US appliances

Hi! I brought a few new-ish appliances from the States, and we need a really big transformer to run them:  vacuum cleaner, hair tools, iron, toaster, anything with a heating element). I'd like to get rid of them. Any ideas on how to do that without throwing them away?

Hi! I brought a few new-ish appliances from the States, and we need a really big transformer to run them:  vacuum cleaner, hair tools, iron, toaster, anything with a heating element). I'd like to get rid of them. Any ideas on how to do that without throwing them away?

Your best bet would be to try to find someone with room in a shipment back to the US who would take them off your hands.

We have a classifieds section here on the forum. https://talk.uk-yankee.com/index.php?board=15.0

Your best bet would be to try to find someone with room in a shipment back to the US who would take them off your hands.

We have a classifieds section here on the forum. https://talk.uk-yankee.com/index.php?board=15.0

Great, thank you, I'll try that!

If you change your mind on anything, you can get one of these (you'd want to check the power rating, possibly get one of the larger ones). We are running our US equipment (mostly aquarium and AV) off one and it's working fine. Absolutely silent.

If you change your mind on anything, you can get one of these (you'd want to check the power rating, possibly get one of the larger ones). We are running our US equipment (mostly aquarium and AV) off one and it's working fine. Absolutely silent.

Sorry, was there an item you recommend? What I really want to use is the vacuum. We've bought a new one, but I miss the old Miele!

There's a Facebook group called Expat Swap Meet.  Always people moving here and back.  Might be able to sell to someone repatriating.

Sorry, was there an item you recommend? What I really want to use is the vacuum. We've bought a new one, but I miss the old Miele!

She is recommending the product in the little Amazon advert just below her reply. 

She is recommending the product in the little Amazon advert just below her reply. 

I don't see an advert on my computer. Not in the text box or below. Could something be up with my settings?

I don't see an advert on my computer. Not in the text box or below. Could something be up with my settings?

I found it! Had to turn off my ad blocker.

I found it! Had to turn off my ad blocker.

Great! 

I would check to see if you hair appliances like hairdryer are dual voltage. I read somewhere that many hairdryers are now dual voltage and found out that mine is!

TMSutton -

About those converters, I am planning on buying a few for when we move over there. One of the big things we are wanting to bring over is our adjustable beds. I'm curious with those converters, can you just leave them on all the time? I'm just thinking if, in the middle of the night you want to raise the head of the bed it would be a pain to have to turn the converter on before operating it. Hoping thats not the case. Glad to hear that brand is silent. I've bookmarked it for ourselves.

The ones we have are silent as the grave, and are on 24/7. I asked that same question on Amazon before I bought our first one and an electrical engineering kinda guy (something of that stripe) responded that he had bought one  and that they are designed to be left on all the time. So far it's working well for us! Just be sure to get one powerful enough for the load you intend to put on it.

[EDIT - And remember to get a couple of extension cords to use with it - best to get ones that will take three prongs - you can always use them with two-prog plugs, but if your equipment has three prongs, you can't use a two-prong receptacle! It's a lot better to be plugging/unplugging from the extension cord than the unit itself. If that matters. Extension cords are rediculously expensive here, and USA ones are non-existent. Also, for whatever reason, it does not like surge protectors.]

Also, for whatever reason, it does not like surge protectors.

If you're using a US (120-volt) surge protector, it should only be used AFTER the voltage has been dropped by the transformer (otherwise it will see the higher UK voltage as a surge and block the current).

Extension cords are rediculously expensive here, and USA ones are non-existent. Also, for whatever reason, it does not like surge protectors.]

Man, I'm going to make a list of all these stuff, bring a bunch of it over and start my own business. hahaha

We are going to end up moving with a 20' cargo container so, I may pack it full of A.) Extension cords  B.) Jeans   C.) Mountain Dew    D.) Ranch Dressing

I can make a fortune off of selling it all. hahaha