Electricity in the US is 120 V and 60 Hz, and in most of our region it is 220 to 240 V. So the first question before buying any device from a US store is: will it work where I live? The answer is written on the device itself, in a single line, and most portable electronics work with nothing more than a plug adapter. This guide shows you how to read that line, which devices you can buy with confidence, and which to get in your own country’s version.
Read the label: one line settles it
Every device or charger carries a small label with the word INPUT followed by the voltage and frequency range. You will find it on the charger itself, on the product page under Specifications or Tech Specs, and in the user manual.
| What the label says | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| 100–240V, 50/60Hz | Universal voltage: works on US power and on your country’s | Buy it; all you need is a plug adapter |
| 120V, 60Hz or 110–120V | US voltage only | Get your country’s version (220–240 V) or a dual-voltage model |
| 120V, 50/60Hz | Flexible frequency, US voltage only | Treat it like the row above: a frequency range says nothing about the voltage range |
| A small 120/240 switch | Dual voltage with a manual switch | Set the switch to 240 before plugging in, then use a plug adapter |
Examples from the manufacturers’ own websites: the iPhone charger is 100–240V, while Samsung and LG TVs sold in the US are 110–120V even though their label says 50/60Hz.
Your country’s electricity in one table
| Country | Voltage | Frequency | Plug |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 120 V | 60 Hz | A and B |
| Saudi Arabia | 230 V, and 127 V on older networks | 60 Hz | G, and A/B on 127 V sockets |
| United Arab Emirates | 230 V | 50 Hz | G |
| Kuwait | 240 V | 50 Hz | G |
| Qatar | 240 V | 50 Hz | G |
| Bahrain | 230 V | 50 Hz | G |
| Oman | 240 V | 50 Hz | G |
| Jordan | 230 V | 50 Hz | C, F, G and others |
| Lebanon | 220–230 V | 50 Hz | C, D, G and others |
| Egypt | 220 V | 50 Hz | C and F |
| Morocco | 220 V | 50 Hz | C and E |
| Algeria | 230 V | 50 Hz | C and F |
| Tunisia | 230 V | 50 Hz | C and E |
| United Kingdom | 230 V | 50 Hz | G |
| Germany and France | 230 V | 50 Hz | C and F in Germany, C and E in France |
Sources: the rules of each country’s electricity regulator, and the IEC world plugs table as archived in January 2026. Look at the socket in your own home too, because older buildings may differ from the current standard.
Saudi Arabia is a special case: two systems and the US frequency
Saudi Arabia is the only country in the table that shares the US frequency of 60 Hz. Its voltage comes in two systems: 230 V, the standard in new neighborhoods and buildings, with the three-pin type G plug, and 127 V, still in place in many neighborhoods, with US-type sockets. The move to 230 V is happening gradually under a Council of Ministers decision, and the electricity company carries out the change for existing subscribers up to the meter.
What does this mean for what you buy? A device marked 100–240V works on both systems. A device marked only 120V must not be plugged into a 230 V socket. And if your home has a 127 V socket, check the label: the printed range must include 127 V.
Buy with confidence: these work with just a plug adapter
- iPhone and iPad: Apple chargers are designed for 100 to 240 V and 50 to 60 Hz, as Apple’s support page states. Buying from Apple USA.
- MacBook and laptops: the MacBook Air is 100–240 V, and so are Dell and Lenovo power adapters.
- PlayStation 5: the label on models for the Americas reads 100–240 V and 50/60 Hz, so your country’s voltage is within its range and a plug adapter is all it needs. Sony’s safety guide says not to connect it to a voltage transformer, and it does not need one.
- Nintendo Switch: its AC adapter is 100–240 V, and the US support page says: outside the US, use a suitable plug adapter.
- Xbox: Microsoft does not publish the voltage range in the manual, so go by the label on the console itself or ask its support team before you buy.
- Anything that charges over USB: headphones, watches and e-readers charge from any USB charger you already have.
Think twice before buying these: devices that are 120 V only
These devices are built for the voltage of the country where they are sold, and the fix is the same for all of them: get the 220–240 V version in your own country, and keep your US order to things that work worldwide.
| Device (US version) | What the manufacturer says | Alternative |
|---|---|---|
| Dyson Supersonic hair dryer and Airwrap styler | 120 V; the dryer’s manual states that it must not be run on a voltage transformer and that it is not intended for use outside the US | Your country’s version, or the Supersonic Travel, which runs on 100–240 V |
| KitchenAid Artisan stand mixer | 120 V and 60 Hz; the company advises against transformers, and the warranty is void outside the country of sale | The 220–240 V version from the local distributor |
| Instant Pot | US and Canada models are for 110–120 V outlets only and must not be used on anything else, even with a transformer | The model made for 220–240 V |
| Vitamix blender | 120 V; the warranty is void if it is used with a voltage transformer | Your country’s version |
| Samsung and LG TVs | 110–120 V, with the US ATSC tuner | Your country’s version; terrestrial broadcasting in Saudi Arabia and most of the world uses DVB |
Dyson itself makes products that do work where you live: what is worth buying from Dyson USA.
Adapter or transformer: when it helps and how to choose one
- A plug adapter changes only the shape of the plug, not the voltage. It is enough for any device marked 100–240V.
- A voltage transformer (Step-down Transformer) steps 220–240 V down to 110–120. Its wattage rating must be higher than your device’s, and sellers recommend a wider margin for appliances with a motor.
- Small travel converters (Converter) are for short use: one manufacturer limits the high setting, up to 1875 W, to about 30 minutes.
- A transformer does not change the frequency: an appliance with a motor built for 60 Hz runs slower on 50 Hz and may break down, as KitchenAid says. In Saudi Arabia the frequency is 60 Hz, so this problem does not arise.
- Find your device’s wattage on the label; if it is given in amps, multiply volts by amps: 120 V × 3 A = 360 W.
- And listen to the manufacturer: Sony, Dyson and Instant Pot say not to use voltage transformers with their products, and Vitamix and KitchenAid void the warranty; for these devices, choose your country’s version.
Before you click Buy
- Open the product page and look for Input or Voltage in the specifications.
- Found 100–240V? Buy it, and add a plug adapter of the right type for your country.
- Found only 120V? Look for the travel or dual-voltage model, or get your country’s version.
- Cannot find the line? Send us the product link on WhatsApp before you buy and we will check its specifications for you.
- Combine your purchases into one box, and get the shipping price from the calculator before you pay.
Yes. Apple chargers are designed for 100 to 240 V and 50 to 60 Hz, and so is the MacBook Air, so they work on mains power throughout the Gulf. All you need is a type G plug adapter, or the local plug head from Apple’s travel adapter kit.
The label on PlayStation 5 models for the Americas says 100–240 V and 50/60 Hz, so Gulf voltage is within its range and a plug adapter is all it needs. Sony’s safety guide says not to connect the console to a voltage transformer, so do not put one between it and the socket.
The manufacturers themselves advise against it: the US Dyson dryer’s manual states that it must not be run on a voltage transformer, and KitchenAid says transformers can cause faults and that the warranty is void outside the country of sale. The safer choice is to get the 220–240 V version in your own country, and keep your US order to things that work worldwide.
These sockets are the US type and run at 60 Hz, like the US, so the shape and the frequency match. That leaves the voltage: read the device label, and if its range includes 127 V, such as 110–127V or 100–240V, it works on them. The safest choice for anything you buy today is a 100–240V device, because the grid is moving gradually to 230 V.
Buy from the US what works in your home
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