These solve genuinely different problems, and the more useful one depends on the specific trip. A travel adapter is essential if the destination uses a different plug shape — without one, devices simply can’t be plugged in at all, making it the higher-priority item for any international trip to a different plug region.
A travel power strip solves outlet scarcity — older hotels in particular often have only one or two accessible outlets per room, awkwardly placed relative to where devices actually need to charge. For a domestic trip with no plug-shape issue but several devices to charge, a power strip is the more useful of the two.
For international travel with several devices, both together — a power strip plugged into a single adapter — solves both problems at once, which is the combination many frequent travelers with multiple devices actually pack.
Last reviewed 26 August 2026