[throwawayacc3]

That is incorrect. The EU/UK are on 230V at 50Hz at residential service entry.

[kuschku]

I'm not sure where in EU you live, but every instant water heater, stove, and many semi-professional workshop devices require 380V. At least in Germany, 380V is standard for such devices and available in every household.

[rootusrootus]

I think you might almost understand how it feels when someone makes gross generalizations across the entire US :).

One thing I keep learning about the EU is ... do not generalize using Germany as the baseline. There are many areas where Germany is the odd one out, not the standard.

[xxpor]

3 phase vs single phase depends on which country you're in in the EU.