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—Comparing the options

Plug-in or hard-wired appliances

Some appliances come with a plug, some must be wired in, and some can be either. The manufacturer and the circuit decide.

Small and medium appliances plug into sockets, which makes them easy to replace and isolate. Larger fixed appliances — cookers, hobs, water heaters, some ovens and extractors, towel rails, EV chargers — are usually hard-wired through a connection unit and isolator, often on their own circuit.

Comparison guides weigh two electrical options against each other and note where each one fits best.

Hard-wiring suits heavy or permanent loads and locations such as bathrooms. Plug-in suits portability and easy servicing. Either way, an accessible means of isolation is important so the appliance can be switched off without pulling it out.

01In short

The points that matter most

  • Manufacturer decides first

    Installation instructions specify the connection.

  • Heavy loads are hard-wired

    On suitable circuits.

  • Isolation must be accessible

    Either way.

02Detail

Considerations

  • Load

    Cookers, hobs and large water heaters can draw more than a socket and plug are designed to carry continuously, so they are wired on a dedicated circuit.

  • Location

    Bathrooms, laundry areas and outdoor spaces limit where ordinary sockets can go, which is why towel rails and water heaters are usually wired through a fused connection unit.

  • Service access

    Built-in appliances need connections reachable for removal.

  • Isolation

    Isolators above worktops or nearby.

  • Circuit protection

    A hard-wired appliance on its own circuit has protection sized for it, so a fault trips only that circuit rather than the kitchen sockets.

03Checklist

Before installation

  • Read the manual

    For connection requirements.

  • Check the circuit

    Capacity and protection.

  • Plan isolation

    Where the switch will be.

  • Keep the rating plate visible

    Note the appliance’s power rating before it is built in, so the circuit can be checked later.

04Questions

Questions people ask

Can I cut the plug off and wire it in?
Only where the manufacturer allows; get it done by an electrician.
Is a hard-wired appliance harder to replace?
It needs an electrician, but replacement is straightforward with an isolator.
Should dishwashers be hard-wired?
Most plug in; follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
Why are some sockets switched behind cabinets?
Switched spurs above worktops isolate built-in appliances.
Can a new cooker reuse the old cooker connection?
Often, if the circuit suits the new cooker’s rating. Checking the rating plate against the circuit is the first step.

05Related

Related guides

This guide sits under installation. All topics are on the guides page.

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