Black nickel sockets and light switches

[garycat]

I'd like to replace all the old sockets and light switches in our house with better looking black nickel ones. Lots of DIY places stock them but toolstation.com seem to be much cheaper than anywhere else - does anyone have experience of the toolstation ones? Are they a poorer quality to sell at half what screwfix, wickes, B&Q etc are asking?

http://www.toolstation.com/shop/Electrical/Flat+Pl...

[HONEYMON57ER]

Looks the same as the stuff we sell. Chinese import but british standard
and quality ok. We have had a problem a while ago where the black nickel
finish had a oil slick look when the laquer finish was incorrectly applied
but they seem to be ok now. We get them from

http://www.ced-elec.co.uk/catalogue/departments/de...

but they are a wholesale only company.

[Simpo Two]

I used chrome screwless ones from Toolstation for my kitchen. They look nice and work fine, just not as chunky-feeling as Crabtree etc.

[hairyben]

The finish on premium brands is noticably better, but generally reliability isn't an issue. Contactum, wickes own label and CED have all produced utter crap in the past but evan they're probably not-too-bad now.

If changing for flatpate beware of backbox depths and flatplates require more depth, sockets, spurs & dimmerswitches usually require 35mm and light switches 25mm. if yours are all raied white plastic they'll probably be too shallow. It's a maybe/maybe not thing, some plates have more room than others (GET exclusive range is slim) and you may have to dress the cable in more carefully.

Edited by hairyben on Thursday 12th November 15:24

[Simpo Two]

hairyben said:

If changing for flatpate beware of backbox depths and flatplates require more depth

Oh yes, I found that out too! Changing pattress boxes, especially when they have solid core cables going in from three sides, can be a PITA, and wreck the plasterwork.

[anonymous-user]

garycat said:

I'd like to replace all the old sockets and light switches in our house with better looking black nickel ones. Lots of DIY places stock them but toolstation.com seem to be much cheaper than anywhere else - does anyone have experience of the toolstation ones? Are they a poorer quality to sell at half what screwfix, wickes, B&Q etc are asking?

http://www.toolstation.com/shop/Electrical/Flat+Pl...

I have bought that exact range of products recently, sockets, lightswitches, telephone socket, aerial socket, all IMO as good quality as the MK white stuff they replaced. Toolstation actually sent 1 wrong part as well (an extra socket from the same range instead of a lightswitch), when I called up they sent out the missing part next day delivery and told me to keep the other one as they didn't want me going to any bother to return it as it was their fault, great customer service and I have a spare.

[B17NNS]

Screwfix do a nice range in Nickel from Volex

http://www.screwfix.com/prods/24889/Electrical-Sup...

[B17NNS]

Screwfix do a nice range in Nickel from Volex

http://www.screwfix.com/prods/24889/Electrical-Sup...

[miniman]

The GET range is very nice, well made, good quality feel.

I got some good prices here: www.gwsupplies.co.uk