blonde.travel packing · Note
Apple World Travel Adapter Kit
- Every journey
What
A set of seven interchangeable wall plugs for compatible Apple USB, USB-C and MagSafe power adapters. The removable plug is the little piece Apple calls a “duckhead”: slide it off the charger and slide on the one for your destination.
They change the plug shape, not the voltage, and do not fit chargers with fixed plugs.
Why
It still surprises me to see even seasoned travellers in airport lounges connecting their MacBooks and iPhones through bulky universal adapters. When the charger has the right removable fitting, a tiny duckhead does the job.
I keep a couple of my original Apple kits, which have worked effortlessly for years. The EU, US and UK plugs go into my handbag, and I am ready to travel light. No little tower of adapters hanging from the socket.
I have also tried cheaper “compatible” plugs from Amazon, with mixed results. I look closely at the reviews and buyers’ photographs, especially anything about fit. This is a part you slide on and off an electrical power adapter; saving a little is not worth a poor connection.
Where
The official kit used to cost about $30 and seems to have been discontinued, although Apple’s instructions are still online.
For individual replacements, search Amazon for “apple EU plug” or “apple US plug”. Budget about $8 per compatible plug, rather than for a complete kit. I would look in the middle of the price range, compare recent reviews and photographs, and check the seller and exact charger compatibility. “Compatible with Apple” does not mean made by Apple.
About $8 per plug