Brits have been warned to avoid dangerous travel adaptors, after an investigation by the consumer safety group Electrical Safety First (ESF) found that thousands of substandard products are for sale online. The test results revealed a high risk of electric shock or electrocution from devices failing to meet UK safety requirements.

Consumer safety engineer Giuseppe Capanna urges caution: 'What looks like a bargain could come at a much higher cost.' Shoppers should buy travel adaptors from trusted retailers, he advises. ESF tested six regular and eight universal adaptors, finding multiple sets of pins exposed simultaneously in some and fire safety concerns in others.

Platforms like Amazon, AliExpress, eBay and TikTok have removed the flagged products but Capanna criticises their failure to prevent dangerous goods from reaching consumers. He calls for online marketplaces to be legally responsible for products sold on their sites to protect consumers from electrical hazards.

The Office for Product Safety and Standards has previously issued alerts over travel adaptors, recalling one product due to the lack of safety shutters and rejecting another for failing UK plug dimension requirements. Online reviews highlight the issue's real-world implications, with users reporting devices exploding or falling apart while in use.

To stay safe, ESF recommends checking for multiple pins extending at once, exposed internal parts, and spelling and grammar mistakes indicating unprofessional production.