A receptacle is always an outlet but an outlet is not only a receptacle. An outlet is defined as “A point on the wiring system at which current is taken to supply utilization equipment”. A receptacle however has always been something that an attachment plug is connected to.

What is the difference between receptacle?

In layman terms, according to the previous image, a receptacle is one set of holes where the plug of an appliance is connected, while a receptacle outlet or simply an outlet is the whole box, which may contain various receptacles.

What are the different types of outlets?

7 Electrical Outlet Types & How To Use Them15-Amp Duplex Receptacle. In the U.S., most homes have a combination of 15-amp and 20-amp, 120-volt circuits. 20A Outlets. Switched Outlets. GFCI & AFCI Outlets. Tamper-Resistant Receptacle. Specialty Outlets. USB & Smart Outlets.Sep 18, 2020