Italian Plug Guide - Student Handbook

Side by side comparison of Italian type L plugs rated 16 ampere (left) and 10 ampere (right).

An Italian installation carrying both Italian type L sockets (16 A on the left; 10 A on the right).

Type L 23-16/VII plug with socket

Type C "Europlug" and old type c socket

CEE 7/7 Schuko-French plugs
Schuko-French plug

CEE 7/7 hybrid Schuko/French plug

Italian Plugs: yes, it's confusing

Type L: CEI 23-16/VII (Italian 10 A/250 Volts and 16 A/250 Volts)

The Italian earthed plug/socket standard, includes two models rated at 10 A and 16 A that differ in contact diameter and spacing. Both are symmetrical, allowing the live and neutral contacts to be inserted in either direction.

The double standard was initially adopted because in Italy, up to the second half of the twentieth century, the electric power used for lamps (Luce = lighting) and the one used for all other appliances (Forza = electromotive force; or Uso Promiscuo = general purpose) were sold at different fares, charged with different taxes, accounted with separated electricity meters, and sent on different wire lines that ended with different sockets. Even though the two electric lines (and respective fares) were definitively unified during the summer of 1974 many houses kept twin wires and twin electricity meters for years thereafter. The two gauges for plugs and sockets thus became a de facto standard which is still in use today. Older installations often have sockets that are limited to either the 10 A or the 16 A style plug, requiring the use of an adapter if the other gauge needs to be connected.

CEE 7/16 (type C) ungrounded Europlugs are also in common use; they are standardized in Italy as CEI 23-5 and fit most of the appliances with low current requirement and double insulation.

Appliances with Schuko-French plugs are often sold in Italy too; however not every socket will accept them since the pins of the Schuko-French plugs are thicker than the Italian ones. Adapters are cheap and commonly used to connect CEE 7/7 plugs to CEI 23-16/VII sockets,

Outside of Italy, Italian 10 A/250 V plug is found in Syria, Libya, Ethiopia, Chile, Uruguay, various countries in North Africa, and occasionally in older buildings in Spain.

How to Determine if you need just a Plug Adapter or a Voltage Converter

the back of a Sony power brick that requires 120 volts of AC electricity at 60 Hz or cycles per second. You will need a voltage converter to run the device that this attaches to. It's very low wattage though, only 6 watts, so you don't need a big, expensive converter.

120-240 volts
a battery charger shows it will handle any voltage from 100 to 240 at 50/60 hz. This was designed to work just about anywhere in the world, and the US version will work in Europe by using a plug adapter as seen below.

plug adapter
Here is all you need to convert the US rectangular pronged plug to a European round plug used in most places in Italy.

Some adapters you might find in Italy:

just kidding!

I have quoted liberally and used images from the following sources. Thank you!

Sources

Tips:

Don't try to force a plug into a socket. If it's hard to get it in, you probably have the wrong type.

North American plugs and appliances are normally rated at 120 volts. Italian current comes in at 250 volts. Unless you are sure what you want to plug in can handle 250 volts, don't try it, even with an adapter. Every year someone blows all the lights in the school doing this.

Taking Stock of your Electrical Needs when you travel in Europe

Determine which countries you'll be traveling in.
Choose the plug adapters you'll need in those specific countries.
Take stock of what appliances need power converters. Most modern laptops will automatically sense voltage changes and adapt; you may only need a plug adapter--check your owner's manual. Shavers, and any small, electrically frugal items may still need a voltage converter (sometimes called a transformer). These are readily available as well.
Hair dryers are a special case, as their power requirements are enormous. If you wish to be a good neighbor to the Europeans, consider leaving the contraption at home. If you can't, make sure you buy a heavy duty converter that will handle as much as 2000 watts (2 kilowatts).
Remember that if you're taking a recharger for your digital camera batteries, it'll probably need at least a plug converter.