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

Type E vs. Type M

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

Comparing:
Type E
Type M
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 →
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 E
Type M
Pin Count
2 round power pins; earth pin projects from the socket, not 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 (mandatory) Yes
Common Regions
France, Belgium, Poland, Slovakia, Czechia South Africa, Eswatini, Lesotho, also found in India and Nepal for heavy-duty circuits

Other Alternatives to Compare

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