45A Cooker Control Unit - Plum

This is a single plate that pairs a 45A double pole rocker for the cooker circuit with a 13A switched socket below it, so the hob or range and a nearby worktop appliance are served from one place. The plate is finished in plum, a deep purple with a quiet sheen, and the rockers and socket face are chrome, which gives the working parts a bright metal edge against the colour. The face carries no visible screws, so the plum surface stays unbroken from corner to corner.

In a kitchen this usually sits to one side of the cooker, within easy reach but clear of the heat and splashes, ready to isolate the appliance when it is not in use. The socket underneath earns its keep for a kettle, a toaster or a stick blender. We reach for a coloured plate like this where a kitchen already has a strong scheme going on, painted cabinetry or a bold splashback, and a plain white plate would look like an afterthought. It suits anyone replacing a tired cooker control on a like for like basis and wanting the wall to look considered rather than purely functional.

The plate is moulded in ABS, which takes colour well and shrugs off the knocks a busy kitchen hands out, and the chrome inserts keep the switching detail crisp. Wipe the plum face with a soft cloth, lightly damp if there is cooking film on it, then dry it off; keep kitchen degreasers, solvents and cream cleaners away, as they will dull the finish over time. It carries a ten year warranty. It is intended for dry rooms indoors on a household mains supply. If you like the look, plum with chrome detailing works well read as a run along one wall, with the cooker control as the anchor point and lighter switch plates elsewhere in the room.

What does the 45A switch actually control?

It is the double pole isolator for the cooker circuit, cutting both live and neutral to the appliance so a hob, oven or range can be switched off fully at the wall.

Can I use the socket for anything?

Yes, it is a standard 13A switched socket on its own rocker, suitable for a kettle, toaster or any usual worktop appliance.

How much wall does it take up?

The plate measures 146mm across and 88mm high, so allow a clear rectangle a little larger than that on the wall surface.

Is the plum finish painted or moulded through?

The body is ABS with the plum finish applied to the plate face; the rockers and socket surround are chrome.

Will kitchen cleaners damage it?

Degreasers, solvent wipes and abrasive creams can mark or dull the finish. A soft cloth, barely damp, then dried, is all it needs.

Is it suitable for a garage or outbuilding?

Only where the space is dry and indoors. It is not made for damp, unheated or exposed positions.