a voltage converter.
- Phone chargers, laptop chargers, camera chargers — usually dual voltage (label "100-240V"). Just need plug adapter.
- Hair dryers, hair straighteners, electric toothbrush chargers — often single voltage. May fuse on UK 230V power.
- Tip: Read the small print on the device label. If it says "100-240V" — safe with adapter only. If "110-120V" only — needs voltage converter.
- UK hairdryers easy to buy — £15 at Boots
⚠️ Voltage warning: Plugging a US 110V hair dryer into UK 230V will burn it out instantly (and may trip the breaker). Always check.