Which make 13A sockets are best please??

Hi there, Regarding plug sockets. The majority of sockets are built to poor standards, any stocked items in Screwfix such as 'LAP', 'BG Nexus', 'Marco' etc steer well clear. Nobody will sell their product cheap if it is good quality. Shnieder Electric have brought out the Lisse range in order to eventually replace their Ultimate range. MK use terminal screws made from soft metal to prevent reusing them. BG breakdown internally so you will have 2-3 not working within a year. All sockets with USB's use cheaper components to save on cost (click the switches and compare with one of no USB). Most manufacturers use a cheaper socket for their metal plate ranges. Some sockets have sharp edges that dig in to the wall plaster causing unnecessary damage, Crabtree plastic range are unnecessary thick, Click flatplate have an unnecessarily thick rubber seal to the wall making them look loose, BG brushed steel range has a film to prevent finger marks. Shnieder Electric Ultimate range are very well made. Flatplate range have a soft foam seal to fit snug to the wall without damaging the wall. Use the same socket components across the range (except sockets with USB). Huge product range. Nice soft click on the switches so it doesn't vibrate through the whole house. Brushed steel shows finger marks and extremely hard to clean. Excellent price across the range but use single pole in the metal ranges due to huge price difference. Slimline white plastic, flatplate polished chrome, black nickel. LAP cut corners such as having a shared common on a dual dimmer switch making upgrades impossible, or even upstairs/downstairs lighting. 'GET ULTIMATE' range that has been bought out by 'Shnieder Electric'. They use the same quality socket for their slim white plastic as well as their chrome metal. Do not touch their other ranges. Retrotouch do a Simplicity range that give an elegant look, great for fashion conscious, also great price and perfect for elderly with the wide switches. Superb customer service and do ranges with remote RF control. Heritage Brass are expensive but do a larger range and also have great customer service. You will need to speak with your Electrician about intermediate light switches etc although with sockets 'double pole' means the switch will break the live and neutral meaning that appliances plugged in to a 'single pole' with a neutral to earth fault would trip RCD's (fuses in the fuse box) with the switch off, so if you get tripping you will have to unplug everything instead of just the switches. To sum up I would recommend the hard to find black nickel Shnieder Electric Ultimate and purchase from Edwardes Electrical for a good price and service. Homebase used to sell them obviously not that cheap. A 1gang socket is a single socket and a 2gang is a double socket. Regards, Laurence

This really depends on your budget and what you are prepared to spend. The following list is from my experience of faceplates and therefore is my opinion:- Hamilton - superb quality, one of the best (in my opinion), pricey. MK - the industry favourite. Excellent quality plates, also pricey. GET / Schneider Electric - good quality, my favourite, reasonable price. Crabtree - Another industry favourite. Chunky faceplates, reasonable price. British General / BG - good budget range of faceplates. I carry this brand in my van for general use. Good price. LAP - horrible. Marbo - cheap rubbish. Sockets with USB, be aware of the "will fit 25mm back box". Some will but only with a supplied spacer frame. Screwless faceplates will fit 25mm back boxes but can be a pain if there is too much cabling behind, such as a spur for example. Hope this helps.

Considering MK and Crabtree have been around since before I was an apprentice in the 70’s these would be my choice.

I really like MK and Hager, Hager being my favourite and have fitted them in my own house, they have a nice solid build and I like the rounded edges, they’re also an electricians dream to fit, hope this helps

All electrical accessories are manufactured to conform with a specific standard, however like folks state above, there can be variation in quality. For the all round mix of quality and cost, MK is the way to go. BG do a fair product, they do a line called nexus, you'll find the brushed versions you want there, and they also do pretty much every accessory known in that range so you can have everything matching. Avoid the LAP stuff, it isn't great. I have been using CLICK 'Mode' accessories recently, they are a good price and seem to be of good build quality, plus they do modular face plates so you can custom build a group of specific switches, they even do a four switch accessory on a one gang plate! Best regards, Craig

Mk are as good as you can get really, shnieder are excellent aswell as Crabtree.

I like to use the MK or Crabtree they come with the options you are looking for and the are a good quality product with a long history in the ElectricaI trade. Shire there are cheaper ones on the market but this is reflected in the build quality Hope this helps Bee ElectricaI

Mk products are good quality and won’t break the bank