Molded plugs are safer and that's what you want.

Yes, molded plugs are safer than replaceable ones. They’re factory-sealed, so there’s no risk of bad wiring, loose connections, or accidental shorts. Replaceable plugs (the kind with screw terminals) are fine if you install them correctly, but most people shouldn’t be messing with them.

The real difference is simple: molded plugs are meant to be permanent. You throw away the whole cord if it breaks. Replaceable plugs let you swap the plug if it gets damaged, but that also means you can screw it up. Loose strands, wrong terminals, overtightening — I’ve seen it all.

If you’re buying an extension cord or an appliance, get the molded plug every time. It’s not a place to save a dollar. If you already have a cord with a replaceable plug and it works fine, leave it alone. But don’t go out of your way to buy one.

Future You doesn’t want to find out the hard way that a replaceable plug was installed wrong.