[Symbiote]

> I've never understood why that is important?

On appliances with a physical on-off switch, it's best to have the switch as close as possible to the cable, and on the 'hot' side. If there's a fault (wire touching the metal case) then the appliance is still safe with the switch 'off'.

Nowadays, I think everything would have double-pole switches anyway.

[kps]

My experience of North American market consumer products is that they rarely have double-pole switches. A second pole would cost an extra half cent.