Best make replacement sockets?

[vonsworld]

Do you have any recommendations on the best quality replacement plastic sockets these days?

In times gone by I would have bought MK, but they seem to have luke warm reviews nowadays, apparently cheap made in China.

How about Schneider?

Thanks

 

[SUNRAY]

Do you have any recommendations on the best quality replacement plastic sockets these days?

In times gone by I would have bought MK, but they seem to have luke warm reviews nowadays, apparently cheap made in China.

How about Schneider?

Thanks

Why are you looking for 'the best'?

Quite frankly I personally have found there is not much to chose between them these days.
I steer clear of MK as over the years I have changed more of them due to failure/fault than all the others put together. About 10 years ago there was a thread on here where I made a similar claim and I was ridiculed. For the next several years I kept a list and MK accounted for about a 2:1 majority {~66%) of all my replacements averaging about 25-30 per year.

At home I fitted double MK's with neon in the kitchen, I purchased 2 boxes of 5 for my 7 requirement. Now, only 20 years on, there are only 2 remaining - ie 8 have failed - whereas the rest of the house have not had a failure and (admittedly where I know they won't be abused) I tend to go for BG/Get sort of pricing when I've for cosmetic reasons.


I'm sure others will tell of different experiences.

 

[johnny2007]

I've tried all of the major brands and, sorry to report, the Wickes slimline wins my vote.
They're easy to wire up with larger screws made of hard metal so they don't cramble if you remove them a couple of times.
They look thinner than others and come with screw covers.
The first few times you use them, the plugs need to be pushed in with a bit more force than usual, but then they go alright.
Same for the switches, harder to operate the first few times.
They do a double pole version and have 20 years guarantee, so keep your receipt safe.
I started using them 10 years ago and not one has gone wrong yet.
I think they're less than £4.
So, sorry MK, although I used to be a fan, I stick to what works.

 

[JohnW2]

Quite frankly I personally have found there is not much to chose between them these days.

Same here. I have a mixture of good/expensive (like old MK ones) and 'cheap and cheerful' ('own brand') accessories in my house, and I've rhad to replace virtually none of them (in decades), of either type - other than due to mechanical damage, for which one cannot blame the accessory.

I think it now therefore probably comes down to price and personal opinions about appearance. I certainly would not subscribe to "expansive is best, cheap is worst" any more.

Kind Regards, John

 

[Sureitsoff?]

I have started using scolmore click from toolstation or buildbase

Click Mode DP Switched Socket

A classic design, with a modern touch – this Mode double socket looks as good in traditional homes as it does in contemporary ones. The smooth and stylish lines combine with a smart polar white finish and push-in screw covers for a flawless installation.Perfect for new builds or as a simple...

www.toolstation.com

 

[SUNRAY]

My all time favourites which have stood the test ime time and some horrendous abuse in portable applications are...

At this point I was very tempted to ask for peoples suggestions but I don't think many would come up with:

Bill.​

They were available in brown or cream and built like a battleship; lovely cast ceramic backs, massive brass parts and nice moulded fronts. The only thing I don't like is the earth terminal being 2 screws and a bar - more like a cable clamp and thinking now perhaps design followed on from an era before BS1363 and ring finals when lead sheathed cable was fairly common.

 

[SUNRAY]

I have started using scolmore click from toolstation or buildbase

Click Mode DP Switched Socket

A classic design, with a modern touch – this Mode double socket looks as good in traditional homes as it does in contemporary ones. The smooth and stylish lines combine with a smart polar white finish and push-in screw covers for a flawless installation.Perfect for new builds or as a simple...

www.toolstation.com

I've handled them a few times and no complaints, not silly prices either.

 

[plugwash]

And some nice innovations too, afaict they were the first manufacturer to make their lightswitches modular as standard and the first to offer a modular system where three modules fit on a single plate and 6 on a double plate.

 

[SUNRAY]

And some nice innovations too, afaict they were the first manufacturer to make their lightswitches modular as standard

As long as you ignore the old cast iron or brass items of 80 years ago

 

[plugwash]

Before my time, but yeah I was talking about modern plateswitches.

 

[SUNRAY]

Before my time, but yeah I was talking about modern plateswitches.

Like so many new things...
What goes around comes around and around

 

[securespark]

I've had very little trouble from any brands over 30 years. And over that time I've used all sorts from MK, Nettle/ Delta, Legrand, Tenby, Crabtree, BG, Volex, GET, Schneider, Contactum, Marbo, Scolmore, Hager, Knightsbridge and maybe a few others I've missed. Plus loads of cheaper brands like CED, Selectric.

Some of the cheaper sockets were sub £1. I still have one in the kitchen fitted in 1999 with the kettle and toaster plugged into it and it's all good!

 

[JP_]

Not the cheap ones in B&Q, mine seems to fall apart when I installed them.

 

[securespark]

Cheap...B&Q......oxymoron!

 

[SUNRAY]

Not the cheap ones in B&Q, mine seems to fall apart when I installed them.

I know it was a long time ago but when a colleague moved house the vendors had removed every accessory (expensive brass range) and a phone call to me at work had me booking 1/2 day holiday and going via B&Q buying the lot in their cheapest range and loads of choc bloc as they had cut the wires. I did go back and replace the cheap quality choc block but I had no problem with the accessories and as far as I know there wern't any later problems.

This was >30 years ago.