Type C vs. Type E
Comparing 2 standards across 5 specifications. 4 key differences identified.
Type C, the "Europlug," is the most widely accepted plug in the world by country count -- 2 round, slightly tapered pins, ungrounded, rated just 2.5A/250V. Its flexible pins give it a secure friction-fit in sockets built for several other, larger round-pin standards.
Type E is the French/Belgian standard -- unusually, its round grounding pin is fixed in the socket, not the plug. It's used across France, Belgium, Poland, Slovakia, and Czechia, and a hybrid CEE 7/7 plug design bridges it with the incompatible German Type F.
Specification Comparison Table
5 Parameters| Parameter / Spec | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Pin Count
|
2 round pins, 4mm diameter, tapered/flexible | 2 round power pins; earth pin projects from the socket, not the plug |
|
Rated Current
|
2.5 A | 16 A |
|
Rated Voltage
|
250 V | 250 V |
|
Grounded
|
No | Yes (mandatory) |
|
Common Regions
|
Most of continental Europe, Russia, Turkey, Iran, Egypt, Indonesia, South Korea, and more | France, Belgium, Poland, Slovakia, Czechia |