An ampere, often shortened to “amp,” is a unit of electric current. It is the rate at which electrons flow through a conductor. The SI unit of electric current is the ampere, equal to a flow of one Coulomb per second.
The amperage rating of an electrical device measures how much current it can safely manage. This rating is usually printed on the device itself, and you should always check it before plugging something in. If you try to draw more current than the device can handle, it will overheat and potentially catch fire.
Higher-powered devices require thicker wires and higher amperage ratings than lower-powered ones. This is because thicker wires have less resistance to electricity flowing through them and thus can carry more current without overheating.