Switches & Sockets

Choosing Switches and Sockets: Range, Back Box and Use

Switches and sockets are the most-touched products in a home, so mechanical durability matters as much as looks. Our collection holds 93 products.

Choose the Range First, the Part Second

Switches and sockets are made as ranges: the frame, the rocker and the back box of one range fit together. Using a single range throughout a space gives visual consistency and makes it easy to add parts later. Mixing ranges produces surfaces at different heights and in different shades on the same wall.

Which Part Goes Where?

• One- or two-gang switch: lighting controlled from a single point.
• Two-way switch: for turning the same lamp on and off from two separate points. Standard on stairs and in long corridors.
• Earthed socket: essential for white goods and electronic equipment.
• USB socket: removes the need for an adaptor at the bedside and on a desk.
• Damp-location (surface) range: bathroom, balcony, garage and outdoor areas.

Flush or Surface?

Flush products sit in a back box recessed into the wall and give a flat surface. Surface products stand proud of the wall; they are chosen where no chasing is possible and in stores and technical areas. When renovating, check the type of your existing back box — changing the range without changing the box is usually possible.

Colour and Finish

White suits every space and has the widest choice of parts. Anthracite and black recede on dark walls and produce a calmer surface. Metallic and wood-effect frames work well when matched to the furniture.

Budget

Our 16 products with a published price run from 0.45 EUR to 5.16 EUR, with a median of 1.69 EUR. For the remaining products the price depends on project quantity, so the page shows a quote option instead of a figure.

Safety

Any work on the electrical installation must be carried out after the circuit breaker has been switched off, and by a qualified person. Changing a socket may look simple, but an incorrectly connected earth conductor puts both your equipment and your safety at risk.