Right-angle plugs are for tight spots.

To fit behind furniture or in tight spaces where a straight plug sticks out too far.

Standard plugs stick straight out from the wall — fine if you have room, but a pain when a sofa, desk, or bed frame is flush against the baseboard. A right-angle plug bends the cord 90 degrees so it runs flat against the wall or floor instead of jutting out. That also reduces strain on the cord and the outlet over time.

Common places you’ll actually appreciate one: behind a headboard, under a desk, behind a TV stand, or anywhere the outlet is partially blocked by a piece of furniture.

If you’ve ever had to push a couch away from the wall just to plug something in, you already know.