Brits on social media are only just realising that plug sockets in the US are different to ours – and they lack a key feature that we would consider vital for everyday use
There are more differences between the UK and the US than you would think.
We all know there are some key cultural differences between us and our brothers and sisters across the pond. You won’t catch them spelling words like “colour” with a “u” in them, and we don’t celebrate some of their national holidays like Thanksgiving.
While these differences seem obvious considering the UK and the US are different countries, some things take people by surprise every time. For example, many US homes don’t have electric kettles as standard and they instead boil their water on the stove – a practice that seems baffling to us tea-guzzling Brits.
And one more difference in the home has been leaving British people confused after it was uncovered on social media recently. In fact, some have even declared that the US must be “living in the dark ages” because they don’t have one thing that is commonplace for most of us.
In a video shared on TikTok, a woman named Melissa innocently shared what she believed was a “game-changing” gadget for her kitchen. She excitedly told her followers that she had installed a “special type” of plug socket that would allow her to switch off her air fryer without completely unplugging it.
She showed off her new gadget – a plug socket with a switch – and deemed it the “coolest thing ever” as she demonstrated how her air fryer would turn on and off whenever she flipped the switch.
To us in the UK, having a switch on a plug socket is not a new idea at all. Most plug sockets in a home will have switches on them to allow you to turn your appliances off at the wall, and although some sockets do still come switchless, it’s commonplace now to have a switch.
However, in the US, having a switch on a plug socket isn’t as common. As the TikTok video suggests, they do exist in the States but aren’t fitted as standard in most homes.
Commenters on the post were baffled by Melissa’s enthusiasm, as many pointed out that the US seemed to be far behind the “rest of the world” when it comes to plug sockets. Switches on sockets are not used in every country, however, and can mostly be found across Europe, Australia, and New Zealand.
One person said: “It’s a beautiful sight when you watch Americans enter the 21st century! It warms the heart!”
As another sarcastically added: “Oh now that’s clever. Can’t wait until the UK catches up with this genius.”
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