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One side-effect of all this: the number of certified testing labs has exploded in the last 20 years. Before, there were very few labs, because products tended to be simple and regulations were scarce. Only medical or other safety-critical gear was tested routinely. But the commonplace use of microprocessors, increasing legal controls, import/export regulations, and differences of all the regulations between countries have contributed to a climate of "test everything just in case". So the test labs are making lots of money. And you, the consumer, are paying for it.
There's a bonus nasty waiting for consumers in Asia and some parts of Europe. Many newer buildings have "combo" sockets, which will accept Euro, Aussie, or American NEMA plugs. This is a charming little trick, especially when you consider that all such sockets are wired for the local 220-230v power only. Anyone plugging an American-only 120v appliance (or Japanese 100v) into one of these sockets will get an ugly surprise, as the appliance blows up in their face.
[[File:Combopluga.jpg]] [[File:Combosocket.jpg]]
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