White Sockets & Switches

What we stock in white sockets and switches

We stock white plug sockets, single and double, alongside white light switches, dimmer switches, fused spurs and white USB sockets, plus grid modules and modular faceplates. Every product on this page has a white finish, so the real choices are material, plate style and the job the plate must do. Some of the outlets we stock take a TV aerial cable. Some are data outlets. A few are shaver sockets.

Metal or plastic white plates

If you want white metal sockets and switches, many of ours are metal. Many others are plastic, in thermoset resin, ABS or polycarbonate. The choice settles how a plate looks and feels. A metal plate and a plastic plate in the same white can still look different side by side, so if you are not replacing the whole room, match the material as well as the colour.

A fair question is whether white plates turn yellow. We make no claim about how any white finish will age, metal or plastic, so if long-term colour matters to you, ask us about a particular plate before you order.

White USB sockets and charging ports

We stock white USB sockets, so a phone can charge at the wall without taking up a plug socket. Many pair a USB-A port with a USB-C port, which means an older USB-A lead and a USB-C one will both plug straight in. A few have USB-C ports only. A few have USB-A ports only, which suits you if your chargers still use the older lead.

If you would like USB on a double socket, several of ours have the ports built into the plate. Charging output differs from socket to socket, so check it on the product page if you hope to charge something bigger than a phone. Some USB modules fit grid plates too.

Matching white sockets and switches in a room

Matching starts with plate style. We stock screwless plates, which hide the fixing screws, and flat plates, for a plain, level face. We also stock rounded edge plates for a softer outline and square edge plates for a crisper one.

Choose one style and one plate range, then keep to it, because white is not one shade. Many of our white sockets and switches are matt, for a soft finish with little shine. Most of what we stock has a white insert, so the whole front is white, and many pair the plate with a chrome insert for a little contrast. To keep a plate close to the wall, check the projection on the product page.

White light switches and dimmers

Most of what we stock here is single gang, and many plates carry more gangs, so one plate can work more than one light. Many of our white light switches are two-way, which you need when one light is worked from two places, such as the top and bottom of a staircase. Some are intermediate switches, which add a further switching point between a pair of two-way switches. A few are pull cord switches.

We stock white dimmer switches as well. Before you buy one, check the product page for the load it handles, including any LED figure, and whether it is leading or trailing edge, then match that to the dimming advice for your bulbs, since a mismatch can cause flicker.

White grid switches and fused spurs

A grid system builds one white plate from separate modules, so you choose the switches, sockets and outlets the wall needs. We stock grid modules and the faceplates that hold them. Some switch covers come marked for an appliance, such as a dishwasher, fridge or washing machine, so anyone can see which rocker isolates which machine.

We also stock white fused spurs, which give a wired-in appliance its own fuse. A few of the switches we stock are cooker switches. Many of our switches and sockets are double pole, breaking both live and neutral, and many are single pole, breaking the live alone; your electrician can tell you which a circuit calls for.

Fitting and cleaning white sockets and switches

A white wall socket or switch sits on a back box, which must be deep enough for what you fit. Depth needs vary, so check the minimum back box depth on the product page against your box before you order, especially when swapping a plain switch for a dimmer or a plain socket for one with USB. Some of the products we stock are pattress and back boxes. We recommend a qualified electrician for any work on fixed wiring.

To clean a socket or switch, turn off the power at the consumer unit, then wipe the plate with a soft cloth wrung out in warm water and a drop of washing-up liquid, and dry it straight away. Never spray anything onto a plate, and keep bleach, solvents and scouring pads away from metal and plastic alike. On a matt plate, wipe gently rather than scrubbing.