If you need to operate a North American 110-120 volt hair dryer, curling iron, heating pad, lamp/light, or other non-electronic appliance in a country where the voltage supplied by the electrical outlets is 220-240 volts, the VCA voltage converter is probably a better solution than a step down transformer. Voltage converters do the same thing transformers do. Namely, they take the 220-240 volt electricity supplied in most countries, and convert the voltage down to 110-120 volts for use by the appliance. While voltage converters and transformers do the same thing, they do it in different ways, and the difference is very important.