Of course, if the US had adopted a sturdy three pin plug large enough for an astronaut to plug his razor in with certainty whilst weightless in space, none of this would be being discussed. The average UK plug top will house a family of four, transforming from 230 to 12v can be accommodated in one small corner of the available space: You just have 2 puny little pins.
I remember the days when they came in three different sizes and people also had the option of burning the house down by plugging the toaster in to the light fitting with a bayonet plug: Another fundamental difference between our two lands, we have bayonets, you have screw fittings (Although we seem to be wavering between the two, probably because of some European Community directive to stamp out unfair prejudice in light fittings).
Whilst I'm on the subject, who invented those wretched halogen lamps that flush mount in the ceiling: I spend my life balancing on a kitchen stool. The mains ones pop just as quickly as the 12v ones.
Yes, and those low consumption, long life bulbs: So they may be - except when you put them in an outside light fitting that requires borrowing the ladder of the neighbour you don't like and getting the wife to stand at the bottom screaming hysterically that she can't hold on much longer. Then it is absolutely mandatory having taken those risks that the bulb that you've bought from B & Q doesn't fit inside the glass globe. When you go back Tracey, or whatever her name is, won't budge on changing the bulb, if you don't have the receipt, although you've got the bag, packing and credit card slip.
And as for that high power light with the PIR over my neighbour's garage, is it fair, when I creep out surreptitiously with the boxers for a late night wee, dressed only in underpants, towelling dressing gown and Hunters, that I should be illuminated with 2000watts of power?