You find yourself in an airport or hotel room in another country, and you really need to charge your phone, camera or game system. But what is that strange-looking outlet? It has round holes! And ...

Q: When I plugged my cell phone charger into a kitchen outlet, my phone didn’t start charging as it normally does—rather, it seemed that this one electrical outlet was not working. Is there something ...

Not all outlet holes are the same, and there's a reason for that. The shapes (vertical slots, round holes, T-slots, etc.) correspond to specific electrical functions and safety features. Take the ...

Wall outlets might not steal the spotlight when it comes to smart home upgrades, but they're more important (and more advanced) than ever. As our homes fill up with devices, from phones and tablets to ...

If you've ever travelled overseas, then you're likely already familiar with how many different types of electrical plugs and outlets there are. In the US, the sockets are usually two thin vertical ...

Right now, if you happen to be in Noth America, chances are pretty good that there’s at least one little face staring at you. Look around and you’ll spy it, probably about 15 inches up from the floor ...

John Carlsen has more than a decade of experience testing and reviewing home tech products, with a major focus on smart home security. He earned his BS in journalism from Utah Valley University. In ...

This article about electrical outlets is republished here with permission from The Conversation. This content is shared here because the topic may interest Snopes readers; it does not, however, ...