I am so confused on all this voltage stuff!! :nutts

What is dual voltage? What is the difference between converters and transformers?

Should we get those converter things or just buy appliances (hair dryer, george forman, small kitchen stuff) over there?

What about more expensive items like TV's and computers?

We're getting married in March/April before we go to Ramstein and I'm not sure if we should even bother registering for small appliances!

They give you a huge transformer (it will NOT work on blow dryers though) but will work on basically all small appliances. You should request the small stuff though IMO you will use less electricity and it will save on your bill. TV's are pretty easy to convert and we just bought the European cord for our laptop and the computer we just bought a European cord for too and have a European surge protector. You should get money to help cover the expenses. I would wait to buy adapters and such to when you get here, its much cheaper.

Um you can get a converter to switch the voltage over, and almost everything will work.

Also- if the appliance is 110-220V, then it doesn't need a converter and you can use these little plug things (20 cents from shopette) and they switch over automatically.

I know we had converter boxes and the fuses blew pretty quick when the microwave was being used, but the fuses are only like 50 cents so I never worried.

You won't have too much of a hassle. I brought alot of aussie stuff over and didn't have many problems. 110- 220 is usually pretty easy :)

If you live on post you will most likely have both 110 and 220 in your housing.

If not, then things that are dual voltage can be plugged into either, using a converter. If it isn't dual voltage you need to use a transformer.

Lamps can be plugged into either, you just need to match the type of lightbulb to the to which you are plugging it into (use a 220 lightbulb if you plug into 220 with a converter).

Computers and clocks will probably not keep accurate time even if plugged into a transformer.

If you are paying your own utilities, I suggest unplugging everything, including the transformers when not in use. It will help save, as utilities are very expensive here. Also, I'd buy your small appliances here. Especially a blow drier.

We live in build to lease housing (so we don't pay utilities and we have both 110 and 220 in the house) so I have not had to use transformers personally.

We use both TVs from home that we brought and we bought a dual system TV over here.

Since the other ladies have been so helpful I'll go with the easiest answer. :D

Transformer is something you plug into the 220 outlet. It looks like a box. It changes the voltage to 110 so you can plug appliances into them that can only work with 110 voltage.

For objects that can work with the 220 voltage you can get a converter. It is usually small and all it does is make the american plug fit into a german plug. The voltage is still 220.

Hope that makes sense!