The Monster Outlets To Go 320 has just been added to my Travel Essentials list. This tiny little device will expand one plug socket into three, and also add two USB ports at the same time. The USB ports are powerful enough to charge an iPhone or an iPad and most importantly for me, the unit itself is compatible with 110v to 250v. This means that it will not go POP if you plug it into a wall in the UK or other European countries. Note that it is not a voltage converter though, but this is not a problem as all laptop and camera battery charger will convert voltage for you these days. But if you find yourself in a hotel or an airport with only one socket then now, with this palm sized accessory you can charge 5 things simultaneously. You only need to convert the pins on the plug to the local style once, so you won’t have to take nearly so many pin adapters on your travels. It is small enough to fit in your laptop bag, and light enough that it won’t trouble you at all. Most power strips are NOT compatible with multiple voltages and whilst it is not expressly mentioned in the specifications of the Outlets To Go 320, this will work. In fact I’m typing this right now with it plugged into a 240v socket in the UK right next to me and it is happily charging my phone and powering the laptop. Monster make several different products in the Outlets To Go lineup but having studied them all, to me this one seemed like the best compromise between portability and features. Highly recommended, this won’t be leaving my travel kit.
