# item.guide
Side-by-Side Comparison Plug Types

Type B vs. Type E

Comparing 2 standards across 5 specifications. 5 key differences identified.

Comparing:
Type B
Type E
Type B →

Type B adds a round grounding pin to Type A's two flat blades -- NEMA 5-15, the most common outlet in North America. The ground pin is deliberately longer than the power blades, so it connects before and disconnects after them, a safety-sequencing feature shared with several other grounded plug types worldwide.

View full Type B spec sheet →
Type E →

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.

View full Type E spec sheet →

Specification Comparison Table

5 Parameters
Parameter / Spec
Type B
Type E
Pin Count
2 flat blades + 1 round ground pin (longer than the blades) 2 round power pins; earth pin projects from the socket, not the plug
Rated Current
15 A 16 A
Rated Voltage
125 V 250 V
Grounded
Yes Yes (mandatory)
Common Regions
USA, Canada, Mexico, Central America, Japan (grounded appliances) France, Belgium, Poland, Slovakia, Czechia

Other Alternatives to Compare

Compare Type B vs. Type A → Compare Type B vs. Type C → Compare Type B vs. Type D → Compare Type B vs. Type F (Schuko) → Compare Type B vs. Type G → Compare Type B vs. Type H → Compare Type B vs. Type I → Compare Type B vs. Type J → Compare Type B vs. Type K → Compare Type B vs. Type L → Compare Type B vs. Type M → Compare Type B vs. Type N → Compare Type B vs. Type O →