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kiwigem_gw

Pop-up electrical outlet recommendation or alternatives?

Kiwigem
9 years ago

Hi!

We aren't going to have any upper cabinets along our work wall, so I am trying to come up with some unobtrusive ways to work in electrical outlets.

I'm aware that there are pop-up outlets, but couldn't tell you thing one about various brands.

Has anyone had one that they like/recommend or any other ideas? Maybe wall outlets that aren't eyesores? I'd need to work them into a wall of subway tile, probably.

Thanks!

Comments (8)

  • Mags438
    9 years ago

    I have the pop out outlets. They look nice, but according to my electrician, they do not easily fit into the blue boxes that goes in the wall. I had to use poster putty to make-shift sticking on the cover plate.

  • sherri1058
    9 years ago

    What about plugmold strips? These ones come in your choice of white, black or stainless steel. Sorry, I don't know how to post a picture.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Plugmold strips

  • Mags438
    9 years ago

    Dup

    This post was edited by Mags438 on Tue, Dec 30, 14 at 12:27

  • sjhockeyfan325
    9 years ago

    What about plugmold strips?

    With no upper cabinets to put them under, they'd have to go under the countertop, where they would definitely not be "unobtrusive".

    The one thing to be aware of with the popup ones is that they have to be "kitchen rated" -- I don't know of any other than Mockett, but there could be others. I wanted to use it, but in the end we decided to leave our island top free of all intrusions and ended up with regular outlets on the sides of the island.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Mockett sprocket

  • Kiwigem
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Thanks, all!

    Yes, sjhockeyfan, you took the words out of my mouth- no good place to hide the plugmold. Thanks for the Mockett link!

  • szruns
    9 years ago

    I have limited upper cabinets but lots of windows. My electrician (with my guidance) put the outlets landscape orientation, generally under the window sills, in the 5-6 inch space between the bottom of the window molding and the top of the counter. I do think the landscape orientation is less ugly than the typical portrait orientation. Also, in the island, I wanted an outlet on the front working side of the island, so we had our microwave drawer cabinet extended at the top, to make a 5-6 inch wide panel on the one side of the microwave, so it's just below the counter top (with a full width drawer below). In that panel, there is an outlet. This is conveniently located close to the middle of the working side of the island. If you are doing custom cabinets, you could do that if needed on some lower cabinets, but I'd rather do them in the backsplash in general, as it seems safer and less cumbersome in general.

    Oh, don't forget about air switches for garbage disposal. That saves you one switch for each garbage disposal. :)

    I didn't decide to use plug mold (mainly because the sight of the cords hanging down from above seems uglier than the outlets themselves) but, if you like the plug mold idea, I wonder if you could hide plug mold under window sills or molding if you have windows above the counter?

  • mommytoc
    9 years ago

    We have one of these from Lew Electric (PUFP-CT) in our new kitchen (in a corner with countertop windows), and are very happy with it. I like that it's hard-wired (unlike the Mockett). We have black countertops and the black version; it blends in nicely, and is easy to use.

    A similar thread, with several pics:
    http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/kitchbath/msg0708193224103.html

    This post was edited by mommytoc on Wed, Dec 31, 14 at 10:53

  • chesters_house_gw
    9 years ago

    I also have the hard wired version, with butcher block counters. If I remember correctly, it needed to be hard wired to meet code.