What a PITA

[The Medway Handyman]

SWMBO wanted an extra socket in the kitchen. Unwilling to start chopping lumps out of the rather nice tiles, I opted for a worktop socket from TLC

has to be the worst designed pile of crap ever, with instructions to match. When I say instructions - it was half a page of badly photocopied stuff about "if in doubt use a qualified electrician". No 'actual' instructions.

First of all, its two individual sockets underneath the rectangular plastic cover. Each held in with 4 tiny screws. Both have to be removed to get to the fixing holes.

Since it's two sockets, you have to wire one up, with a link to the other, using enough cable so you can withdraw both sockets enough to access the fixing holes.

Back of each socket has a plastic cover, but again, no instructions about how to remove it - turns out you have to twist & pull.

No provision for an earth on the metal box, so you need to wire in a link with a round terminal on. No warning about earthing it either.

If I never install another one of these it will be too soon.

[GB]

There's very very very something similar on Amazon with a 1-star rating, and comments as follows:

This item arrived with packaging torn and missing,there was no adequate installation instructions,it is not a double socket but two individual sockets in a bit of flimsy bent chrome plated metal with sharp corners. Wiring the sockets together without a proper junction box would be unsafe. I installed it as a single socket and covered the sharp edges with plastic edging. The supplier said they were not responsible for the quality of the item, it was down to their supplier, Not in my book. Supplier offered delivery money back, if I did not give item negative feed back, I could not give non negative feed back even if all my money was returned.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

To be fair to TLC, they are an electrical wholesaler - not a DIY shed. If you buy an ordinary socket from them it comes with no instructions at all.

It could be the cover on the back of the socket removes the need for the metal box to be earthed - but this is just a guess, not having seen one.

[Peter Johnson]

My kitchen is undergoing a mnor refurb next week and I was going to use these. Seems like changing my mind was a good move. Would have driven me nuts fiddling about as described.

[Jeremy Nicoll - news posts]

Someone else quoted a reviewer who mentioned sharp edges. Since you've actually seen one of these things: where are these sharp bits? Are they just dangerous to fingers while taking the thing apart, or do they also risk damaging the supply cable?

[harry]

MK used to make similar sockets years ago. They were intended to be mounted in steel instrument cabinets and the like.

[The Medway Handyman]

Mine didn't have any noticeably sharp edges - just as well, it was a big enough PITA without that.