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

Type E vs. Type L

Comparing 2 standards across 5 specifications. 4 key differences identified.

Comparing:
Type E
Type L

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 →

Type L, Italy's standard, uses three round pins in a straight line rather than a triangle, in two incompatible sizes (10A and 16A). Chile and Uruguay use the same physical design, though no independently confirmed national standard document defines it in either country.

View full Type L spec sheet →

Specification Comparison Table

5 Parameters
Parameter / Spec
Pin Count
2 round power pins; earth pin projects from the socket, not the plug 3 round pins in a straight line (unpolarized/reversible)
Rated Current
16 A 10 or 16 (two incompatible sizes) A
Rated Voltage
250 V 250 V
Grounded
Yes (mandatory) Yes, both sizes
Common Regions
France, Belgium, Poland, Slovakia, Czechia Italy, Chile, Uruguay