eli5: Why do some electrical outlets hold your phone/computer charger, etc. while some can’t?

Question

I’ve noticed that they sometimes hold the thing plugged into the outlet perfectly while some let it slide out with ease.

In: Technology

Answer 1

The springy bits that hold the prongs wear out. You should have those outlets replaced. A loose connection can heat up, either through too high resistance or arcing (sparking between not-quite-connected parts), and cause fires.