The Type C socket was formerly one of the most widely used outlets internationally. The Type C outlet has slots for two round prongs of equal length. Today the Type C socket is no longer used, as the outlet is ungrounded, making it dangerous as well as illegal in many countries. The Type C plug, however, is still legal and can be seen in Italy as well as most European countries, except for the United Kingdom and Ireland; it is often called the europlug due to its common usage. The Type C plug is universal and will work with any socket that supports 4.0 to 4.8 mm round contacts on 19 mm centers, including the type F and L sockets.
The Type F outlet and plug, found in Italy and many other countries, were developed in Germany in the years following World War II. They are almost identical to Type C connectors, except with round bodies and the addition of grounding clips located on either side. This inclusion of a grounding line makes the Type F outlet much safer then the Type C. This grounding system also gives the Type F its more common name, the Schuko plug or socket. Schuko is an abbreviated version of the word "shutzkontakt," which is German for earthed contact.
The Type L is the electrical connector most commonly used in Italy. It is a grounded outlet that is, once again, very similar in design to the Type C. Instead of including the grounding clips on the side of the outlet as in the Type F, the Type L outlet places a slot for a grounding prong directly between the two main prongs. The Type L comes in two versions, one designed for 10 amps with smaller 4 mm slots that are closer together, and a 16-amp version with 5.5 mm slots that are more spaced out. In Italy, the Schuko universal socket is also used. This will work with plugs from Type C, Type F and both versions of Type L.
When using a device outside its country of origin, it is not enough to simply use a plug adapter. In the United States, for instance, devices are designed to be used on 110-volt outlets, while in Italy the outlets provide 230 volts. In devices that do not have a built-in transformer, a standalone one will be required in addition to a plug adapter. The transformer will limit the voltage the device receives to the correct value.
