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

Type K vs. Type M

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

Comparing:
Type K
Type M
Type K →

Type K is Denmark's standard -- two round power pins plus a separate round earth pin mounted on the plug, offset from center. Used exclusively in Denmark, Greenland, and the Faroe Islands; EU accession has allowed Schuko (Type F) sockets in Danish homes since the early 1990s.

View full Type K spec sheet →
Type M →

Type M is South Africa's large-pin standard -- the 15A variant of the same BS 546 family that produces Type D at 5A. The two share a triangular 3-round-pin layout and standard lineage but use different pin sizes, so they are not physically interchangeable.

View full Type M spec sheet →

Specification Comparison Table

5 Parameters
Parameter / Spec
Type K
Type M
Pin Count
2 round power pins + 1 round/D-shaped earth pin (on the plug) 3 round pins in a triangle, larger than Type D's
Rated Current
16 A 15 A
Rated Voltage
250 V 220-250 V
Grounded
Yes Yes
Common Regions
Denmark, Greenland, Faroe Islands (exhaustive -- not used elsewhere) South Africa, Eswatini, Lesotho, also found in India and Nepal for heavy-duty circuits

Other Alternatives to Compare

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