So you have just bought that new electric toothbrush, but wait, how do you charge it? It has a 2 pin plug on it, rather than 3 pin plug you are used to here in the UK.
This 2 pin plug, is a shaver plug. It is designed to fit into the shaver socket found in many bathrooms within the UK.
Safety is the reason it comes with a 2 pin shaver plug, rather than a 3 pin, which I will explain in a bit more detail below.
However, for those of you who don’t have a shaver socket in your home/bathroom and want the solution, you will be pleased to know that there is one. They are 2 pin plug adapters.
2 pin to 3 pin plug adapter is the most common name for this important tool, but other names given to these items include:
- 2 pin adapter
- 2 pin plug adapter
- Toothbrush adapter
- Electric toothbrush adapter
- Shaver plug converter
- Electric toothbrush plug adapter
Available from many large retailers these allow you to charge your toothbrush from a standard 3 pin socket.
Why do electric toothbrushes comes with 2 pin chargers? 2 pin shaver sockets and chargers explained.
There is good reason behind the 2 pin adapter, I will now explain this and I promise I won’t get too technical.
The reason is all to do with SAFETY.
Please note: This information relates to the UK and Europe primarily, America and many other countries differ.
In the UK the mains electricity that you connect your appliances and gadgets into works on 240 volts. This is a high voltage and can cause serious injury and death if you were to touch a live electrical line.
Under most circumstances if you include water and electricity the effects of injury are much greater as water reduces the resistance the human body has to the electrical current.
Therefore to protect people, a ‘safer’ less powerful form of electrical socket was introduced into bathrooms, where water is generally present more frequently.
This safer solution was and is the 2 pin socket, similar to the 2 pin SCHUKO connector found in many European countries.
This meant that more traditional power hungry products could now not easily be used within these rooms, only lower power items, therefore reducing the chances of injury.
An extreme example, but imagine if you had a toaster in your bathroom. Whilst this was switched on, it fell into the bath, which was full of water and you were in it too. The resulting consequence is not one I like to think about it. You will be ‘toasted’ yourself.
Toasters don’t come with a 2 pin connector, so you can’t use it in your bathroom and as a result you are now a bit safer from electrocution and possible death!
Nobody wants to be toasted whilst in the bath, so to avoid people doing silly things like this, the ‘safer’ less powerful sockets were introduced.
With it came a new connector. Hence the 2 pin plug you find on the charging stands for electric toothbrushes and to power other things like electric shavers, which are most commonly used in the bathroom.
These sockets are often known as ‘shaver sockets’ because this is what is commonly connected into them. Many faceplates for sockets in bathrooms will say ‘shavers only’.
UK building regulations mean you cannot fit a regular 3 pin mains power socket in a bathroom, even the ‘shaver socket’ has to be a safe distance away from the bath or shower. This is often why many sockets are part of a light fitting above a mirror and hidden behind a little door, making it harder to access. All to protect you and I from injuring ourselves.
Other countries around the world may have normal sockets in their bathrooms. Why? For some it is because of the lower voltage used, so the effects of electric shock and serious injury are reduced. In other cases it is less established safety measures and in others there is a trust that you as an individual won’t do anything silly enough to put your life at risk.
You could today still if you wanted put a toaster in your bathroom but you would have to plug that toaster into a 3 pin socket in another room, probably via an extension cord. There is only so far legislation can go at this time to stop you from doing things like this, but going to such efforts puts you off doing it at all.
For those who want a little more technical reasoning, inside the socket is what is known as an isolation transformer. This works by using the mains supply to power a small transformer that is electrically isolated from the rest of the supply and any earth in the bathroom. Theoretically you can touch the live output and the earthed metal work in the bathroom and be OK.
However, I understand there are probably still a few questions you want answered so here are a few common questions and answers.
I don’t have a 2 pin shaver socket in my bathroom, what do I do?
You need to purchase an 2 pin adapter, that will allow you to connect a 2 pin shaver plug such as that on your electric toothbrush to a 3 pin socket.
They generally look like:
They are often really inexpensive at just a few £.
A great example is the 2 to 3 pin adapter plug complete with fuse — View on Amazon.
Once you have this, you can then charge your toothbrush from a socket anywhere else in your home.
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UK 2 to 3 Pin Adaptor Plug For Shavers And Toothbrushes Simply Plug it into the UK Socket And Insert... | 7,540 Reviews | View on Amazon |
Can I connect a 2 pin connector to my 3 pin mains socket?
Yes you can. You require a good quality, fuse adapter such as that from TC Travel (view on Amazon) and you are then set to power your 2 pin powered appliance from a 3 pin mains adapter.
What’s the best 2 to 3 pin mains adapter?
There isn’t one ‘best’ 2 pin to 3 pin mains adapter. There are many options but you generally get what you pay for.
It is worth paying a bit more to ensure you get a good quality adapter as you don’t want to risk any electrical shocks or damaging your electronic items.
A very cheap option is the Gadget Hut shaver adapter (view on Amazon).
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UK 2 Pin To 3 Pin 1A Fuse Adaptor Plug for Shaver/Toothbrush - White | 2,160 Reviews | £3.99 | View on Amazon |
A slightly more expensive option, but possibly better quality option is the previously mentioned TEC Travel option.
Extension cords for shaver socket/electric toothbrush?
If you do have a 2 pin shaver socket in your bathroom, then you should be able to begin charging your electric brush from the moment you get it. You won’t need any plug adapters.
However, whilst most electric toothbrush chargers have a long enough cable to reach the shaver socket, the design and positioning of some sockets and bathrooms means that there is not enough cable to reach between the socket, and the place you would like to locate your electric toothbrush.
Most electric toothbrush chargers have approximately 1.2 meters (4 feet) of cable.
Sadly, in some instances another 30-60cm (1-2 feet) of cable would be preferred.
A commonly asked question is are there any extension cables or cords for shaver sockets or electric toothbrushes.
Unfortunately, to my knowledge no such product exists. I have searched many places for such.
I can see a need for it, but I do believe the reason that an extension cord for an electric toothbrush or shaver socket does not exists is related to safety and demand.
For the majority, power cables on electric toothbrush chargers are sufficient because the shaver socket is appropriately placed, therefore there is limited demand.
For those who have the need or demand the extra cable length then adds a risk that the cable is within reach or will make contact with water, thus posing a safety concern.
Is a 2 pin shaver plug the same as a 2 pin European mains adapter?
No, not quite. A 2 pin plug found on an electric toothbrush or shaver has pins that are closer together than a traditional 2 pin EU mains adapter.
This means that appliances that would normally connect to a shaver socket cannot and should not be connected to mains power in Europe.
For example, if you charge your electric toothbrush in a shaver socket at home in the UK, that same plug cannot and should not be connected to the 2 pin socket found on the wall of your hotel room in France or Spain. However, most bathrooms will have a shaver socket which you can connect to.
If they do not you will need an adapter such as this:
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Go Travel EU Electric Shaver Razor Adaptor Toothbrush Plug Socket Converter 2 To 3 Pin (Adapter ref... | £9.99 | View on Amazon |
If travelling from France or Spain or similar countries, your appliances you would normally connect to the wall should not be connected to sockets found in bathrooms here in the UK. You need an adapter such as this:
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Pack of 2 plug adapter I European to UK adaptor, EU schuko 2 pin to 3 pin travel adaptors, Europe... | £11.99 | View on Amazon |
Can I take my electric toothbrush travelling with me? What adapter do I need?
Yes you can take your toothbrush with you when travelling.
Much depends on where you are travelling too.
We have a full guide to using an electric toothbrush abroad which you can read, but a summary is explained below.
If you are travelling to another country that has the same electrical voltage then you simply need a plug adapter.
A great solution I believe is the Skross Pro World Travel Charger (view on Amazon). It works in over 220 countries and works with devices up to 2500w. You still need to have a 2 pin to 3 pin adapter fitted to it, but it works in so many countries.
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Skross Pro World Travel Adapter, 3-pole Travel Adaptor with Slide System, Designed in Switzerland... | £37.99 | View on Amazon |
Most larger hotels will have a ‘shaver socket’ in the bathroom that will be suitable for your electric toothbrush. However in some counties and regions this may not apply.
When travelling to a country that uses a different voltage to that in your home country, you need to check a few things.
For example, let’s say you live in the UK and are going to the USA and assuming you are going long enough that you need to charge your brush when there.
The UK uses 240V electrics whereas the USA uses 110V.
Most electric toothbrushes bought in the UK and Europe have charging stands that work on 220-240V. So to use them in the USA, you need a power converter to allow the charging stand to accept the 110V.
You can buy these from various retailers online or in the high street.
Do your research on the voltage in a particular country to ensure you are getting the right converter.
In the instances where the voltage in the country you are travelling to is lower, you need a ‘step up’ converter and when the voltage is higher you need a ‘step down’ converter.
Some electric toothbrushes have charging stands that will support 110-240V meaning you will not need the voltage converter. The Philips Sonicare DiamondClean is one example.
What you may need though is a plug adapter. This is to convert the 2 pin adapter found on most charging stands in the UK and Europe to work with the power supply in the other country.
When using a voltage converter, you may need a different adapter to the one you think.
Using the travel form the UK to the USA again, the ‘Step Up’ voltage converter has the 2 pin US connector on it, but actually offers up a 3 pin UK power adapter. However your toothbrush has the 2 pin adapter, so although you are travelling to the USA, you will need the 2 pin to 3 pin adapter.
Why are 2 to 3 pin adapters not included with my electric toothbrush or shaver?
I have had many a reader ask why isn’t a electric toothbrush plug adapter or shaver plug converter included in the box. Why is it presumed that everyone has a shaver socket in their bathroom?!
This is a good question and one I have often thought about myself. Including an adapter in the box would be a nice addition.
As I see it there are 3 main reasons why they are not.
The first is the need for it. Many, (but not all bathrooms) have a 2 pin shaver socket, so the need for a shaver plug converter is surplus to requirements for many.
The second is cost. If every electric toothbrush came with a 2 pin shaver plug to 3 pin plug adapter it would put the cost up by a few £ and many companies want to keep costs down, so it is often best to exclude it.
The third reason is electric waste and the environment. Linked to my second reason, if you don’t need the adapter, it would just end up getting thrown away or left in a draw somewhere not being used, so it is a waste of resources to make it in the first place and serves no value to many people.
Can I get an adapter to charge multiple devices from a shaver socket? I want to charge a toothbrush and shaver from one socket.
Yes and no.
Generally speaking they do not exist from reputable sellers. I have seen some, but we have questions about their safety and reliability.
The sockets are not designed to take ‘extra’ strain.
You are best powering or charging each device independently as and when you need it. For example, connect and charge your toothbrush, when that is done, connect and charge your shaver or other appliance.
Your comments
I really hope all of the above is helpful to you and has answered any questions you may have had about 2 pin plugs and adapters required for electric toothbrushes and similar products like shavers.
If you have any questions, or have any of your own, tips, advice and feedback that can help improve this article or indeed help others, your input is most appreciated. Please comment below.
I bought a electric toothbrush in the USA,can I use it in uk, I have the same brush I purchased in uk and wonder can I use it here
Yes you should be able to. It does depend on the brand/model, but more often than not with an Oral-B model for example, you can use a UK 2 pin charging stand instead of the 2 pin US. Just sit the brush you bought in the USA on a UK charging stand.
The 2-pin point in my bathroom does not work – and never has. (Since I wet shave, I can live without a shaver socket!) So I recharge my toothbrush in my bedroom, using a 3-pin adapter. However – and I have tried several – the two pin plug on the toothbrush (Oral B) does not fit snugly into the 3-pin adapter, so I use sticky tape to keep it in place. Sometimes the 2-pin slips a bit and the connection is broken. And this sets the blue warning lights flashing, which is irritating. It all seems a bit ramshackle. It is time I bought a new toothbrush. Any ideas as to how to avoid having this problem next time?
Hi Alec.
Whilst Oral-B don’t make their own, there are 3 pin plug Oral-B charging stands. Or USB plug stands.
Might these be a solutuon worth trying first?
Either of these should present the sticky tape approach.
If your current toothbrush works, it seems a shame to replace it simply because of the charging stand.
Jon
I didn’t know about the charging stand option. I will look into it. Many thanks.
I have the 2 pin plug, but for some reason, my electric toothbrush charger will not connect with it. Seems I cannot get past the plastic shutters, no matter how hard I try and push it.
Is there a safe way to shorten the cable?
Not that I can advise of Harry.
I have a Thorens turntable that has the two line power cable plug missing. Would it be possible to connect it to a 3 pin plug.
I’m sorry I can’t assist with this. Best to speak to the manufacturer.
Why is my electric toothbrush charging lead so short.and can I get a extension lead to fit it
Lengths of cables do vary, but they are generally between 90 and 120cm in my expereince, which isn’t suitable for all. I’ve not seen extension cables for such. I beleive this is to do with safety.
The alternative option, albeit the likely less desireable, is to charge the brush in a different room. You may need a 2 pin to 3 pin adapter to allow you to charge from the 3 pin socket rather than the 2 pin bathroom socket.
My electric toothbrush with a two pin won’t charge in my shaver socket or in a two pin adapter plug
What toothbrush do you have? What country was it purchased in? You are trying to use it in the UK?
I foundd the opposite adapter just wondering on the name.
The female part is 3 pins, and the male part is to pins, from this I am able to have an Amazon Echo Dot which uses very little power in my bathroom.
What is the name of this adapter as I’m looking to put it in another bathroom
I’ve never come across such an adapter suitable for UK bathrooms.
Hi Jon,
Re:- the image used in your article ‘2 Pin Plugs & Adapters for Toothbrushes Explained’ with ‘Electricteeth’ in the righthand corner displaying adaptors. The adaptor shown in the centre is lethal and would not pass UK safety regulations.
It has no shutters on the socket, and also allows one pin of the electric toothbrush to be inserted into the socket whilst the other one is exposed outside of the adaptor!
There are a few other inaccuracies, but overall a good article.
I have over 50 years of experience in the manufacture and importation of electrical accessories.
Hi Robert.
Thank you for the warning. The images are for illustration purposes, but we certainly welcome your safety concerns as we wish not to intentionally recommend products that could cause harm.
As it should happen we have just taken some new images for this article, but at this time haven’t gotten around to putting them live as yet.
We are not electricans, so we welcome any additional feedback you feel necessary so that we can improve the article for others.
Hi, just bought a new Oral B toothbrush, my old charger is
Model 3709
50-60 Hz/1W
The new charger is
Modal3756
50-60Hz/0.9W
Can I use the new toothbrush with the old charger?
Ken.
Yes Ken, as far as we are aware that should be fine.
Hi – I have just bought a shaver light with a 110 and 240v socket, but my Waterpik 2 pin lead won’t push in properly unless I hold it in place. The light and Waterpik were both purchased here in the UK within 12 months of each other, but I’m now believing (after Googling what others say) that the light is for Euro sized 2 pin plugs (not that I can see that mentioned anywhere on the packaging) – is there an EU CEE-7/16 to BS4573 converter and if not why not, when there’s plenty the other way round. I have to use the Waterpik over a sink really and it’s why I bought the light. Really frustrated that you can buy products in the uk that can potentially have non compatible plug/sockets. You don’t really need to reply as I typed this out before realising someone had asked the same thing. Thanks for your time anyway
Hi!
Very comprehensive article, thanks, however some 2pin adapters come with a 1amp fuse which is perfect for charging a toothbrush but some come with a 13amp fuse.
Is it ok to charge a toothbrush with an adapter with a 13amp fuse?
Many thanks.
Hi Kevin. To be honest I can’t say for sure. I am not a qualified electrician to be able to make comment.
Thank you Jon great article. Quick question, could I just snip off the two pin and replace with a three pin plug?
Regards
Clive
Not as far as I am aware Clive.
Great article. The only combination it doesn’t seem to address is if you want to use a European. Style plug in a UK shaver socket, as I have with my beard trimmer. There are plenty of adapters to go the pother way around – i.e. from a uk shaver plug to a European or UK mains socket, but I can;’t find one for EU plug to UK shaver socket. Anybody know of one?
I am not aware of such an adapter Jake. I believe the only option you have is to use a 2 pin EU to 3 pin UK adapter and charge outside the bathroom.
Or if you are using the EU product in the UK for the foreseeable future, buying a UK charging stand rather than the 2 pin EU charger you have.
A good article , thanks , I’ve found it very informative.
I’ve recently bought and installed a mirror light with shaver socket from B&Q . Unfortunately the socket appears to be a Euro socket , so my Waterpik water flosser can’t connect directly.
The Waterpik needs to be used at a basin.
My holiday adaptor is a sick fit in the “shaver” socket , so it wobbles.
I’m currently hoping that B&Q can tell me exactly what socket is installed , then I might make a short extension cable to convert Euro to UK.
What a complex issue plugs and sockets can be !
Very informative article but it didn’t really address my problem. Hope someone can help.
We have 3 oral b electric toothbrushes in the house: a cheap Vitality, a Pro 2 2500 and a Pro 3 3500. We use 2 pin to 3 pin adapters for all of them as our shaver socket in the bathroom doesn’t work.
However, I have noticed that the shaver adapter I use for the Vitality doesn’t charge the other two. Through experiments, I have concluded that the shaver adapters sold now are 1 amp and this isn’t high enough for the Pro range of oral b toothbrushes. I have an ancient 2 amp adapter (belonging to my dad who is now 91) which does charge the Pro series toothbrushes.
Has anyone else come across this problem? Looking at reviews on amazon and argos I can see that many people complain the 1amp adapters don’t work for their toothbrushes…. I assume they have the same problem as me.
The 1 amp fuse is a lot shorter than my standard 3 amp and 5 amp fuses otherwise I would simply change the fuse and see if that worked.
Not an electrician in any sense of the word… just want my toothbrushes to charge and can’t find a “shaver” 2 pin to 3 pin adapter sold now which doesn’t have the extra short 1 amp fuse.
Frustrating.
Any thoughts? Would the masterplug visitor to the UK adapter work?
Hi Sarah I am afraid I am not best placed to advise.
Other readers may have a suggestion or perhaps speak to an electrician.
Thank you for your suggestion Jon.
We have now solved the problem – it was the 1 amp fuse. My husband found some short length 5 amp fuses (BS646) on the internet and we ordered a set of 4 for £2. I have replaced the fuses in all my shaving adapters and lo and behold all toothbrush chargers now charge via the adapters.
Cheers
Hi, Thanks for the information. I have a 2 pin shaver socket on my bathroom, but can’t seen to figure out how to get it to turn on. Would really appreciate your input
Hi Ayo. If the shaver socket is in the wall it is often always on. You just need to connect an appliance to it.
Others are part of cupboards/mirrors with lights etc. These often have some sort of switch on them for them to work.
Thank you Jon for your reply. Connected a device , didn’t work. The socket has a light indicator which has never come on. I will check the central circuit breaker and see if that’s where the problem is. Thanks
Hi Jon
Your article is very interesting and informative. I hope you are able to answer my question.
I have a 230v and 115v shaver socket in my bathroom, can I buy a low voltage ( 1 watt ) night light to fit into either of the sockets or alternatively is there an adaptor on the market to take the 3 pin night lights?
Hey, I am sorry to say I have no idea about nightlights for the bathroom. I really can’t help you on this one.
Which electric toothbrushes use a usb cable?
Would this resolve all the three pin, two pin, varied voltages and plugs for different countries?
Hi Julia.
There are a number of brushes that are now using USB cables for charging. To some extend it does solve the problem. However, it will mean you won’t be able to charge a toothbrush in a UK bathroom with a USB cable.
Examples include Sonicare 2100, 3100 and 9900 Prestige.
Thanks for the info!
Hi Jon,
It is very detailed and legally correct description of why we have 2 pin plugs on electric toothbrushes.
I was certified electrician long time ago (16th edition) .
I live in posh area of London and unless you refurbished your bathroom recently you will either have no “shaver socket” or it will be in such location that, as you wrote, brush cable will be to short to connect it and place it.
Based on my, very unscientific, statistics about 80% of people are in this category.
So, 2 pin plug on electric toothbrushes is a solution for minority of people.
While your explanation of why there are no 3 pin sockets in uk bathrooms is correct, it is not relevant to the scenario.
We are not moving dangerous equipment like electric toaster into bathroom.
We are moving safe equipment (toothbrush charger) into bedroom etc 3 pin environment.
Where you can plug vacuum cleaners and electric tools.
Again your explanation of environmental impact of 3 pin to 2 pin adapters is back to front (assuming my stats are valid overall).
Since majority of people do not have shaver sockets it should be people with shaver sockets who buy adapters (3 pin to 2pin).
They have nicer bathrooms already, so they can afford it. 😉
Hi upon removing my charger from the wall my 2 pin has come out of the 3 pin adaptor and I cannot get it back in – red plastic is blocking holes, how do I fix? Thanks Sue.
Hi Sue. I am not honestly sure. Different adapters have different designs etc. Does the red plastic move/release when the 3 pin adapter is placed back into the wall socket?
I take it you never previously had an issue with plugging into it?
Hi Jon Thanks for your reply, I worked it out by taking it apart, the red plastic that I now know is a ‘pin blocker’ should slide to the side -it is sprung, but since it is old it had got stuck. It is difficult to research a problem if you don’t know the terms for the item in question and I found lots of irrelevant material on unblocking pins as in website pin numbers! I haven’t previously had a problem as I have not disconnected them for years but it came apart when removing from a continental 2 pin adaptor. Thanks, Sue
I have a new oral b electric tooth brush that has two pins which are round so far I have bought one adapter in a supermarket and one from Amazon neither of them fit. The two pin connector has round bits and they will not go in any of the plugs I see advertised. It is very frustrating. The model is a OralB pro timer recently bought from Boots.
Can you advise me please?
Hi Sandra.
Ok, so you have purchased a UK specification Oral-B toothbrush, with a 2 pin power adapter on the charging stand. I am presuming that you don’t have a 2 pin power adapter in your bathroom, thus you are looking for a 2 pin to 3pin adapter to power it from another socket in your home, but a 3 pin socket? This product on Amazon should be suitable.
Hi.
Good article. Thanks but I have a different issue. I own a Nicky Clarke male grooming kit Inc a good mains electric shaver. It came with a 13 amp type standard 3 pin plug (3 amp fused) and I have to run an extension cable from an adjacent bedroom into the bathroom etc etc to use this shaver at the mirror in the bathroom! Very annoying!
I now have a proper professionally installed 2 pin type shaver socket safely next to the mirror and well away from any water source.
I wanted and expected to purchase a wireable 2 pin alternative to the 3 pin plug but nowhere can I find one for sale.
Hope you follow what I’m trying to explain. Any ideas???
I am not sure if the power cable to your grooming kit is detachable? Have you spoken to the manufacturer as to whether they have an option?
Hi Jon.
It doesn’t need to be detachable.
Not sure that you understand my problem. I simply need to source and buy a standard British 2 pin shaver plug like those often found on shavers.
The problem is my shaver was supplied with a normal 3 pin (3 amp fused) plug, not.my preference, being a 2 pin plug.
See what I mean, Jon?
Hi John.
OK I see what you are saying, thanks for the clarification.
I can’t advise on where to source the 2 pin shaver plug or how to replace this on your appliance.
The Nikki Vlark question sounds like someone trying to plug something into a shaver socket that shouldn’t be plugged in there. The extension lead sounds like someone who’s got a death wish. You’re not supposed to plug anything or run a trailing socket into a bathroom (unless you want to die)
The big issue is that the Toothbrush charger lead is not long enough to go from the socket to the (nearest) shelf below it.
Hi Gavin. Sorry to read this. I have seen others report this too.
But, conversely, others complain it is too long. No way I know of to extend the cable.
I have just bought two toothbrushes, his and hers, They are both dual voltage as is my razor socket. Can I plug one into the 110v socket and the other in to the 230v to charge simultaneously. There appears to be a mechanical pin blocker in the socket which prevents two plug ins at the same time. I have found a twin plug adapter and could use just the 230v socket for both but although each is only rated at 2W, the socket might get hot and cut out, at least I assume there is a safety cut out.
Any thoughts?
Hi Martyn. I think this is a question best answered by an electrician. I am afraid I am not in a position to confidently advise.
It would probably be useful John if you could recruit a qualified electrician to answer such technical questions as this if it is not within your personal scope.
However, having done a little research myself, it appears that earlier shaver sockets and some current ones are not continuously rated, even when rated at 20W. Apparently that is why many are marked as “shavers only”. More recent ones now say”shavers/toothbrushes “. I gather a shaver drawing power just during use is not considered “continuous” whilst a toothbrush charging all day and night is and different circuitry applies.
I intend to add a second socket appropriately rated and labelled.
Hi. I have a krups sub beer machine that has a 2pin plug. I am in Ireland, can I use the adapter that shows only for toothbrush and shavers?
Paul, I believe there are 2 pin EU to 3 pin UK plug adapters suited to this task.
I have been told by a retailer that shaver sockets will burn out if used to charge toothbrushes and that is why they often say, ‘For Shavers Only.’ Others say they can be used for both items. I’m confused but will trust your advice as I’m about to buy a wall cabinet with such a socket.
Thanks for a very informative article. Can I ask would it be safe to get a good 2 to 3 pin adapter to plug in an Alexa Show Spot to be used in the bathroom?
Carole,
I am presuming you want to power your 3 pin plugged Alexa from the 2 pin shaver socket in your bathroom.
To my knowledge no such adapters exist.
Hi I have only 1shaver socket in bathroom but need to connect my wife’s and my toothbrushes to keep them fully charged all the time, I can’t seem to find an adaptor to do the job.. any suggestions will be appreciated
Thanks
No such adapter exists that I know of. Do both brushes need to be charged all the time? Can you charge 1 brush one day and the other brush the following?
I have bought a sonic tb which bizarrely has a 3-point plug. Can I get an adapter please to fit into my standard bathroom 2-pin socket?
Kind regards
Garry
Hi Gary. I am not aware of such an adapter existing. Subject to which model you have, it is most likely just easier to source a 2 pin UK Sonicare toothbrush charging stand.
Hi I have a bathroom mirror which has a two pin socket into which I plug my razor or electric toothbrush holder.
I have had to replace the mirror and although the manufacturer states “complete with a shaver socket” the pin width and diameter are not compatible!
Why is this or is there an adaptor required.
This is a question for the manufacturer of the mirror. I am not aware of any adapters Duncan.
My query is about the light that has the shaver unit attached. House is 30yrscold and so are the fittings. Everything works great BUT in order to use the socket the light has to be on. My new toothbrush recommends an initial charge of 22 hrs.. I’m afraid thus might cause a peoblem with overheating with the light and I def don’t want to leave it over night.
Would I be better off getting an adapter and charging it in a “regular” socket?
Sharon. I would have said yes, you are best off getting an adapter if you are worried about the light over heating and don’t wanting it left on.
A qualified electrician could confirm better than I can, but I suspect the light is unlikely to overheat. That said, if you prefer not to have it left on, for the sake of a few pounds you can pick up an adapter and charge it from a 3 pin socket that you will be more comfortable with, then go for it.
You could also cut the plug off the toothbrush charger and attach a UK plug, negating the need for the adaptor. Some people suggest plugging a toothbrush charger into a shaver outlet can damage it (the shaver outlet) and even be a potential fire risk.
We now have several devices that need to be charged – tooth brush, razors, waterpik, etc., so can I buy a multi-socket for the razor two pin plugs that will plug into a standard three square pin 240v socket please? I am aware this would not be plugged in to the bathroom razor socket!
Hi Andy. I am not aware of a multi-socket of this type. As far as I am aware you will need to buy multiple 2pin to 3 pin adapters and use each of these separately if you want to charge multiple products at once. Of course, you could otherwise use 1 plug adapter and charge the toothbrush when the razer isn’t being charged for example.
Can I chop off the 2-pin plug and wire it to a standard 13amp 3 pin uk plug
I can’t advise on this. I don’t believe it is possible. I think I recall someone else trying this with the result being a ‘bang’ when they then connected it to the mains.
Yes, of course it’s possible! Plugging the 2 pin plug in to an adaptor and then plugging it into a 13A ring main achieves exactly the same thing. The only thing which would cause any kind of issue would be if the plug had been wired totally incorrectly and there was a short.
Hi Jon
Its weird you say this, when you already said many toothbrush adapters work at 240V and you clearly understand electrics from you explanaition of transformers. Replacing the shaver plug with a three pin plug is the obvious answer for charging outside the bathroom and safer than an adapter. Is your article really an advert for adapters from which you earn your living?There’s nothing wrong with that, but if you admitted it, readers would understand your weird answer and I’m sure if they preferred an adapter they’d still buy one through your links. Do you disagree? Wiring a three pin UK plug is a simple task anyone can do. So come on Jon, ‘fess up and help kill the fake news sites.
Hi Doug.
I will say my understanding of electrics is very basic. The explanation I put forward comes from my own research online, but I am certainly not qualified (no electrical training/certification) or in a position to advise anyone when it comes to adjusting plugs/power adapters or sockets in their homes.
Why is replacing a shaver plug the most obvious answer for charging outside a bathroom? (genuine question).
I would say the hassle of rewiring a plug vs obtaining an adapter is less for many? Is it really safer?
Not everyone has the tools or competence to cut and rewire cables/plugs. For you, and many others this might be the case, but this site reaches a wide audience of different users and abilities. An elderly person might not have the tools, and dexterity to do so, and someone with disabilities might not have the ability to do so.
Yes, we do earn money off the links clicked to buy the items listed on this page. We are clear about that in our disclosure policy and are not hiding this. But, my intentions are genuine. I am not writing the content just to make money. I want to help. But I also don’t want to be responsible for people adapting electronic products and potentially causing an injury to themselves.
Hi Jon
That’s fair enough. I came to your page from a search engine and hadn’t seen your very honest disclosure page. I am a qualified electrical engineer and I was looking for a compatible second-hand toothbrush handle to replace a broken one, while keeping my charger. My charger has been plugged outside the bathroom for many years, after I changed the plug for a three pin. This was the obvious answer for outside the bathroom for two reasons:
1) Buying more adapters will add to environmental problems caused by the prolifieration of waste electrical equipment. Many homes will however, have spare three pin plugs for reuse.
2) Safety. Outside the bathroom, UK three pin plugs are very safe becuase they’re designed so you can’t touch the live pins when they’re half way in. Good adapters should also do this but some don’t, and they can have a tendency for the plug to fall out. Particularly dangerous are some of the travel multi-adapters that fit different sockets around the world. I got a shock from one I bought in Geneva, where I’d expect better. It had a button for the EU prongs to come out when needed. I pushed it into a socket, accidentally touching the button, and these live prongs sprung into my hand zapping me with mains electricity.
You’re right that some folks may lack the skills or dexterity to change a plug, and others just find it easier to buy an adapter. But, I’d say to those in this situation that can, just change the plug.
Doug
Thanks for the extra info Doug. Your role as an electrical engineer naturally makes something like a plug replacement seem like an easy job. 😀
I do personally disagree with having spare three pin plugs for re-use. I don’t have any of these. The only reason I see myself and others having such is we have either cut them off of another appliance or actively purchased a plug to be wired.
Perhaps I need to look at working with an electrician to demonstrate & explain how to re-wire a 2 pin to 3 pin plug for UK homes.
Hi I have a wahl electric shaver which I bought in USA. It has the 2 pins for using in an American bathroom outlet. If I wanted to use shaver in the UK could this be possible has the shaver is 115 v? If it is possible what would my options be? Thank you.
Mark, I do believe it would be best to ask Wahl directly for their advice based on the shaver you have. There are no adapters that I know of that will allow you to convert 2 pin UK to 2 pin UK bathroom plug.
Hi,
I have a plant in my bathroom, which only grows well in humidity. The plant also requires a ‘Plant grow light’. The grow light comes in a UK three pin adapter whereas I only have a shaver adapter in my bathroom.
I am trying to avoid the extension cable mess so hoping you would suggest some better way of keeping my plant alive.
Thanks for the well informative post.
I am not sure there is a way Umer. There are no adapters to connect a 3 pin plug to a 2 pin shaver socket in a bathroom.
Hi Jon .I have a spanish t.v. can i change. The fuse in a shaver adapter.will it be safe. Thanks
I am not entirely sure what you are asking here. Is it you want to connect a 2 pin EU (Spanish) TV to the 2 pin shaver socket in a bathroom here in the UK?
If so, I don’t believe this is possible all considered safe. Do consult with an electrician before doing this.
Hello,
My electric toothbrush says voltage of 230v in my bathroom cupboard I have a shaved socket of 110 & 240v it does say shavers only. Can I use the 240v to charge my toothbrush even though the socket is a higher voltage?
Yes, that should be fine.
Yes because the voltage in the UK is actually 230V, not 240V (since 1995, I believe).
I want to use my toothbrush charger in Antigua which has two straight, flat pins. Do I have to use this first in my uk adapter (3 pin) and then into further adapter, or can I get a two pin round to two pin flat plug
Hi Joan.
What toothbrush brand/model do you have?
Oral b
Thanks Joan. So it will depend on the travel adapter you have. But as you suggest, more than likely the setup will be to use your standard 2 pin (round) UK charging stand connected to a UK, 3 pin plug adapter and then in turn put that into a 2 pin (flat) plug adapter.
Thank you, I’d hoped there would be an alternative. Have searched and can’t find one
Well the only other hope would be to find an Oral-B charging stand specifically made for Antigua. I am not sure if they exist.
Or, you could look at USB charging stands. Oral-B don’t make these themselves, but third parties do. For example this product could be used with a 2 flat pin (Type A) USB plug if you have one.
Sounds a bit complicated. Think I’ll stick with the two adaptors. Hopefully, there will be a shaver socket I can use
Can you please put it in writing that it is OK to charge your new tooth brush using your old charger.
Many thanks
Colin
Hi Colin.
This depends on the brand and model of the toothbrush. It is rare but brands/models change products which mean they are not compatible. For example, the Oral-B iO toothbrush won’t charge on the typical Oral-B toothbrush charging stand due to a different design.
Assuming the same stand/connector type with brands like Sonicare, Oral-B and Colgate, generally speaking, a new toothbrush will work with chargers from older models. However, I can’t give that guarantee. Only the manufacturer could.
All I can say is that in my hands-on experience I have not faced any issues (that I am aware of) with using newer toothbrush models on charging stands supplied with older models.
Something seems to have been forgotten in this article. Isolating shaver sockets in bathrooms are not necessarily suitable for recharging battery powered devices. Look on the MK website for their recommendations. I have had 2 failures of battery charge devices for an electric shaver and 1 for a toothbrush. The voltage unloaded from the 230 volt output can be over 280V unloaded, which means over time a strain is put on the components in the smps and eventually it fails because of the initial overvoltage. In my case it also took out the shaver socket.
How can I charge my UK-bought Braun toothbrush in Greece where there are no shaver sockets or adapters?
Hi Paul. There are some international travel adapters that accept 2 pin UK shaver socket plugs and then allow you to convert to 2 pin EU mains power.
Alternatively, you will need to source a 2 pin EU Oral-B charging stand.
“Sourcing” is the problem. Amazon seems to refuse to sell “out of country” chargers. I tried and still git a UK shaving plug. Perhaps a “competent electrician” can tell me if there is any reason I can’t change the plug myself. PS why does no one else have this problem? Don’t they take toothbrushes abroad?
Hi Paul – If you head to Shavers website, they can sell you a charging stand.
This may have already been picked up on – but the point of this outlet somehow being a ‘lower power’ is not quite right.
The traditional British shaver outlet does in fact provide 240V AC, however through a separating transformer – this means that there is no return path to earth, meaning you can theoretically touch a live part without coming to any harm as you are not completing a circuit.
This is what makes them safer, it has nothing to do with the amount of power being produced.
This is also why you will only see ONE outlet in any location, having two outlets potentially side by side with this type of earth isolated electrical supply causes all kinds of safety issues – it’s also why you won’t get a shaver to 3-Pin adaptor.
You can install a 13A 3-Pin plug in a location containing a bath or shower, it just needs to be at least 3m away from the edge of a zone and have appropriate RCD protection.
Hello,
I am trying to use a German shaver with a Gernan 2 pin plug in a UK shaver socket. The plug goes in and it works, but it is very loose and will pop out if I pull the shaver too far from the socket. The pins are smaller than a UK 2 pin socket. How can I convert the German plug so it fits snugly in the shaver socket?
Thanks for your help
Regards, Andrew
Andrew. I do not think there is any way other than buying a different power cable for your shaver. In other words a 2 pin UK shaver cable specifically for that shaver you have, if they make one available.
Sorry Jon please could you clarify this: I own an EU / 2-pin mosquito repellent and it seems to work in the UK with my UK shaver / toothbrush adaptor. Is this safe or do I need to use a normal UK/EU adaptor instead?
Paul. I am afraid I’m not an electrician to advise you on whether it is safe or not.
I would have thought if it was working, all was fine and you could continue to do so, but please do seek advice from an expert.
I have two 2 pin sockets in my bathroom mirror. One is 115v and the other is 240v. Which one should I use for my electric toothbrush?
240v
I have a waterpik with a two pin plug on it. The shaver socket in my new barber is 2-3m from the basin. Is it possible to buy an extension lead which fits in the shaver socket and has a female socket on the other end to use with the waterpik? I am aware of the risks of mixing water and electricity, and this may be the reason that I cannot find such an item.
I have never come across such an item Jo. I don’t think it exists.
Our shaver socket will take the EU 2 pin as well as the UK shaver 2 pin, but it is quite wobbly when using the thinner EU 2 pins and sometimes makes poor contact. Is there a brand of shaver socket/faceplate (preferably metal) that firmly holds both sizes of 2 pin?
Hi John. I can’t advise on this I am afraid. One for an electrician.
I have a small hand held food mixer with a 2 pin plug. Is it safe to use it with a 1 amp 3 pin converter plug.
I should imagine this is a 2 pin EU plug as opposed to a 2 pin plug for UK bathrooms? I would consult with the manufacturer for their advice as I cannot advise on this.
Can I charge my electric toothbrush in the smaller voltage socket which is 115 voltage . This is next to the standard 230v socket thus because we have 2 electric toothbrushes in the bathroom.
You can give it a go, if your charging stand supports the voltage. I am not sure if it will charge quite as quickly.
Hi John I have a Clipsal shaver socket 115V to 240V in my bathroom in Dubai. However the waterpic water floss machine i bought, has the 3 flat pins. Which adaptor should I buy that will help me connect to the shaver plug. Thank you
Hi Claudette. I am not aware of any adapter to take a 3 pin power supply to a 2 pin shaver plug.
is an adapter that say 250v acceptable to use on my 220-240v toothbrush?
I would have thought so. As it likely means it supports up to 250v.
I have a newly installed bathroom light fixture with shaver sockets included. But my two pin electric toothbrush charger will not fit same. I was told it was ‘new regulations’. It cost 60 euro and was fitted professionally, so not so easy to remove and return and original packaging is dumped now. I tried the two pin in another fixture in the shop, same problem!
Hi, I have an iPhone 11 Pro that I bought out of the UK so I needed an adapter for the charger. I didn’t realise I bought a razor/electric toothbrush adapter.
I can’t return it. Is it safe for me to use it to charge my phone?
I am not sure what you have purchased. But it could well be the wrong adapter.
You can buy 3 pin UK to 2 pin EU plug adapters if that is what you require to charge your iPhone.
Travel universal adaptor with shutter.
Does this have to have a BS number to comply with PAT testing. It has no 1amp fuse like a conventional shaver socket
Hi Micheal.
I am afraid I do not know the answer to this question. One for a trained electrician.
Hi, is there a connector that allows usb out to a 2 pin shaver socket?
I am afraid I am not aware of any such product/adapter existing.
i have a very low voltage LED makeup mirror that i need to use in the bathroom that has come with a 3 pin as per usual. why can’t i find an adapter to use the shaver socket, or even a shaver plug to re-wire to the lead anywhere? if there is anywhere, please tell me!!
Deb. I am not aware of such existing.
Hi Jon
My Braun toothbrush will not charge when plugged into the 240 V socket but will when I plug into the 110V in the UK. There is obviously a fault with the socket – is it OK to charge it on 110V ?
Regards
Dennis
Dennis. I am not an electrician to say conclusively one way or the other. But, if I were personally in your position I would.
I have learned that , although you can charge a toothbrush/ shaver in a bathroom wall shaver socket, over time it will be no good for the wall socket because of the prolonged use and heat generated.
Hi – Is it possibe to charge an electric toothbrush in a 12v system like in a boat or a caravan? What kind of adaptor would you need for this?
I am afraid this is outside my knowledge. I suspect it is possible. Perhaps a more convenient option would be a USB style charger for your toothbrush. It will of course depend on the brand of toothbrush you have, but there are USB chargers for Oral-B and Sonicare made by third party companies.
Hi Jon,I’ve got a LED strip light with a cupboard purchased from France,I arrived with a two pronged plug (looks like an adapter) ,can I convert it anyway. Thanks
Joe. I am not sure what type of cupboard it is, but if purchased in France I presume a 2 pin EU plug. Therefore you will need a 2 pin EU to 3 pin UK converter, available in many good hardware stores. Assuming this is designed for use in room outside of the bathroom.
I very stupidly sent my son a gift of a Braun rechargeable electric shaver to Texas where he now lives. Unfortunately he cannot use the charging cable or the shaver. What do I need to send him now so that he can use his gift? It’s probably explained in your excellent article but could you please help an old lady out and make it 100% clear and possibly suggest where I can order anything I need online. Thanks in anticipation.
Hi Christine. There are plug adapters that can be purchased. However, the easiest thing to do would be to purchase a US 2 pin charging stand for an Oral-B toothbrush. He/you can buy it here. Alternatively you can get them on Amazon and eBay for a bit less typically.
Hi Jon, many thanks for your reply but I need a solution for a Braun electric shaver, not a toothbrush! The stand you suggest will not work. The shaver has a 2 pin coiled (extending)charging cable for use in the UK and I need to find a similar item which will work in the US at the correct power level. So sorry to be a nuisance Jon.
Hi Christine. Apologies. I did miss that it was a shaver.
I have limited knowledge on shavers. You would really need to know the model etc to make sure you get the right part. I suspect it is perfectly possible to purchase a 2 pin US charger for it. Basically, the same principle as I suggested for the toothbrush. https://braun.encompass.com/ stocks accessories for lots of Braun products. I am sure it will be on there, but not knowing the shaver and the parts I can’t advise which one.
Can you direct me to any charges that would allow me to have a toothbrush charge horizontally? They all see to stand upright. I would quite like to store my electric toothbrush in the drawer of a console underneath the basin so that I can keep things neat and tidy. It is also a way I can potentially hide the ugly shaver socket and cables by placing them behind the console and running the cable into the drawer.
Thanks,
Nick
Hi Nick. I can’t say I have seen anything that answers your needs. What toothbrush do you have?
A typical Oral B one that has a small white stand. I believe that some Oral B models come with travel chargers that do allow the toothbrush to be horizontal – so that may provide the solution.
In relation to the actual sockets – they invariably say ‘shavers only’. I think this is more a nod to the fact they are low voltage and therefore can’t be used for two pin hairdryers and other power hungry devices, than anything else. There is a fair amount written about the fact that the transformers get hot if used constantly. Hence toothbrushes should not be left plugged in. I’m not an electrician, but suspect that once a battery powered device is charged it stops drawing power so the risk of overheating is limited. It’s a shame that there isn’t much clearer / more specific advice on electric toothbrush charging and the suitability of the typical UK sockets.
Hi Nick.
OK, so you don’t have a Genius or iO series brush?? The reason I ask is these can be charged in a case. This means the brush lays horizontal rather than vertically.
I haven’t seen a solution otherwise for other Oral-B models. Potentially positioned right in a draw, or on a flat surface it still could charge. This would just be more prone to not working correctly.
As regards the sockets. I am no electrician, but most toothbrushes will cut off once fully charged. And I do suspect the risk is constantly being left plugged in and getting warm/overheating.
What more advice/insight would you like to know about the sockets and charging a brush?
Wow – great to find such a comprehensive analysis and discussion! Thank you.
I’m about to embark on refitting our master bathroom. We have chosen what I think are some quite tasteful pieces of furniture. Sadly we are stuck with a very limited and ugly range of options for charging electric toothbrushes (and using a Waterpik flosser). Most shaver sockets seem to come with a warning about not using with toothbrushes. I assume because a toothbrush would have permanent draw and therefore potentially overheat. Although I suspect 99/100 people ignore that and use them anyway – there are a few that do actually mention toothbrushes – not sure what they are doing differently to the others?
Why is the UK so stuck in the past. Surely all the people stupid enough to take a bath with their toaster will be dead by now – Darwin?! Or will be slightly brighter, have bought an extension lead and then had a bath with their toaster?! My personal grooming stuff (shavers/bear trimmer/hair clippers) all work of three pin mains plugs. I’d love to be able to have them charging in the bathroom where I actually use them. Our bath is more than 3m from a suitable location, but the fully enclosed shower is, with some creativity, just about in range for me to dry my hair while under the shower if I were to run the cable under the shower door and lie on the floor)….
Seriously though – are there any nice looking sockets, suitable for a toothbrush / Waterpik out there (they all seem to be enormous double gang things)? Also, I know the reason why, but I still don’t appreciate the 115V/240V choice presented – I rarely have visiting Americans using my master bathroom!!
Thanks,
Nick
Hi
The shaver socket in my bathroom has 2 sockets, one 115v and one 240v the toothbrushes we have will only charge in the 240v socket. Can I buy an adapter which will enable a 2nd toothbrush to be plugged into the 115v socket.
I am basically trying to keep 2 toothbrushes charged up at the same time and have read what you say about being unable to plug a multiple adapter into 1 socket. We’ve never used the 115v socket and wonder if there is someway of converting it to 240v to make it useful.
Thanks
Interesting question Pauline. The only thing I can think is to potentially get a charging stand that supports a broader voltage range. I suspect on the base of your charging stand it says something like support for 220-240v.
If you had a stand that supported 100-240v for example this may work in the 115v, but I may be wrong, I am not an electrician.
How easy it is to find such may depend on the brand of toothbrush you have.
Is there a reason 2 toothbrushes have to be kept charged at the same time? Given they have rechargeable batteries in them, is the ability to just charge one once the other is done charging?
Hi Jon, thank you for your answer. I will take a look at what is available. Basically our toothnrushes are pretty old I guess, and the batteries are no longer holding their charge. After 24hrs off charge the power is not good, hence the desire to keep both on their charging stands.
Thanks
Where can I buy a power cord connector for my Rio Water Flosser and Oral Water jet irrigator?
Thank you.
David. I think this might be what you are in need of. Please do double check it is correct for your flosser though.
Why won’t my Braun toothbrush charger fit into the shaver socket on my vanity light?
Hi Liz.
Did you purchase the Bruan toothbrush in the UK? The charger has a 2 pin UK power adapter as opposed to a 2 pin European power adapter?
Hi Jon
I purchased it in UK and has the UK 2pin – the pins are fatter than the ones the earlier models had, which seems to be the problem. I can wiggle it in so it will charge, but it’s not secure; a real pain!!! I had a vanity light with 2 pin charger point, but that would only charge when the light was turned on and when the inside perished it didn’t occur to me that the charger point would be a problem.
All the best
Liz
Thanks for the info Liz.
Do you have the older charging stand that you could perhaps use with your current brush, if the pins fit better?
Do you have any other 2 pin appliances that you could test with the socket to see if they have the same issues?
Failing that would a 3 pin to 2 pin adapter be a solution and charge elsewhere in your home (I appreciate might not be ideal).
Does anyone know why UK 2 pin to 3 adaptors always have 250v imprinted on them and not the mains standard of 240v??
Is this a safety/overload buffer or something??
I presume these are perfectly fine and wont damage any toothbrushes or chargers.
I don’t know Rich, but I would agree with your logic.
My problem is that the electric toothbrush I recently bought has a 13amp 3 pin plug. Useless for use in my bathroom’s shaver socket. I don’t seem able to obtain a 2 pin 5amp plug that would be compatible with the standard shaver socket.
Where can I obtain such a plug?
John. I am not aware of such existing.
It is going to be a case of charging your brush in a room with a 3 pin socket and taking the toothbrush into the bathroom and leaving it there until it requires recharging.
Is it ok and possible to connect wahl hair clippers using a 3 pin to 2 pin adapter?
Many thanks
Usman. I cannot give you a definite answer on this as I am not familiar with the product. The answer is more than likely yes, but please do further reaseasrd. If they are designed to connect to a shaver socket then I see little reason why not.
I charge my toothbrush in my bedroom. I cut the 2-pin plug off and fitted a 3-pin plug.
Hi Anthony what fuse ampage did you use?
Can you get a angled adaptor for a toothbrush so that the cable points downwards instead of outwards as my charger sits just underneath the shaver socket. I have just purchased one for a ariel tv cable. Thanks.
Frank, interesting question. Not to say it doesn’t but, this is not something I have seen or am aware of existing.
Hi Jon, thanks for a very useful and informative article. I’m confused by one thing though – if 240v is too high, I understand why lower voltages such as 110v will be safer. But the 2 pin sockets also operate at 220v or higher. In fact the graphic you have on the article shows a bathroom plug with 250v. Does this not defeat the purpose?
Hi Lucas.
I am not an electrician, so my understanding and explanation might not be the most accurate. But, shaver sockets are different to a regular 3 pin sockets.
They have an insulated transformer meaning the socket is electrically separated from the earth and therefore safe for use in bathrooms.
The voltage from a shaver socket is either 110 or 240 volts .. 240 is obviously still the same as regular UK supply, but the wall socket has a transformer in it that has a high ‘internal resistance’ (in short, it can only pass a small current, thus providing a level of protection)
The 250v shown on the plugs is the rating… The maximum voltage the plug is safe to be used with. Many UK electrical items are rated 250v – this allows for any discrepancy in the supply. Much in the same way you could lift a one tonne car with a 1.5 tonne jack.
Hi Jon, I have and Australian fitted electric toothbrush and live in the UK but my bathroom only has the shavers only outlet so u can’t charge my toothbrush. I can’t seem to find a converter from Aus plug to BS 4573, do they exist?
Hi Alexi.
I am not aware of these existing. If you are living in the UK, the easiest thing to do in my opinion is to buy a replacement charging stand for the toothbrush, that is designed for the UK.
Reply to person looking for US 110 to UK shaver 110 – this works fine
My understanding is that a shaver socket contains a transformer to step down from 220 to 110v.
Could this be fitted in a bedroom to power (with US 2pin to EU 2 pin asapter) a US 110v Bose radio which is currently plugged into a clunky area down box?
A question for a qualified electrician. I can’t answer this for you I am afraid.
Hi! I’m hoping this doesn’t come across as a really stupid question. I live in the UK and have a 2 to 3 pin adapter for my toothbrush charger, as you described. My flatmate is from Sweden and we wanted to use her blender but needed an adaptor, so we just used my toothbrush charger adapter and it worked perfectly! But now when I try to charge my toothbrush using the same adaptor it won’t charge at all – do you think I’ve just broken the adaptor, or have I somehow broken the toothbrush charger as well? I’m a student so am reluctant to buy anything I don’t have to! Thanks so much!
Hi Sally.
This isn’t a stupid question. What you and your flatmate did would have been exactly what I would have done if I were you.
I am not an electrician, so I am not technically qualified and know all the important details, but I am not aware of any reason what it would now not be working.
Perhaps the 2 pin to 3 pin adapter you have was not rated to take the power of the blender?
Does the blender work with the adapter still even though your toothbrush doesn’t?
Hi. My problem is the size of the pins in my 2 pin shaver socket. Some devices whey 2 pin will not fit into it without an adapter.
Perhaps the faceplate of the shaver socket needs replacing?
If I’m traveling from the US to UK and I have a normal 2pin plug at 110v will it work in a UK shaver socket without issue? since it’s voltage is already the same. Or do I still need a step-down converter?
Thanks
Allyson.
I am presuming the 2 pin plug you are referring to is the US flat pin style, rather than the round pin style that we have in UK bathrooms. Therefore it will not fit or work with shaver sockets found in a UK bathroom.
If you are travelling from the US to the UK and your toothbrush will not hold enough charge until you return to the USA, then you will need a 2 pin US to 3 pin UK adapter along with a step-down converter.
It is not possible to get an adapter that will allow you to connect to the 2 pin socket in UK bathrooms, they do not exist. Meaning you have to recharge from the standard 3 pin socket found in other rooms of the home/hotel in the UK. You won’t find a 3 pin socket in a UK bathroom.
I have Hamilton shaver sockets which are very noisy. I use them for recharging toothbrushes and my rechargeable shaver. Are there any brands which are silent, and do I need to get sockets with an image of both a shaver and a toothbrush on the faceplate?
Hi Max. I cannot comment on the shaver socket specifically. You are best off speaking to a qualified electrician. I don’t think it is necessary to get a socket that specifically has a picture of a shaver and toothbrush on the faceplate.
I want to fit a mains powered vanity mirror/light on my toilet wall which has a standard 3 pin plug. Is there an adaptor to convert it into the 2 pin shaver socket?
Hi Callum.
You can get an adapter (as shown and linked in the article above) that will allow you to connect a 2 pin plug into a 3 pin socket. However, there isn’t an adapter to do it the other way. 3 pin plugs/sockets are not designed/considered safe in UK bathrooms, hence the 2 pin plug.
Can I use a 250V adapter for my 220-240V toothbrush?
Yes, as I understand it (research online), this should be ok. However, you may want to check with a qualified professional.
hi can I charge an iPhone SE with the two pin adaptor for shavers?
No, this is not possible.
Hi, I have an iPhone Se and live in the UK. But the charger of the phone is two pinned and you can’t connect it to the plug socket as it’s three. Can I use the toothbrush 2 plug adaptor to charge the iPhone SE, if not what can I use?
Thank you
Emily. I am not sure what charger you have for your iPhone SE, but if it is a UK model, it would likely have come with a 3 pin UK plug, for connecting to typical power sockets in the UK.
I am aware of no solution whereby you can charge the SE in the bathroom from the shaver socket.
Ordered a wahl clipper on amazon and was sent a shinon from China. Classic bait and switch.I can’t use as the plug in cord they sent has two prongs . Any idea what I need for adapt for normal voltage in u.s.110-115 volt .two prong adopt says 100-240-50/60HZ
Hi Charles. Sorry I am not familiar with these products.
I suggest first of all contacting Amazon if you have been sent the wrong product.
However, if the power adapter supports 100-240v that should work fine in the USA. I am just not sure what plug you have on the power adapter? I’m guessing its a 2 pin US, but if not to may need a plug adapter.
My 2 pin adaptor has 2 usb ports. One is marked 1amp and the second 2.5 amp. Which port do I use to charge my toothbrush
Hi Bernita. I am not sure I understand entirely. Your toothbrush charges via USB? You may want to consult with the manual but usually the brush can be connected to any power USB socket, the electronics will normally only allow the maximum safe amount of power to be drawn.
Unfortunately, the UK shaver plug 2 pins are not the same distance apart as the European 2 pin (Schuko) plug. This means that many 2 pin to three pin adapters don’t fit. I can plug my electric toothbrush in, but not my Philips shaver.
I would hazard to say that most domestic bathrooms no longer have a shaver socket fitted.
Can I use a Tesco 13amp visitor to UK travel adapter to charge my Oral B pro 1 toothbrush which is 1amp. I have had problems getting a 1amp adaptor locally.
Irene. Thanks for the comment. In which country do you normally live? Or where was the Pro 1 electric toothbrush purchased?
Hi. I’ve got a shaver charging socket in my bathroom in the uk which I want to use to charge my toothbrush on. The sockets are 230v- and 115v-. My toothbrush is 220 – 240v, so do I use the 230v- side please?
Yes Charlene that should work just fine.
Braun Oral b has 2 round pin charger that will not fit into the shaver socket in my new apartment (UK). Is there an adapter available for this?
Vanetta, it sounds like your 2 pin round charger is a European 2 pin connector, is this correct?
If so, I am not aware of such adapters. The easiest thing would be to buy a new charging stand for the Oral-B brush designed for connecting to 2 pin shaver sockets in the UK bathroom.
Hello Ive lost the plug and holder for my oral b toothbrush can I buy another one ? Please thank you
Hi Jackie.
By plug and holder do you mean the charging stand your toothbrush sits on? The white stand with the cable coming out the back that connects to a 2 pin shaver socket?
Yes that’s what I mean thank you for your reply 😎
Jackie. The item you need is available here at the shavers.co.uk. Unfortunately, it is currently out of stock, but I am sure they will have more soon. You could always look at the likes of eBay marketplace for 2nd hand or possibly new ones. Amazon do sell them but they tend to be 3rd party equivalents and not Oral-B original.
Thank you great information 😎
Hi, i have just bought an orange juicer from amazon, and it has come with a 2 pin plug,as they are sent from spain i have been told. Can i use a shaver adapture? thanks. i have not tried it yetr as i am not sure if it will be safe, or do i have to get a special adapture? thanks John
Hi John.
ou will need a 2 pin European to 3 pin UK adapter to make this work. You will need something like this on Amazon – https://amzn.to/3g0K1x4
Hi,
I have recently purchased a Braun BT5260 beard trimmer which comes with a 2 pin charger (I’m not sure if it’s a Uk or EU 2 pin). Can I use a 3 pin travel adapter or does it need to be a 3 pin converter? Also, what is the difference between the two?
Many thanks
Hi Matt.
If you purchased this beard trimmer in the UK, it will likely have come with a 2 pin Uk plug for bathroom power sockets.
A 2 pin to 3 pin converter and travel adapter are similar but different in my opinion. A 2 pin to 3pin usually is just that whereas a travel adapter usually offers various plug types and greater support for various voltages etc.
However, many travel adapters will do the same job as a 2 to 3 pin converter, subject to which one you have, so all should be ok!
Hi, can I just cut the cable and put a 3 pin plug ? Best regards
Hi Amelle. No, you can’t do this. Just read what happened to Tony when he did here.
Many thanks Jon for your reply.
I have the feeling that Tony put something a bit different : an IEC socket and a kettle lead. Is it not different if I put a normal plug (type G) ? Maybe I am just naive/stupid…
I cannot imagine that the cable of the charger is different than the ones they sell in Europe with a “normal” plug. Here in Europe hardly anyone has a bathroom socket at home. it only happens in some hotels. So I assume they have put a different plug for the UK market, no?
Kind regards
Armelle.
Ok, so you are wanting to convert a 2 pin UK bathroom power plug to a 2 pin EU power supply?
I am not an electrician and wish not to advise. What Tony was doing was perhaps different.
The easiest and safest thing to do, is really to buy/source a replacement charging stand with an EU plug already built in if that is the case.
Correct! I bought the electric toothbrush from the UK (I did not realise the bathroom 2 pin is different from the European 2 pin) because it was cheaper; if I have to buy another charger it will make it as expensive as a toothbrush bought here… 🙁
I might give it a try and will let you know!
Thank you for your time.
How to change a fuse on an adapter which is only externally accessible
For directions on changing the fuse on an adapter, you are best consulting the manufacturer of the adapter.
Hello Jon
Thank you for your prompt reply. Unfortunately I purchased the adapter just before the Coronavirus lockdown. I find it difficult to understand, when a number of electrical installation issues have been put under the spotlight, that a greater standard of manufacture on a basic piece of equipment like a plug, has not been implemented.
Hello Jon
I am going spare, I have purchased an Oral B electric toothbrush and a three pin adapter plug so that I can plug it into the mains. I cannot get the two pin plug to drive home into the plug, it goes in so far but not completely and wobbles around.
I have tried looking on line for suppliers to see if the specification of adapter plugs has changed – no joy. However, I did find a few comments from customers who have had the same trouble as me, and who purchased 2 plugs where the 2 pins wont fit right in and fall out. Unfortunately the suppliers of these plugs made no comment or reply to their customers.
Please do you have an explanation (solution)?
Hi Gloria.
I am afraid I can’t comment on the quality and fit of particular brands on 2 to 3 pin plug adapters. I would like to think all are made equal, but sadly this is not always the case.
I have used a few different ones over the years, the majority have been a fairly snug fit. Some have had a bit more wobble/play in the connection but have been on the whole a reasonable fit and would not come loose or wobble in such a way to be a concern.
If you are able to return your adapter then that seems the most logical thing to do, alternatively sourcing a different one with a more secure fit.
As I plug my shaver into a world adapter at the moment, can I use multi adapters to charge my shaver and toothbrush.. Something like this :
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B083TJQ7NL/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_i_vEVXEbWEC1C87
Hi Graeme,
I haven’t personally used this product.
I think you would be able to because, it does suggest it accepts EU plugs, which are slightly larger than the UK 2 pin bathroom plugs. So by that logic, the answer is yes. However, I cannot give you a guarantee of this.
John
I have a diamond clean Philips Sonicare tooth brush with The glass Tumbler charger. I live in the USA and will be coming to UK, can I plug in my glass charger into a shaver socket in a UK Bathroom????
Hi Pam,
Thanks for the question. The short answer is no.
Adapters do not exist (that I know of) that would allow you to charger it from a power/shaver socket we have in UK bathrooms.
The best thing to do is obtain a 2 pin US to 3 pin UK plug adapter. These are very common and would be what you use if connecting other US appliances to a UK power supply. This adapter will connect to the plug on your current charger and allow you to charge the toothbrush from a wall socket found in most rooms of a UK house/hotel.
The only thing to be aware of is the voltage. Our voltage in the UK is 230v compared to 120v in the USA. On the base of the Sonicare stand is should say 100-240v which means it is safe to go with this setup.
If it does not mention the support for higher voltage, you will need a voltage adapter which is a bit more complicated.
Any questions, let me know.
Many thanks, Jon, and now I know for certain.
best regards
James Daems
I have a 2 pin shaving socket in the bathroom, however, I want to put another item in the bathroom and do not have a plug for it.
I want to install a teeth flosser in it and it already has an electric toothbrush installed in it.
Basically, can I adapt the single 2 pin socket to take two appliances.
James, to my knowledge this is not possible. You would have to have another socket professionally installed or plug in/unplug each device to charge/power it as and when you want to use them.
Very thorough article. My question concerns the length of cable between the socket and base used for my toothbrush: is there a safe and efficient way of shortening this cable? Currently it is wound up in a loop and dangles precariously over the basin!
Good question David. Not that I know of.
Potentially there is, but I think it is either more effort than it might be worth or risk of it going wrong.
I have not taken a charging stand apart, but perhaps the cable can be disconnected, cut to shorten it and reattached inside the stand. I could not advise I am afraid.
Thx for the quick reply! I did investigate taking the base (or plug) apart but they are sealed pretty tightly. And for good reason I suspect… I can cut and shorten the cable like you say but any join would need to be sealed also to prevent any water ingress. Looks like a coiled up cable with zip tie is the only answer unless I find a particular shorter one for sale.
David. Ok, good to know.
More commonly I have requests for cable extensions, rather than shortening the cable.
If you do find a practical (and safe) solution, let me know.
A possible alternative would be charging your toothbrush elsewhere where cable length is not an issue. There are some 3 pin plug options or even USB cabled chargers now. Or just a 3 pin adapter to the 2pin you already have.
Bathroom is the most logical home, understandably. However, I thought I would share the thought in case it had any benefit.
My shaver Point has two outlets one for shaver 115v and the other two pin again but marked 230-250 v is it safe to use either or just the shaver 115 v outlet
You should be able to use either.
Hi John – I’m looking to power my Amazon Echo (‘Input 15V – Max 1.4A’) from my UK shaver socket but can’t seem to find a UK 3 pin plug to UK shaver 2 pin converter? Do you happen to know if such a thing exists? Many thanks indeed!
Hi John. I am not aware of such existing. Sorry.
I did similar with one of these:
*NO LONGER AVAILABLE*
You can fit the US pins into a UK shaver socket and then plug a 3-pin into the adapter. However, I also wanted to charge a toothbrush and it wasn’t possible to fit both the toothbrush and Echo plug into this without additional adapters which made the whole thing heavy and unsafe. Instead I opted for an Echo Dot, which is powered by USB. This adapter has a USB socket built in so now I can charge my toothbrush and have Alexa controlled music in the bathroom. The sound is not as good as the Echo but for the bathroom it’s perfectly fine.
Thanks Jon.
Hi Jon!
Our electric toothbrush was bought in France (where we lived). Is it OK to use the 2 pin in the shaver socket in the bathroom to charge it please?
I do not believe it will work Lisa.
Hi Jon,
First of all – an excellent article – what a myriad of problems there are on this subject…….and here’s mine!
I’ve just purchased a “Waterpik water flosser – WP-450UK” – which comes with its own adapter…a UK 3 pin !!!!
Obviously (like most UK residents) I would like to charge this in the bathroom – from my “Shaver socket” (either 115V or presumably 240V) but I don’t seem to be able to find a suitable adapter! The “common or garden” travel adapters (which do say “NOT FOR USE IN UK”) dont fit correctly & spring out….are you aware of anything suitable?
In the meantime I await a response from Waterpik Customer Service!
Cheers
Stuart
Hi Stuart.
I understand your predicament, but I don’t think that there is a solution. If there is, I don’t recall coming across it.
I think you actually have what many desire, a 3 pin plug, which can in many instances be easier.
That said, I totally understand why you would want to charge it in the bathroom.
Do let me know what Waterpik suggest, if at all.
Hi Jon,
Yes there are smaller fuse sizes for 2/3 pin adapters. However the one I had was quite old so have taken you advice and purchased a new one (£1.99).
Ari
NB: sorry for misspelling your name!
Hi John,
Just bought a Phillips tooth brush and managed to find an old 2 – 3 pin converter plug in my electrics box.
However I noticed that it was without a fuse and the standard fuse size for this plug is too big. I assume that smaller 2/3 amp fuses exist?
Hi Ari.
I am not personally aware of there being different sized fuses. They might exist, but I am not an electrician, to be able to say for sure.
Whilst I don’t encourage waste, perhaps a new 2 pin to 3 pin adapter might be adviseable for safety and convenience.
I have bought a Fairywll FW917 sonic tooth brush.
It only comes with a USB charging facility.
I have a normal 2 pin charging plug in my bathroom what adapter should I use to be able to charge my tooth brush in the bathroom?
I know there are different ones on the market but I don’t know which I can use.
Hi Alan.
I am not aware of an adapter that will fit in the 2 pin socket in the bathroom and allow you to charge via USB.
Do you have a 3 pin plug, with USB port on it that you could connect the Fairywill charging stand to for charging? You may have a smartphone plug that would work.
You can buy them for Sonicare products:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/
Yes Jeffrey, you are correct!. I clearly forgot about these!
Hi, I have a 3 pin UK adapter for my new aural b water jet teeth cleaner but the 2 prong plug fitted has 2 THIN prongs. (thinner than the prongs on my electric toothbrush) so falls out of the adapter? Any ideas? Regards Neil
Hi Neil.
I am sorry, I do not have an answer for you.
I have 2 Oral-B water flossers and have compared their 2 pin power adapters to that of the charging stand supplied with the electric toothbrushes and the pins are the same.
What water jet/flosser do you have and where did you buy it?
I bought a bathroom light/ mirror/ shaver socket online. The socket is EU 2 pin so my UK 2 pin toothbrush plug does not fit. Is the EU socket safe to use if I buy a travel adapter for my toothbrush?
Hi Sarah.
I could not say 100% whether it would be safe to use.
It will likely be ok, if the plug/socket is away from water etc. However, depending on the position of the socket/plug and the adapters you require it may be a little riskier.
Can I change the 2 pin to a 3 pin english plug and charge outside of the bathroom
Anne. As far as I am aware, there is no safe way to change the 2 pin plug on your toothbrush charger and safely convert to a 3 pin plug.
Those who have tried it have failed in most cases as far as I am aware.
Best just to use the adapter.
hi jon I purchased a phillips 3000 wet&dry shaver recently I have an old phillishave electric razor (18/20yrs old) it still works very well and i charge it when needed using a2pin to3 pin plug However when i plugged the adaptor into it from the new razor and left it to charge for a few hours it didnt charge Run a couple mins then stopped I have noticed the 2pin plug from old razor the pins are very slightly thicker than the new one because there is some movement when new adaptor is the 3pin shaver plug Is there a difference between old & new 3pin adaptors Hope u can help Thanx
Hi John.
I am afraid, I am not knowledged enough in electronics to give you a definitive answer. I am not aware of there being any changes to the sixes of plugs.
Sometimes products can come with 2 pin EU plugs which look very similar to the 2 pin UK shaver socket plugs, but are slightly different in size and in turn can have a knock-on effect.
I doubt this is the case here.
Perhaps the cable is a bit more fiddly and needs to be positioned just so?!
It might be worth trying a new adapter just to be sure.
Jon Thanx for your help I’ll go back to Boots were i bought and see if they can sort it out
Hello. Please could you help me – I live in the UK and I’m travelling to Botswana. Both countries have the same voltage (220-240V) but the UK uses a type G plug and Botswana uses a type M plug. So can I use one adapter to convert the two pin charger of my electric toothbrush to a three pin UK type G plug, and then another adaptor to convert from a type G plug to a type M plug? I know it’s cumbersome, but would it be dangerous in any way?
Thank you for your help.
Hi Jill.
This would be the best route to go as far as I am aware.
It is a bit cumbersome but it does work and should be relatively safe, although I am not a qualified electrician to give you 100% confirmation of that.
There should be fuses that kick in should the worst happen.
If you are going for an extended period (months) rather than weeks, you might want to look at picking up a charging stand locally, if that is at all possible.
Thank you for replying so quickly Jon.
I will be out there for a few months, so it’s good to know my dental hygiene won’t be suffering, haha.
i bought an electric toothbrush in the departure lounge in singapore. its a 2 pin round pin plug but the diameter of the pins is too small and it falls out of my uk shaver socket. is there an adaptor to go from one 2 pin to the uk size?
Hi Quin.
I think it will be unlikely, but I am not saying it is impossible.
What we need to determine is what 2 pin plug is actually on the toothbrush charger. There are several countries/regions of the world that use 2 pin plugs, so it is a case of finding the right adapter.
Does the plug/box etc give any more information on the type of plug? This website might be helpful in finding which plug you have.
In New Zealand we have electrical switches in bathrooms and laundry but they are fitted with a cut off switch (by the electrician) should there be a problem it automatically switches that power source off. Not sure why that can’t happen in England as a very simple solution. It is a nuisance as I am in UK every year and would like to keep an electric toothbrush here, the shaving point in the bathroom is too high to plug an electric toothbrush purchased in UK into.
Brilliant, thank you so much! I have ordered.
best wishes
Claire
Hello
Can I buy an adapter for my 2 pin electric toothbrush to use in a 2 round pin socket in Europe (without going via a 3 pin adaptor)?
Thank you in advance
Hi Claire.
This product on Amazon UK should be suitable: https://amzn.to/32NlXqL
I have bought a bathroom mirror that has a shaver socket. It’s fine for the toothbrush and beard trimmer but my shaver has quite a chunky plug and so there is not enough room between the back of the mirror and the wall. So I’ve been trying to find an extension lead that will allow me to plug it in. But it sounds like they might not exist. Do you know what actual cable is it – as in is it a CEE 7/something? Thanks
Hi Michael,
I think the part number/type you are referring to is BS 4573 (UK Shaver).
Hi there. I have a shaver socket in my bathroom and need to charge my electric toothbrush. Can I plug it in does the same rule apply living in Ireland?
Hi Mary,
Yes as far as I am aware, everything operates the same in Ireland as the UK. You can connect your toothbrush to the shaver socket.
Hello, I have purchased a hair styler with UK 3 pin plug and I live in France. Please is that safe to use it with adapter by SKROSS as 3 UK pin to 2 EU pin? Thanks a lot in advance!
Hi Kathie.
Yes, as far as I am aware this should be fine.
The adapter accepts the 3 pin UK plug. It has the 2 pin EU connector. It also supports the 100-240V.
Hi, thanks for quick response.
I just have noticed, that in the 3 pin UK input the third (lower) hole in adapter has no metal “connection” inside, it is basically just plastic hole. Does that matter somehow? Thank you 🙂
Hi Jon,
You talk about adapters to use 2 pin plugs in regular power points, but do you know how to find one to do the opposite? My toothbrush has an Australian plug, but not all 230V fit the angled pins.
Hi Frankie.
I have not found an adapter that does such. They don’t appear to exist.
I think this is to do with safety and demand.
If you are in the UK for a long time, it might be as easy and as cheap to purchase a UK Oral-B charging stand, so that you can connect it to the 2 pin socket in the bathroom. Your toothbrush should still charge fine on it.
Hi,
Is it legal/illegal for a shaver to be sold in the UK with a UK 3-pin plug (not to be used in the bathroom)?
I know most come with either an EU or UK 2-pin plug, but is it actually illegal for this not to be the case? I can’t find any info on the legality of this elsewhere, just that it’s not common.
Thanks
Kirsten
Hi Kristen.
I am not a lawyer to be able to advise on whether it is legal or illegal.
As far as I am aware it is not illegal to sell it with a 3 pin plug. I would be surprised if it was illegal.
Although tradition/history states that most will charge and use their shaver and toothbrush in the bathroom you don’t have to.
I have tested a couple of toothbrushes that have 3 pin plugs on the charging stand rather than 2 pin sockets. Many now come with USB chargers too, which are not suitable for the bathroom.
Hi. I have happily used my ‘shaver’ socket to charge my electric toothbrush for years. I now also own a brand new WaterPik flosser which is operated whilst plugged in. It works in the socket but it doesn’t reach the sink because, as you say in your article, the sockets are usually a distance away from where the water is. But I need to use it over the sink. Is there such a thing as an extension lead? I realise this might need to be attached and sealed because of water, but I can’t believe I can only find adapters. I just need about another foot of cable so I can use the device like a dignified human at my bathroom sink, instead of hunched over, holding the tank part of the device in one hand and the flosser in the other.
Hi Paula,
You are not the first to express the need for a longer cable. Sadly, there are no such extension cables that I know of.
Paula, generally UK Shaver socket CAN be reasonably close to the area of a wash basin, and I suspect that leads on appliances designed to be used with them have short leads to prevent , say, someone plugging in something and using it several metres away, eg while in the bath.
Bathrooms are deivided into designated zones, 0, 1, 2 and regulations cover what type of light, heater other appliances can or cannot be installed in the different zones.
Shaver sockets are allowed almost anywhere outside the most high-risk zones – which are generally over the bath or close to the bath or shower.
I have seen shaver sockets built into a light that is designed to be sited over a bathroom mirror immediately above a wash basin.
In my own en-suite bathroom the wash-basin is against one wall and as I stand at it, the shaver socket is immediately next to my right shoulder on another wall. It was allowed to be fitted anywhere in that area PROVIDING that there was no risk of it being splashed by water. It is a couple of metres away from the shower, and well away from anywhere I might reasonable splash water while using the wash-basin.
I have put a small bathroom glass shelf next to the socket, and I have another shelf as a part of the lighting and mirror unit around the wash-basin. So my shaver, stubble trimmer, toothbrush chargers etc can all sit on these shelves and their power chords easily reach the shaver socket (but of course only one device can be plugged in at a time – nobody yet seems to make a multiple shaver socket in the UK).
Next time you are thinking of redecorating your bathroom, you might consider getting a qualified electrician to look at moving your socket to somewhere more convenient but keeping compliance with the latest regulations.
can an ordinary three pin uk plug top be connected to a two pin lead for use in uk 220volt outlet providing the item is rated at 220 volt?
William.
You can use an adapter (2 pin to 3 pin) to allow a 2 pin plug (found on electric toothbrushes) to connect to the 3 pin mains power supply.
I think however you are asking if you can cut a 2 pin plug off an electric toothbrush charger and replace it with a 3 pin power adapter? I think some have done this successfully, but I would not advise on how to do it.
You are perhaps best off buying this product on Amazon.
Hello Jon,
I want to use an EU toothbrush in a UK shaver plug in and can‘t seem to find any adapter for it. Just the other way around. My EU plug is justs slightly wider than the UK shaver plug in. Can you help?
In Germany we also have FI Protection socket adaptors when you want to use other devices in Shaver plugs, that would cut power completely upon contact of electricity and water. Faster than it could kill you. Does this not exist in the Uk? I googled, checked amazon and ebay, but can‘t seem to find anything similar. Maybe I don‘t have the right name in English?
Thank you for your much appreciated help,
all the best,
Birte
Hi Brite,
I understand your needs, but I am not aware of any adapter like this existing. Most I do believe use a 2 pin EU to 3 pin UK power adapter and charge in another room, not the bathroom.
If you are in the UK for a long time, it might be worth buying a UK charging stand for your brush.
I am not entirely sure what you mean by FI Protection socket adapters. Here in the UK all our electric circuits go to a main fuse/circuit board that should trip (kill the power) if there are surges in power etc. This is designed to help protect in the event of plugs and sockets being misused. I am not an electrician to be able to confidently comment on all the safety measures.
Birte, in the UK the shaver sockets are connected with RCD protection ( this is equivalent to what you call FI Protection). We can also have RCD protection included on extension cables and adaptors used for power tools, garden tools etc to HOPE to shut off power in the event of an accident quickly enough to prevent electrocution of the user. NEVER rely upon it.
I have a number of applinces that have EUro plugs, and they ALL fit easily into my UK bathroom shaver socket, just not quite as snugly as the UK bathroom plug (BS-4573)
UK bathroom “shaver sockets” are designed to meet BS-4573,
Can I plug a USA cell phone charger into a UK “shaver” socket? I believe you said that UK shaver socket is 110 volts, and that’s the same as the US. So it should be ok ?
Cheers!
Randall,
Interesting question.
The short answer is I don’t know for sure. Not ever tried it.
My general view for safety would be no. Make use of a regular travel adapter that will convert 2 pin US to 3 pin UK. This way the phone or charger is not exposed to the moisture that is often found in a bathroom.
Randall – usually a UK shaver socket in a bathroom has two sockets. One is labelled 110V, the other is labelled 220V. As soon as a device is plugged into one, there is a plastic shutter that blocks off the other – only one device at a time can be connected. My bathroom socket will accept a US 2-pin (flat blade) plug.
BUT, is this really the only place that you have where you can charge your phone?
NEVER use your phone in the bathroom while it is plugged in. And as mentioned by Jon, FAR safer to buy a US-UK travel adaptor in a standard UK socket outside the bathroom, BUT check if your phone chagrer accepts 220-240V, I would be somewhat surprised if it was truly limited to 110V. These days all phone chargers that I have seen (and shaver , toothbrush, laptop, tablet chargers) are 110V- 240V.
Is there are specific name or identifying code for the shaver/toothbrush plug? I am trying to buy an adaptor that plugs into a Japanese socket that will accept my electric toothbrush charger but all the 2 Pin sockets here seem to be the European or America types and not the 2 pin plugs the UK uses for the shaver/toothbrushes.
Hi Connor,
I have not been to Japan myself to experience this first hand, but a quick search online reveals that in Japan, the Type A power adapter, is most common.
This is the same as the USA as you mention.
The adaptors needed are quite specific and normally you will only find the 2 pin UK bathroom adapters available in the UK, because to my knowledge this is the only place that uses this type of connection. European 2 pin plugs are slightly different.
It is possible to make a setup with a UK 2 pin to 3 pin adapter and then fit that into a UK to USA plug and voltage adapter.
However, for cost and hassle you are best off buying a new charging stand for your toothbrush.
A charging stand with a US power cord should charge your brush fine.
Here are a couple of links to places you can buy the stand you need.
Amazon USA
Braun
Hi could a shaver 2 pin bathroom socket be used via a travel plug adaptor to plug in a Sonos play 1 speaker in a bathroom?
John,
I am not aware of this being possible, I don’t think such adapters exist nor would ever be advised.
There are too potential safety concerns as the Sonos in the bathroom as it has not been designed with ‘bathroom use’ in mind. Moisture could potentially get in and disrupt the electronics.
I personally have a Bluetooth speaker (with built in rechargeable battery) that I use in the bathroom.
Hi, when i plug my electric toothbrush into the shaver socket in the bathroom the landing light comes on very dim. when i turn the landing light on the charge to the toothbrush goes off. Any advice would be welcome . Thanks
Hi Colin. I am no electrician but sounds like something is up with your wiring. May want to get it checked out. 😁
Colin: I AM an electrician, and you definitely need to get a qualified electrician in to check what is happening.
If this is a recent symptom and all was OK before, then you might need a new transformer/ shaver socket for the bathroom.
If some thing has been newly installed, there might be a mistake in the wiring. The best way forward is to bite the bullet and get it professionally checked out.
Hi I want to buy a Wella Contura trimmer but apparently this model only comes with an EU two pin plug (not sure if it is square or round pin). Could you advise if there are any adapters that would allow me to plug it into my UK two round pin bathroom socket – thanks
Hi David,
Thanks for the comment. I have not come across (to date) an adapter that will allow you to connect a 2 pin Euro plug into a 2 pin UK bathroom socket. Your best option is to get a 2 pin Euro to 3 pin plug adapter and charge it elsewhere in the home.
Can you advise on an adapter for a shaver with a 12 volt/2 prong (purchased in the UK – 100-240 V) to use to charge the device in the USA? Will a regular universal adapter for many different countries be compatible with the 12 volt/2 prong?
Hi.
Got to be honest, not all that familiar with electrical shavers, but as I understand it, if you have a 2 prong power adapter for your shaver, that you would normally connect to the shaver socket in your bathroom, the required equipment to charge the shaver in the USA would be the same as if you were taking a toothbrush abroad.
Take a look at this article on our site, I am quite sure this will help.
KS: there is ONE problem that you might face, and it does not matter if you have a shaver or a toothbrush.
In the UK, the 2-prong plug that usually comes with shaver and toothbrushes is NOT the same as the European 2-prong plug. The British Standard for bathrooms has prongs slightly thicker and slightly different spacing than the standard Euro-plug.
I have a multi-travel adaptor bought at an airport that accepts my UK bathroom plug without problem. But I also have 2 different ones that will not accept it, but they will accept the Euro-plug.(these are the large adaptors that can be used for multiple countries by extending different pin configurations out of the body
(like this: https://www.amazon.co.uk/VGUARD-Worldwide-Universal-International-Converter/dp/B07HCXLQRC/ref=sr_1_31?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1544990516&sr=1-31&keywords=multi-country+travel+adapter )
If you look at the pictures of this next product:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/p/Go-Travel-UK-Americas-Non-earthed-Adaptor/1404284067?iid=301573854189&chn=ps
On this style of adaptor have the two side-by-side sockets are slightly rounded, so that it can accept either a UK 3-pin plug, OR a 2-pin plug,
Most of this style of adapter that I have found in the UK have the holes rounded enough to take UK Bathroom plug as well as the slightly smaller Euro plug. The particular model shown on ebay there is a brand that I have, and it definitely accepts the UK bathroom plug – for a shaver, electric toothbrush charger or beard trimmer.
Can you explain why they ONLY make single toothbrush charging sockets and adapters? there are five in my family using electric toothbrushes….. only one bathroom!
Hi Brian.
I can’t speak for all manufacturers, but I imagine the need for charging stations that can hold or charge more brushes is in reality quite limited.
Families or households with multiple electric toothbrush users will share a charging stand, because the brushes don’t need to be on charge at the same time in most instances.
What brand of toothbrush are your family using as there as some potential third party options that might be worth consideration by yourself.
Brian: Probably like you, I have searched for a multi-output socket “uk bathroom shaver socket”, ie to allow me to charge 2 devices at once. In my case I want to leave my shaver and my toothbrush on charge simultaneously. As far as I can find, they simply do not exist.
I have installed three socket-units side-by-side.
As for reasons why they seem only to make single socket wall-plates, my guesses are:
– is there really the demand from the market for this? (I can certainly see a possible demand for a double socket),
– for multiple sockets to charge simultaneously, I wonder if a single transformer would be OK to meet the safety standard regarding electrical current limitations,
– the physical size might be quite large, if the electrical standard requires each socket to have its own transformer (for safety),
As mentioned by Jon of course – you do not actually need to keep all toothbrushes and other appliances on charge 24 hours a day.
I have a fender champion 50xl guitar amplifier with a 2 pin kettle lead style power cable, can I use a uk shaver adapter to plug my amp into my standard uk 3 pin wall socket. The cable is identical to one that would power a pc or tv but has a 2 pin plug on the end.
Chris,
I suspect this 2 pin kettle lead you have is a European power adapter, which is different to the 2 pin used on plugs for bathroom appliances.
You are likely to need a 2 pin Euro to 3 pin UK plug adapter. These can be sourced fairly easily.
However, given the power of the amp and the likely cost, I would suggest getting a replacement kettle lead with a 3 pin plug is a better option.
Hello,
Thank you for the informative article. I bought my toothbrush at Boots in the UK and it came with the 2pin plug (the sticks are closer together and slightly thicker than those on the continent). I moved to the Netherlands and cannot use the charger at all as it doesn’t fit. Can you please advise which adapter I should buy?
Many thanks.
Andrea
Hi Andrea.
You have a couple of options.
The best is to buy a new 2 pin EU charging stand for your toothbrush. Depending on the brand, will depend on how easy this is to source. Sonicare and Oral-B ones are fairly easy to get hold of, which brand do you have?
If it is a different brand, it might be more tricky. In which case.
I think what you need, is something like this.
It is a UK 3 pin to Euro 2 pin plug adapter, but you will see that the 2 horizontal pin inserts on the adapter are rounded towards the centre. This is to allow for the 2 pin UK bathroom plug to fit.
I have linked here to Amazon UK, but you may be able to find something more local to yourself now you are in the Netherlands.
Hi Jon
Thank you so much! I looked at my various adapters (you can imagine that because of the move from the UK to the NL I already have several for the various appliances) and found one just like you recommended. So the toothbrush is happily charging right now. Thanks a lot!
Have a good day.
Hi Jon, thanks for all your tips and guidance, great! My query is, now I live in a van and have a USB socket for charging, how can I get my OralB toothbrush charged via USB? I’ve searched the net for an adapter, have been to Boots to ask and all they can suggest is a new toothbrush which has Bluetooth and all sorts of stuff and will cost me £150! Nuts. Really hope you can help.😊
Hi Hillary.
Good question.
Strictly speaking, from an Oral-B perspective, there is no option for this at this time. So you cannot charge your current electric toothbrush from a USB port within your van.
The staff in Boots are wrong too. The Genius 9000 is the model they are talking about here. It has a travel case, which has a USB port on it. However, this USB port is like a pass-through power port and does not accept the charge into the case itself.
The ‘charge’ is actually gotten from a proprietary power adapter that connects to the travel case, but relies on the same 2 pin power socket as your toothbrush charger.
In this instance when connected to the 2 pin shaver socket, the power cord fits to the travel case and then a USB cable can be connected to charge something like a smartphone, so the brush and a phone can be charging at the same time.
Right now, aside from switching to a completely different brand of brush that can charge from the USB port in your van (Sonicare DiamondClean/DiamondClean Smart) you have no other option.
Sorry I cannot offer a more positive response.
Thanks for your help Jon.
Hello Jon, you seem like the guy to ask about all things electric toothbrush related! So, I bought a electric toothbrush in Australia. On my return to the UK I just put a conventional Aus 2pin to UK 3pin adaptor on it and used it like that. I now appreciate that may not have been my wisest move. It’s battery life is definitely not that good anymore but it still works. I now have a bathroom with a shaver plug. Do you know of any aus 2pin to UK shaver 2pin converters? Or alternatively a UK 3pin to shaver 2pin converter? My google searches so far have been fruitless. Many thanks!
Hi Debbie,
Hehe ‘Toothbrush Guy’ is my comic book name 🤣
To be honest, I would have done the same thing. Aside from the 2 pin AUS power connector, the UK voltage is very similar and will have likely been supported by your charging stand.
Whether the battery life is worse or not as a result of this approach, I can’t say for sure, but I would be surprised.
I have never come across adapters/converters that allow you to connect to a shaver socket. I believe safety has a part to play. So if your Google searches have come up with no results it is unlikely such exists.
Your best bet, is to buy a UK (2 pin shaver socket) Oral-B charging stand and sit your brush on this and do away with the charging stand you got with the brush when you bought it in Australia.
The part you need is shown on the following link: https://www.shavers.co.uk/personal-care/oral-care/oral-b-81574175-charger.html?wgu=2822_54264_15413232258991_d221d1c65f&wgexpiry=1543915225&source=webgains&siteid=54264
I hope this helps.
Great! Thanks Jon! Good idea 💡.
Another toothbrush dilemma solved!
Debbie
Hi, unless I missed it you do not mention about whether it is appropriate to charge toothbrushes on sockets saying “shavers only”. I note that MK now sell a shaver socket that has a toothbrush symbol on it too. I am just refitting my bathroom and wondering whether to re-use my 18 year shaver socket which is still working perfectly (been charging toothbrush for years), or buy a new one. Any suggestions?
Andy, yes, by my understanding it is perfectly fine to charge your brush from a socket that says shavers only.
Hi ETS
I have a Braun OralB Vitality electric toothbrush which I’ve had for 4 years. It states on the charger Type 3709 -220v -240v, 1W/50-60Hz. The bathroom shaver socket says 110-v – 220v & the electric toothbrush jumps two pin plug won’t stay in the two pin socket & jumps out.
Most of my close by 3 pin wall sockets are 250v 13A, what would you recommend/suggest in the way of an adapter.
I am loathe to get the wrong adapter as I’m unsure if the two pin plug on the toothbrush will fit the appropriate width on the 3pin adapter and I’ll be back to square one.
Also if the voltage current is specified as 220-240v on the toothbrush charger, how will this affect plugging into a 250v 3 pin socket?
Glad to have advice please.
Hi Joy.
Did you purchase the Vitality toothbrush in the UK and are presumably using within a UK bathroom?
If so, the power plug/pins should stay in the shaver socket quite happily, not heard of them coming out before.
Do you use or have tried other products in the shaver socket? Could the shaver socket itself be at fault?
We are not electricians, but assuming you are in the UK, the electrical circuits run at 240V so I am not sure what something mentions 250v.
You should be able to buy this adapter on Amazon and use it with your normal 3 pin power supply.
JOY, if your UK charger plug will not stay in the 2-pin sshaver socket, then it sounds as if one of them is faulty. My current 2-pin bathroom accessories and any that I have owned over the past 20 years have always located snugly and firmly in the bathroom socket.
The UK spec bathroom plug has thicker prongs than a 2-pin euro style plug.
You mention 250V 3 pin sockets nearby – I assume that they are not inside your bathroom as that would be unsafe/illegal (and as already pointed out, UK mains voltage is 240V, not 250V).
Thanks Colin & Jon for your diligent responses.
Be assured, the wall socket I intend to use is well outside the bathroom.
However, on checking an existing UK two pin to three pin adapter I use for a different electrical item it has 250v imprinted on the outside face of the plug adapter that came with the item (ladyshaver).
The bathroom shaver socket itself is quite old, 1980’s & would not be surprised if it was to be defective. The two pin socket itself appears to be in good order and on plugging in my UK purchased electric toothbrush the fit looks good & the plug appears to sit well in the socket when first plugged in, it stays in place for less than ten seconds, then first the upper pin tips outwards, followed by the lower pin. The toothbrushes cable is approx. half a metre in length and I’m able to lodge the residual cable in a high enough position to prevent it from pulling/dragging the plug out, but despite this it still jumps out.
I will purchase a two pin to three pin adapter that complies with BS & hope this will charge ok.
Hello,
I am on holidays in Spain and have an electric toothbrush. To make it work in Spain I have to use the 2-pin shaver type plug to UK 3-pin adapter then a UK 3-pin to Spanish 2-pin adapter. I think this is crazy and of course I forgot to bring the 2-pin shaver to 3-pin UK adapter plug with me!
I feel the best way forward for safety and practicality would be to change building regulations to outlaw any plug sockets in bathrooms worldwide. Nearly all electric shavers and toothbrushes can be operated cordless now anyway.
In this way all electric shavers and toothbrushes for the UK market should only come with 3-pin UK plugs. You charge them somewhere else like in your bedroom and only use them without a cord in your bathroom. If you bring them abroad you only need one adapter plug.
In fact I think electricity voltage, plugs and sockets should be standardized worldwide but I suppose one step at a time!
Sean
Hi Sean,
Easy enough mistake to make, we’ve done it plenty of times. Take it there’s no shaver socket in the bathroom you are staying in? I forgot my adaptor in France recently but luckily there was a shaver socket tucked away.
Some good suggestions there but unfortunately even if regulations were changed it would probably still take decades for the old fittings to be phased out!
Sean, I do not want to have to charge my shaver, toothbrush or whatever outside my bathroom, when there is a perfectly safe, approved system to charge it inside, that does not require any special adaptor.
When I travel abroad, I have ONE travel adaptor which will accept my 2-pin English bathroom plug as on my toothbrush and shaver chargers, and will then plug in to either a US , Euro or Australian socket.
Why should the uk change its electrical standards because you bought the wrong travel adaptor?
Sean,
I also have a couple of adaptors bought at the airport that are not multi-adaptors, they are white plastic and accept a UK 3-pin plug on one side and have either a Euro 2-pin plug or a US 2-pin plug on the other side. The UK 3 pin socket has slightly rounded holes for the live and neutral – and these allow it to accept the UK 2-pin bathroom plug, or the standard 3-pin plug. I never use more than one adaptor to connect my shaver or toothbrush chargers to a socket in Europe or US.
Hi, have recently bought a Waterpik flosser which is supposed to plug into the shaver socket, but it just doesn’t work, although we trickle charge our electric toothbrushes fine all the time and no-one else seems to have a problem. Wonder if this means the transformer inside the socket is on the fritz? Using it with an extension cable plugged into a 3 pin socket in the bedroom with an adaptor plug for now but not good for long term use and I don’t fancy using it over the kitchen sink!!
Hi Lou,
Thanks for the comment.
It seems a little odd that the Waterpik works fine when running from a 3 pin plug/extension lead but not from the socket in the bathroom, that your toothbrushes charge from.
I can only think either there is limited power going to the socket in the bathroom or there is a potential fault with the unit, but the latter seems unlikely.
Presumably the toothbrushes always charge fine? Does the Waterpik power adapter fit comfortably into the socket in the bathroom?!
Perhaps reach out to Waterpik and see if they have any other suggestions.
I am sorry I cannot be much more help, would love to know the outcome.
Hi Jon. Thanks for this article. We live in Austria. Is it safe to plug our British toothbrush charger into a regular UK-Europe plug adapter and into the bathroom mains power supply? It seems to work when I’ve tested it. Thanks very much.
Hi Jez. Yes this is fine. The voltages are the same, just the plug that is different, hence the adapter.
Thanks very much! Toothbrush happily charging away.
I bought a two pin socket for my electric toothbrush charger but the toothbrush charger doesn’t fit in to the socket properly. It will go in all the way if I push but won’t stay there – it pops out. When it’s pushed in, it is charging the toothbrush but it obviously won’t work for me to hold it in place for the whole charging cycle.
Any ideas?
Anne,
Perhaps your one is faulty? Have you spoken to the seller that you bought it from?
We are seeing a similar issue. Having just bought new Braun electric toothbrushes, the pins on the charging lead are a smaller diameter than in the past (same spacing though), so they are not gripped properly by all sockets or adaptors.
Jon Love says: ” In the UK the mains electricity that you connect your appliances and gadgets into works on 240 volts. This is a high current and can cause serious injury and death if you were to touch a live electrical line.” – Jon, 240V is not a high current it is a voltage. For a given device, it will require/draw a higher CURRENT if operating at 110V than if it is operating on 240V (Power= current x volts) That is one reason the UK uses 240V and sees it as safer than the US 110V.
UK bathroom “shaver sockets” are designed to meet BS-4573, and have an special transformer inside to isolate the device from direct connection to the mains. They also have a current limit – suitable for say a shaver or toothbrush, but not a powerful hair-dryer. This is part of the reson that the sockets are designed NOT to take the European 2-pin plug, to prevent high-power domestic devices being plugged in.
my charger will never go anywhere near a bathroom, i charge up my toothbrush in my bedroom. the adapter is a pain in the yaris;. cant i just cut the 2 pin off and attach a standard 3 pin uk plug? Dont bleat on with health n safety stuff. all i wanna know is,, will a 3 pin work ok.
Andy, I wish not to advise. Whilst it may well be possible, I don’t have the knowledge in electronics to say for sure. You might not be worried about the health and safety, but I wish not to advise on something that could be dangerous.
Andy: I am not clear why you say “my charger will never go anywhere near a bathroom,” if thst could be the easiset solution. As for cutting off the supplied plug and fitting a 3-pin plug – you might want to read the post from “Tony” just below these posts, dates Feb 2nd 2018:
” I cut the plug off the end of the cable, fitted an IEC socket and plugged a kettle lead into that. Big flash “
Right.. ive put a 3 pin standard plug on the end of this cable.. 3a fuze. Its next to me in the bedroom . Its charged up all 3 of our brushes. Luckily a tsunami hasnt hit us and got into the electrics.
Thanks Jon. I appreciate (thinking about it) that having a long cable dangling around in the bathroom isn’t a very safe idea. However, if they had a version of the cable that had a 3-pin plug on the end, along with a longer cable, then there wouldn’t be the safety issue because it couldn’t be used in the bathroom.
Talking of safety issues I tried a bit of DIY. I cut the plug off the end of the cable, fitted an IEC socket and plugged a kettle lead into that. Big flash (guess there’s step-down type components in the plug that hadn’t occurred to me). Fortunately my razor wasn’t connected but still going to need a new cable and Clean and Charge I think, although not sure that the Clean and Charge would be much use to me. Shame. Thanks for your help, sorry for ignoring it. (I’m not going to get an electrician to fit a new socket in my bathroom, for one thing I don’t think there’s anywhere sensible for it in my bathroom). Thanks.
Hi Jon. Thanks for the article. I got a Braun Series 9 shaver recently and the coiled cable is really short! As it connects to the cleaning station then I’m looking for a longer cable and don’t want it to drag the cleaning fluid off the shelf I’m putting it on. I was looking for a 2-pin extension cable. Do you know if such things exist? Thanks very much, Tony.
Hi Tony,
Thanks for the comment.
I am not aware of such a product and a quick bit of research does not really show any matching results. There are many comments/articles that raise some safety concerns.
I would suggest consulting an electrician.
Hi Jon, can I plug an electric toothbrush charger into either of the dual voltage sockets? Thanks
Judy, if you are in the UK and using a toothbrush designed for the UK (voltage on the base of the charger should show support for 240v), then connect your toothbrush to the 240v outlet, not the 100v.
I have a 2 pin Uk plug on my toothbrush charger but moving to bermuda so need a 2 pin USA adapter to plug it in can’t seem to find one ?
Hi Jacqui.
You want a product like this one. You see how in the 2 lower pin slots, they are rounded at the edge. This should allow you to fit your 2 pin toothbrush cable into. However, you also need to consider voltages.
On the bottom of the toothbrush charging stand it should say what voltage it supports. If 100-240v, you need just the plug adapter. If it says something like 220-240V you will need to buy a voltage adapter/converter.
Thank you very he
Pful
Hi. Is there any reason why one shouldn’t chop off the three pin plug and fit a standard three pin 13 amp plug, fitting a 1 amp fuse probably?
Richard. I am not an electrician or qualified to say. Probably best speaking to someone who can advise particularly surrounding the safety. No doubt it is possible, but how best to do it, I am am not sure.
Toothbrushes and shavers run on any voltage between 110 and 240 so there is no need for a transformer adaptor
Hi Bob. If this is the case, why is it that charging stands are specifically rated for certain voltages?
All charging stands that I have ever seen – for toothbrush, beard trimmer, shavers, have been rated for 100 – 240V.
Hi Bob , not sure if you’re referring to my issue , but the two pin charger that I have doesn’t even seem to fit in the weird three hole shaving socket I have. I didn’t want to force it for safety’s sake. Jon posted the photo of mine I think,
I had not posted a picture of your socket Lesley, as you sent this to me by email.
However, for reference, it is included below.
We concluded that the plug is connected to the central pin and either one of the outer pins.
Hi, I’ve just bought an electric toothbrush with a two pin battery charger but when I went to fit it to my two pin socket in the bathroom it is too small. Not a problem as I can just get an adapter but am I right in thinking that two pin sockets are not all the same ?
Hi Lesley.
What country do you live in and where did you buy the toothbrush from?
2 pin plugs are common across Europe and are the ‘standard’ but in the UK there are 2 pin sockets found in the bathroom only, but the size and spacing of the pins are different, so depending on your location and where the brush was originally intended for sale have a bearing.
For example, if the brush was sold in the UK and you are using it in Spain, the plug on the charger will require an adapter to be used with the Spanish sockets.
Hi Jon! I live in the UK and purchased the toothbrush here also. Yes the bathroom socket’s holes are spaced too widely apart for the toothbrushe’s 2 pin plug. I bought the Phillips brush from Amazon, (received in a couple of days) and there was no indication that it was a European version.
Hi Lesley.
Thanks for the reply.
This is odd. If sold and dispatched by Amazon it should in theory be a UK compliant plug and fit nicely into the 2 pin shaver/power socket in the bathroom.
Obviously you should not force the connection but have you actually tried pushing the plug into the socket or has it just been your observation so far.
Do you have any other 2 pin socket products, perhaps a shaver to compare too?
Failing that maybe picking up a 2 pin to 3 pin adapter.
Hi Jon, the shaver socket has 3 holes, one central square hole and 2 on either side that are rounded. it says 115v above the left round hole and 230v above the right. Perhaps I’m supposed to use one or the other with the central hole? I’m sorry, I sound like an idiot!
Hi Lesley,
I am not familiar with such a plug layout, not come across this before. I am familiar with the look as per this image. What you are saying does sound plausible.
You might want to consult an electrician to be sure.
Thank you for a very well written article about rechargeable electric toothbrushes. I live in France and I have just purchased a new electric toothbrush. If I understand your article correctly, I can not use our regular outlets that we have here in France. I thought I would be OK because we use what I thought was the same 2 pin plug on most of our appliances. Do I need a 2 pin to 2 pin adapter? And if so, is there such a thing? I look forward to hearing from you.
Connie. If you bought the toothbrush in France it is fine to use with your normal power sockets.
In the UK our toothbrushes come with a 2 pin plug but this is not the same as sockets found in France and other countries of Europe.
A toothbrush bought in the UK will require an adapter to be used with the 2 pin socket in France. I hope tiki clears things up.
Hi Jon, I bought the toothbrush from a UK seller. Can you tell me what type of adapter I will need to use my new toothbrush here in France. Thanks, Connie
Connie,
A travel adapter like this on Amazon should do the trick.
You might be able to pick something up locally from a good hardware store.
Thanks, this article was really useful?
I live in the UK and bought a US toothbrush to plug in the 110v socket so we can have 2 brushes on charge at the same time. Only thing is I can’t find an adapter to adapt US 2 pin to UK 2 pin socket… Does such a thing exist please?
Regards,
Mark
Hi Mark, Not sure such a thing does….
I have a US charger, but I have purchased this voltage converter to enable me to charge the brush in the UK. But this is connecting to 3 pin UK rather than the 2 pin UK bathroom socket.
Mark, you cannot plug both a 110V and 240V device into the standard UK bathroom socket. The holes are shutterred so that you can only plug EITHER a 240V or a 110V device in, not both simultaneously.
I leave my power tooth brush plugged into the shaver socket in the bathroom in a cupboard is this ok in the uk have had no problems so far
Hi Jon, what was your reply to Terrence re leaving the charger plugged in continuously with the toothbrush on the charger except of course when brushing.
There does not seem to be a reply so far.
Hi Terrence,
Thanks for following up on this. From a performance point of view it should be fine and it is something we have done ourselves in the past.
Typically with battery health though it is better to let the battery discharge somewhat before charging again, and occasionally letting it discharge completely. From an energy saving point of view it is of course better not to have a constant charge running.