Electricity & Appliances

US electricity is 120 volts at 60 Hz, and uses a plug shape with two flat parallel blades and sometimes a third, offset, flat grounding blade.

Swedish electricity is 240 volts, 50 Hz, and uses the "Europlug" (two round prongs).

Most things that run on a battery (laptop, iPod, camera) are designed to accept different voltages, so all you need is a cheap (grounded, usually) plastic adapter to change the shape of the plug. (Check for the UL label on your appliances; it will say "input: 100-240V").

Voltage converters (also called transformers) come in two flavors:
1. Smaller/cheaper, for low-wattage items like radios, shavers, etc.
2. Bigger/more expensive, for higher-wattage items (irons, TVs, refrigerators, etc.).

They will not convert the frequency (Hz, from 50-60). For most things this doesn't matter. Exceptions are things with internal clocks (clock radios, washing machines).

In considering what to bring, I looked at the cost of appliances in Sweden:
pricerunner.se
Clas Ohlsson
Electrolux

In our case, my company was paying for shipping, so it made sense to bring stuff that otherwise might be cheaper to buy there & plan to sell upon leaving Sweden, rather than paying to ship to Sweden & presumably back to the US someday.

For example, if you figure shipping costs around $14 per cubic foot (an average from reputable companies I got quotes from), then my Cuisinart (1.65 cubic feet boxed) costs $23 to ship there... and presumably the same to come back... plus the cost of a converter (about $110 + shipping for a big one for kitchen appliances)... it may start to make sense to buy stuff there for big things that are not that expensive.

More than you ever wanted to know about all electricity everywhere:
http://users.telenet.be/worldstandards/electricity.htm

Some helpful explanations of the electrical system in Europe, coming from the US:
http://www.german-way.com/electric.html

Resources for Expats

International Club of Skane

American Women's Club, Malmo (also in Stockholm & Gutenburg)

EURAXESS, services for international researchers