The most commonly used electrical sockets and plugs in the world 2025

There are the most commonly used types of electrical sockets and plugs on the world market. Each type of socket and plug has its own design and standards to suit the voltage and frequency system of each country. This article will help you better understand these standards to prepare well when traveling, working or installing international electronic equipment. So what are these types of sockets and plugs, what are their uses and how to use them? Let’s find out with QNT Investment and Trading Services Company Limited in the article below!

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15 types of plugs commonly used in the world

1. Type A

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Type A plugs/sockets are one of the most commonly used electrical outlets and plugs in the world. Type A plugs/sockets are mainly used in North and Central America, Japan, etc. This is a 2-prong ungrounded plug, each prong is a flat metal bar parallel to each other. Type A plugs were invented in 1904 by Harvey Habbell II (1857-1927) and are also known as NEMA 1-15 plugs (electrical connection classification standards). The plug has 2 thin metal sheets with a length of 15.9 to 18.3 mm, 1.5 mm thick and the distance between the 2 metal sheets (prongs, tongues) is 12.7 mm. However, the 2 prongs of the plug are not equal in width, one prong will have a wider head than the other. Specifically, the pin connected to the neutral wire (cold wire) will be 7.9mm wide and the pin connected to the hot wire will be 6.3mm wide. Therefore, the type A plug has only one way to plug into the power outlet. The type A plug has a rated current of 15A.

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2. Type B

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Similar to the Type A plug, Type B is also mainly used in North and Central America, Japan, etc. This is a 3-pin plug developed according to the NEMA 5-15 standard. It has 2 flat metal prongs 1.5mm thick, 12.7mm apart, 15.9 to 18.3mm long and 6.3mm wide. The third prong is a cylindrical metal bar with a diameter of 4.8mm or can also have a semicircular cross-section. This third prong is 3.2mm longer than the 2 flat prongs to ensure that the device is grounded before the other 2 prongs are energized. The distance between the grounding prong and the other 2 prongs is 11.9mm. Type B plug is rated at 15A.

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In many places, because users do not have the conditions to equip the electrical system with grounding, they often break off the grounding pin and use it normally like a 2-pin plug.

3. Type C

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Type C power plug is one of the most commonly used types of power plugs and sockets in the world. This is a 2-pin ungrounded plug. The 2 pins are made of 2 cylindrical metal bars. According to the standard, each pin has a diameter of 4mm, the distance between the pins of the 2 pins is 18.6mm and the distance between the 2 pins is 17.5mm. The pins of the power pins are covered with an insulating layer with a length of 10mm. Due to the design of the head, the type C plug can be used flexibly with sockets with a distance between 2 holes of 17.5 – 19mm and a diameter of each hole from 4 to 4.8mm. Type C plugs are often used for Class II equipment with a rating of 2.5A or less.

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Type C plugs are widely used in many countries around the world, including all European countries except the UK, Ireland, Cyprus and Malta. As electrical safety standards in many countries have improved, type C sockets are becoming obsolete due to their lack of earthing. However, they are still widely used in developing countries where the electrical infrastructure is not yet fully developed. However, type C plugs can still be used with type E, F, J, K and N plugs.

4. Type D

Type D plugs are widely used in India and Nepal. India is the country that standardized this type of plug based on British Standard 546. Type C plugs have 3 cylindrical electrical pins, arranged in a triangle. The middle ground pin is 20.6mm long and 7.1mm in diameter. The other 2 pins are 14.9mm long, 5.1mm in diameter and 14.9mm long, spaced 19.1mm apart. The distance between the ground pin and the other 2 pins is 22.2mm. Type D plugs are rated at 5A.

Type D plugs are considered one of the most dangerous plugs in the world. This is because the electrical prongs do not have an insulating base (like type C, G, I, L or N). This means that if you plug half of the prong into the socket and the other half is still outside, the possibility of accidentally touching it is quite high because the prongs are long enough for a child’s finger to fit into.

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5. Type E

Used mainly in France, Belgium, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Tunisia and Morocco. This is the plug type standardized by France and Belgium from the type F socket (used in Germany and some parts of Europe). This is a 2-pin plug with a ground connection, each pin is cylindrical, 14mm long and 4.8mm in diameter. The type E plug is similar to the type C plug, but the biggest difference is that there is an additional grounding hole at the top, which when inserted into the socket, will engage with the grounding pin firmly attached to the electrical socket. This pin is 19mm long, 4.8mm in diameter and 10mm away from the 2 power pins.

In order to narrow the difference between type E and type F sockets, people have developed two additional metal pieces at the top and bottom of the type E plug (CEE 7/7 plug according to European standards) so that it can ensure the earthing function when plugged into the type F socket. Currently, most of the type E plugs you see on the market are manufactured in the above style. The type E plug has a rating of 16A. Above this level, the device must be permanently earthed or must be connected to a connector with a higher load capacity such as the IEC 60309 plug. Type C plugs can be used with type E sockets.

6. Type F

The Type F plug/socket is one of the most commonly used electrical plugs and sockets, represented in Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Portugal, Spain and Eastern Europe. The Type F plug is commonly known as the CEE 7/4 and is also known as the “Schuko Plug”, an abbreviation of the word “Schutzkontakt”, a German word meaning “protected contact” or “safe contact”. This type of plug was designed in Germany shortly after World War I. The patent was granted in 1926 to Albert Büttner, a Bavarian electronics manufacturer in southern Germany.

The Type F plug is similar in construction to the Type C and Type E plugs, with two cylindrical pins and two metal earthing plates at the top and bottom. Each pin is 4.8mm in diameter, 19mm long and 19mm apart. The distance between the two earthing plates is 16mm. The Type F plug is rated at 16A. Above this level, the appliance must be permanently earthed or must be connected to a higher rated connector such as the IEC 60309 plug. The Type C plug is perfectly compatible with the Type F socket.

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7. Type G

Type G plugs are one of the most commonly used electrical plugs and sockets, used mainly in the UK, Ireland, Cyprus, Malta, Malaysia, Singapore and Hong Kong. They are 3-pin plugs, each pin is rectangular in shape. The central earth pin measures 4x8x22.7mm. The other 2 pins measure 4×6.35×17.7mm and are 22.2mm apart. The distance from the central pin to the other 2 pins is 22.2mm. At the base of each pin, there is a 9mm long layer of insulation along the pin to ensure safety in case the plug is inserted half-in and half-out into the socket.

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