Sockets & Switches Buying Guides — Socket Store
Choosing the right sockets and switches for your home involves more than you might expect. The finish needs to work with your interior. The style needs to suit the property. The configuration needs to match how you actually use the room. And if you're investing in quality fittings, it's worth getting it right first time.
We've put together a series of guides to help — written in plain English by people who spend their days thinking about nothing but sockets and switches. Whether you know exactly what you want and just need to confirm a detail, or you're starting from scratch, there's something here for you.
Finish Guides
The finish is usually the first decision — and the one that has the biggest impact on how your fittings look in a room. Each guide covers the full range within that finish family, where each style works best, what it pairs well with, and how to choose between them.
The Complete Guide to Brass Sockets and Switches Polished, antique, light antique, satin, aged, mixed, and unlacquered brass — everything you need to know about the most popular finish family we stock.
The Complete Guide to Matt Black Sockets and Switches From the understated Usk range to the ornate Victorian Cast and the touch-sensitive Retrotouch — a guide to every black style and where it works.
The Complete Guide to Copper Sockets and Switches Antique copper, tarnished copper, and four plate styles — Contour, Flat, Victorian, and Monarch. Which combination is right for your home?
The Complete Guide to Rose Gold Sockets and Switches — Solid copper plates in a warm rose gold finish — Contour, Flat and Victorian styles explained, and where each one works best.
The Complete Guide to Brushed Steel Sockets and Switches — Stainless steel in several plate styles including the premium Lexus screwless range — the most versatile finish in the range explained in full.
The Complete Guide to Bronze Sockets and Switches — Medium Bronze and Black Bronze — two very different characters in four plate styles. Which is right for your interior?
The Complete Guide to Chrome Sockets and Switches Polished and satin chrome across seven plate styles — from clean flat plates to ornate Victorian Cast and the distinctive oversized Spectrum.
The Complete Guide to Nickel Sockets and Switches Satin, polished and antique nickel — one of the most sophisticated finish choices available, explained in full.
Style Guides
The finish is one decision. The plate style is another. These guides look at the design traditions behind each style, how the manufacturing process affects the finished product, and which styles suit which properties and rooms.
Victorian Sockets and Switches — The Complete Style Guide Pressed Victorian plates, cast Victorian plates, toggle switches, and antique brass finishes — what the differences are and how to choose between them.
Georgian Sockets and Switches — The Complete Style Guide — coming soon
How to Choose a Plate Style — coming soon Flat, Contour, Victorian, Victorian Cast, Georgian, Spectrum, Deco — a side-by-side comparison to help you find the right profile for your interior.
Room-by-Room Guides
The right finish for a kitchen isn't always the right finish for a bedroom. These guides look at each room in turn — what matters practically, what works aesthetically, and which fittings we'd recommend.
The Best Sockets and Switches for a Kitchen — coming soon
The Best Sockets and Switches for a Living Room — coming soon
The Best Sockets and Switches for a Bedroom — coming soon
The Best Sockets and Switches for a Hallway — coming soon
The Best Sockets and Switches for a Period Property — coming soon
The Best Sockets and Switches for a New Build — coming soon
Technical Guides
The practical stuff — answers to the questions our customer service team gets asked most often, written up properly so you can find the answer whenever you need it.
How to Choose the Right Socket Configuration — coming soon Single, double, triple — USB-A, USB-C — switched, unswitched. What you actually need, room by room.
Screwless Sockets and Switches — Are They Worth It? — coming soon What screwless plates are, how they work, and whether the extra cost is justified.
What Are IP Ratings and Do I Need Them? — coming soon Everything about moisture ratings for bathrooms, shower rooms, and outdoor use.
LED Compatibility and Touch Switches — coming soon Why LED bulbs and touch switches don't always get along, and how to make sure yours will.
How Many Sockets Do I Need Per Room? — coming soon A practical room-by-room guide to socket quantities, so you don't run out of places to plug in.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sockets & Switches — Your Questions Answered — coming soon Thirty of the most common questions we get asked, answered clearly and honestly. From "do my sockets need to match throughout the house?" to "what's the difference between a 1-gang and 2-gang switch?"
Not Sure Where to Start?
If you've read through the guides and you're still not sure which fittings are right for your home, our customer service team are happy to help. We talk to homeowners, interior designers, and electricians every day — there aren't many questions we haven't heard before.
You can reach us by phone, email, or through our contact page. We'll always give you an honest answer, even if it means telling you that a cheaper option will do the job just as well.
