Black Nickel Sockets & Switches

What black nickel looks like on sockets and switches

Black nickel is a dark metallic finish that catches the light as you pass, where matt black reads as a flat block of colour. You may also see it written as nickel black. Every piece we stock on this page is finished in it, so the tone holds from the front door to the kitchen. Most pieces are made from metal, which gives the plates a solid feel under your hand, and many suit a modern scheme. Against pale walls the finish makes a crisp, dark accent; on deep painted walls it settles in and shows a soft gleam where the light falls.

Matching black nickel switches and sockets

Because one finish runs across the range, a light switch by the door will match the wall socket behind the sofa. Plate shape and size are the other half of a good match. Most of the range is single-gang, and we stock double plates as well, so a wall stays consistent whether it needs a lone switch or a pair side by side. Several larger plates gather more switches on a single front, which keeps a busy entrance to one neat panel.

A few TV outlets mean the aerial point need not be the odd plate out. Some network and telephone outlets do the same beside a desk. A few blanking plates close off a back box you no longer use.

Screwless black nickel switch and socket plates

Most of the plates we stock here are screwless. On these the fixing screws sit hidden behind the front, so nothing interrupts the dark finish and the plate reads as a single unbroken surface. If a clean front is what you want, look for 'Screwless' in the title. Many other pieces use a flat plate; where a title does not say screwless, check the product page to see how it fixes. A few have rounded edges, which soften the outline against the wall. Whichever you choose, keep to the same plate style along a wall so the edges line up.

Choosing black nickel plug sockets

For black nickel electrical sockets, start with the plugs a wall needs and what you charge there. Several of the pieces here are plug sockets. Behind a desk or bed, a black nickel double socket puts a pair of plugs on a single plate. A few of our sockets are doubles. Some have USB charging built in, so a phone or tablet charges without an adaptor. A few offer both USB-A and USB-C ports, so either kind of cable plugs straight in.

Many of the pieces we stock pair the black nickel plate with a black insert, which keeps the face dark and leaves the metal frame to catch the light. Look for 'Black Insert' in brackets in a socket's title if the insert colour matters to you.

Black nickel light switches and two-way switching

Many of our light switches are two-way, so you can work the same light from both ends of a hall or from the top and bottom of the stairs. A few intermediate switches add a further switching point in the middle of a run, which helps on a long landing. A few toggle switches swap the usual rocker for a small lever.

We stock several dimmer switches. A black nickel dimmer switch lets you bring the light down in the evening; if you are dimming LEDs, check that it is rated for LED loads and can handle the bulbs you plan to use.

Building a black nickel grid switch plate

A grid plate lets you build the exact mix of switches a wall needs: choose a faceplate, then fill it with modules. We stock grid modules to build from. Several grid faceplates give them a home, from a small plate to a long run. Many of our switch covers come marked with the appliance they control, so a row of isolators reads at a glance.

Many of the pieces we stock are double-pole, which breaks the live and the neutral together and is the usual choice for isolating an appliance. Several fused spur units feed a fixed appliance through a fuse in place of a plug. A few cooker switches give a cooker its own isolator. Many pieces suit commercial fit-outs too. A few key switches are marked for emergency lighting tests.

Fitting and cleaning black nickel sockets and switches

We recommend that a qualified electrician fits your sockets and switches. Before you order, check the minimum mounting box depth on the product page against the back box in your wall, as a shallow box can stop a socket or module sitting flush.

To clean black nickel, wipe it over with a soft, dry cloth. Avoid anything abrasive, such as scouring pads or cream cleaners, which can dull or scratch the finish, and keep sprays and liquids away from the plate. A quick wipe now and then stops fingerprints building up around a busy light switch.