2 Gang 2 Way Light Switch - Dark Brown

Dark brown is a rare find in switchgear, and it earns its keep in rooms where a white plate would jump out at you. The front is screwless, so it reads as one flat panel with no visible fixings, and the rockers sit in a chrome insert that picks up a little light. Both gangs are two way, meaning each can be paired with another switch elsewhere so the same lighting is controlled from either point. The action is a plain rocker: firm, quiet and easy to find in the dark.

Hallways, landings and staircases are the obvious homes for it, where a switch at the foot of the stairs and its partner at the top save a walk in the dark. It works just as well in a bedroom, with a plate by the door answered by one at the bedside, and in a sitting room where two circuits, say the ceiling light and the wall lights, want separate control from the same spot. We would choose this over white where the woodwork is dark, the walls are deep in colour, or brass and bronze fittings set the tone; it settles into a panelled or timber-framed wall in a way pale plastic never does.

The plate and rockers are moulded polycarbonate, double insulated, with a compact square footprint that sits tidily beside a door architrave. It belongs indoors, on household lighting circuits. Wipe the plate with a dry cloth when you dust the room, and keep cream cleaners, solvents and abrasive pads away from it, as they will haze the moulding and dull the chrome. It carries a ten year warranty. Run the same dark brown plates through a hallway for consistency, and keep chrome or nickel accessories in the same rooms so the insert has something to answer to.

What size is the plate?

It is 88mm square, the usual single plate footprint, and very light at 75g.

What does two way mean in practice?

Each gang can be wired to work with a second switch controlling the same light, so you can switch a stair or hall light on at one end and off at the other. Both gangs here are two way, and a two way switch can also be used as a one way switch if you only need the single position.

What is it rated at?

The rockers are rated 10AX, which suits domestic lighting circuits.

Can it go in a bathroom or outside?

No. It is IP20, so it is for dry indoor rooms only.

How should I clean the plate?

A dry or barely damp cloth is all it needs. Skip solvents, cream cleaners and scouring pads, which will mark the brown finish and take the shine off the chrome insert.