Barbados uses 115V at 50Hz as its standard household electrical supply. If you're moving appliances between Barbados and North America (120V/60Hz), both voltage and frequency are worth checking before you plug anything in.
What to watch for: Barbados runs on 50Hz, which does not match the 60Hz standard used in the United States and Canada. A plain step-down or step-up transformer only changes voltage — it does nothing about frequency. For appliances with motors, compressors, or timing circuits (refrigerators, washers and dryers, stand mixers, some stoves, and virtually all microwaves), running them at the wrong frequency can cause them to run at the wrong speed, overheat, or simply fail to operate. A dedicated voltage and frequency converter is what actually solves this — see why frequency matters for the technical reason a transformer alone can't fix it.
Since Barbados runs at 115V, a US-spec 120V appliance would need its voltage stepped up, and a local appliance from Barbados would need its voltage stepped down to run on North American 120V power.
A plug adapter only changes the physical shape of the plug — it doesn't change voltage or frequency at all. If the appliance isn't rated for Barbados's 115V/50Hz supply, a plug adapter alone can damage it.
No — check the rating label on the back or bottom of each appliance. Many modern electronics (phone chargers, laptops) are dual-voltage and frequency-tolerant. Motor-driven and timing-based appliances are the ones that need real conversion.