Effective electrical wall outlets are an essential part of any home, but their low profile means that they’re often overlooked, leading to potential safety hazards. They also don’t last forever.
Electrical contacts inside an outlet will experience wear and tear over time, weakening their ability to grip plugs and making the outlet less convenient and potentially hazardous. Or if you’re looking for more features or power, you can replace a standard outlet with one that supports smart home controls or USB charging.
There’s a surprisingly wide selection of electrical outlets available to homeowners, so let’s explore the seven most common wall outlets found in homes throughout the US to see if you need a simple replacement or an upgrade.
Standard electrical outlets
A standard three-prong outlet provides 120 volts of electricity with a maximum current of 15 amps.
John Carlsen/CNETFrom talking fridges to iPhones, our experts are here to help make the world a little less complicated.
A standard 3-prong outlet is the most common and cheapest type of electrical receptacle you can buy. It rarely costs more than a dollar or two, though some colors cost extra. Choosing a rectangular outlet design generally increases the price as well. It’s usually cheaper to buy standard outlets at your local hardware store. Hold off on getting them online unless you buy in bulk.
If you live in an old house with two-prong outlets, you should consider hiring an electrician to upgrade your wiring to use three-prong receptacles during your next renovation.
John Carlsen/CNETWhile standard receptacles typically use three wires — hot, neutral and ground — you’ll occasionally find 2-prong outlets in older homes. Since this type of outlet lacks a ground connection, the risk of power surges and electrical shocks is higher.
That lack of ground connection is a big reason why modern homes exclusively use three-prong plugs. Although old two-prong wiring is often safe, the added safety of three-wire outlets and their compatibility with grounded appliances is worth the cost of upgrading in historic homes.
From talking fridges to iPhones, our experts are here to help make the world a little less complicated.
Tamper-resistant outlets
Most outlets come in a tamper-resistant version like this switched outlet.
John Carlsen/CNETWe teach our children not to stick things into electrical outlets from a young age, but tamper-resistant outlets recognize that sometimes curiosity gets the better of kids. These outlets have a built-in plastic shutter that seals the slots unless you insert a two-prong plug. This makes it less likely for a stray key to enter the outlet and cause an electrocution.
The electrical code has required tamper-resistant outlets in new homes since 2008, so they might be necessary upgrades to pass inspections after extensive remodeling on older homes.
High current outlets
You can identify 20-amp receptacles by the T-shaped slot on one side.
John Carlsen/CNETSome large appliances need additional electrical current to function properly, so a 20-amp outlet is often necessary. The different shape of the slot means you can’t accidentally plug high-power appliances into standard outlets, which would trip the breaker.
You can check the specifications of a device to see its amperage rating, but it probably doesn’t need a 20-amp circuit unless it has at least one horizontal prong on its plug.
Power-hungry appliances like clothes dryers require even more current and typically use a specialized cord and outlet. You can find replacement dryer cords at most hardware stores if your unit’s plug doesn’t fit the outlet in your home.
USB outlets
Outlets with USB ports still have chargers — in the electrical box behind the wall plate.
John Carlsen/CNETUSB is the dominant power option for most consumer electronics that use rechargeable batteries, including smartphones and laptops. Unfortunately, many USB chargers take up more than their share of space in wall outlets, making it difficult to plug in anything else.
Someone came up with the bright idea to add USB slots to electrical outlets to save us the trouble of bulky chargers that are easy to lose in the junk drawer. Expect to spend about $15 or more for a USB wall outlet charger from a reputable brand like Leviton, Legrand, Anker or GE.
Look for three things when buying a USB wall outlet: charger wattage, available ports and whether it fits in your home’s electrical boxes. You can find the charger wattage on the product page or package. The same rules apply as normal plug-in USB chargers: higher wattages help charge devices faster, while USB-C Power Delivery is suitable for laptops.
Be mindful that huge DC power supplies and wall warts can block the USB ports.
John Carlsen/CNETPay attention to the types and number of ports on your wall outlet to ensure you have the appropriate connections. You can use the USB ports in addition to two- and three-prong power plugs. Lastly, the outlet’s built-in USB charger may not fit in shallow electrical boxes, so confirm that it’s compatible by taking measurements before buying.
Smart outlets
Smart outlets usually have buttons and lights to control individual outlets without a smartphone.
John Carlsen/CNETYou can control smart outlets with a mobile app or a compatible smart home system. They take up less space and blend into your home better than smart plugs, but the functionality is identical. Smart outlets are about as expensive as USB outlets, usually $15 to $50.
The benefit of smart outlets is that you can control them remotely, which also opens the door for scheduling lighting and other appliances, especially energy vampires like cable boxes. You can find compatible smart outlets for every smart home ecosystem — they use Wi-Fi, Matter, Zigbee and Z-Wave to connect to Amazon Alexa, Google Home, Apple HomeKit and others.
GFCI and AFCI outlets
GFCI and AFCI outlets include test and reset buttons, often in different colors.
John Carlsen/CNETGround fault circuit interrupters are required in bathrooms and any room where you’ll use electrical appliances near water. They’re also suitable for garages and exterior use, though you’ll still want to protect the outlet from the elements with a cover or enclosure.
GFCI receptacles protect against power surges caused by electricity taking a different route to the ground than expected, either through a person or water in contact with the electrical circuit. They react quickly to cut the power before it can cause lasting harm to a person.
You can buy outlets that combine ground fault circuit interrupter and arc fault circuit interrupter functionality, which is mainly useful in kitchens where separate devices can be impractical.
John Carlsen/CNETAlthough arc fault circuit interrupters perform a similar function to GFCI outlets, they work to prevent electrical fires caused by low-voltage electrical arcing, where sparks and heat jump between exposed conductors without tripping the breaker.
AFCI circuits are now required by code throughout a home, particularly in sleeping and living areas. While some individual AFCI outlets may be necessary, an electrician can add this protection to the breaker box without replacing any outlets.
Putting safety first to prevent fires and shock hazards
When in doubt, hire an electrician.
John Carlsen/CNETPlease note that while swapping electrical outlets is a fairly simple DIY project that requires only a screwdriver, you should never attempt it unless you confirm that the circuit breaker is off using a multimeter or receptacle tester. Just because outlets are in the same room doesn’t mean they’re on the same circuit — especially in kitchens, large rooms and rooms with big appliances — as labeled in your breaker box.
Always check that the amperage and voltage ratings of your new outlet match those of the breaker. While 15- and 20-amp breakers are the most common, you’ll occasionally see higher ratings on circuits used by large appliances like electric dryers and water heaters.
A breaker’s amperage is a simple number (e.g., 15 or 20) on the breaker’s switch or listed on the body (e.g., 15 or 20 amps).
John Carlsen/CNETIf this process seems daunting or you’re uncomfortable doing electrical work, hiring a licensed electrician is your best option. Renters should speak to their property managers about replacing outlets. For more, learn why you shouldn’t plug these seven devices into extension cords.
