Retractable kitchen sockets: recessed units

Most electrical appliances are installed in the kitchen: these are large and small-sized household appliances. Therefore, there is the largest number of outlets. Often they spoil the appearance of the walls, do not fit into the interior or simply interfere. Then retractable sockets specially designed for the kitchen come to the rescue. They easily hide, do not protrude on the working surface and have a number of advantages that are worth considering in more detail.

Retractable outlet blocks: when are needed and what are they used for

Modules mounted on 3 levels: lower, middle and upper.

In the first case, electrical appliances are connected to the network at a distance of 10-30 cm from the floor. They install sockets for large household appliances that will be constantly on, such as refrigerators or dishwashers.

At an average level, near the surface of the table, there are wiring devices for small household appliances - blenders, mixers, crock-pots. These outlets are often noticeable, spoil the view, interfere with cooking and clutter up the space. An effective and simple solution is to hide the outlet, for example, in the countertop in the kitchen. Moreover, electrical appliances located at this level usually do not keep constantly connected to the network.

A hood is mounted on the upper tier. In this case, it is allowed to use both standard options (invoices) and built-in ones.

A retractable outlet is hidden in a cabinet, headset or somewhere nearby.

Varieties

So, the built-in modules for the kitchen are used at an average level for appliances that are switched on irregularly, acting as extension cords and tees. Manufacturers offer 2 options:

• Vertical extendable kitchen socket. It rises from the countertop like a column, so that even during operation, the design takes up minimal space. When closed, it is a round lid with a diameter of 6-10 cm. The unit extends after pressing the top. Many designs rotate around their axis.

• Swivel outlet module. This is a horizontal arrangement. In this case, a rectangular cover is installed on the countertop, which, after pressing, rises, and outlets are shown from under it.

Places to install

In fact, there are not so many installation options. More often mortise sockets are hidden in furniture, for example, in kitchen cabinets or tables. Possible installation locations:

• Hanging cabinet, top of the headset. The built-in unit has its pros and cons when located at the top. Of the positive aspects, complete isolation from dangerous factors provoking a short circuit (dirt, grease, water) and inaccessibility to children can be noted. But this arrangement is not always convenient, since the cord of the connected device will stretch upward, as can be seen in the next photo.

• Countertop. The unit is fixed at the level of the working surface, there are no lying cables. If the lid is lowered, then you can put something on it. However, in this case it is inconvenient to turn on appliances with a side plug, there is a risk of water or dirt getting into the sockets, which creates a potentially dangerous situation.

• Curbstone, lower part of the headset. The wires go down, do not clutter up the surface on the table. However, it is not always possible to install such outlets: they open to the side and can interfere with movements in the kitchen or the movement of the cabinet. Also, a large vertical load on the retractable structure is obtained, because of which it can quickly become worthless.

Pros and cons of concealed kitchen outlets

To fully appreciate any device and understand how much it is needed, it is worth analyzing its strengths and weaknesses. Of the advantages of retractable socket blocks for the kitchen can be noted:

• Save space on your work surface. This is especially true for small countertops.
• Ability to install in any convenient place.
• The presence of additional functions: child protection, load controller, network and voltage indicators, etc.

• Reinforced dust, dirt and moisture protection, with proper use, the risk of water ingress is reduced to almost zero, even if it is an outlet for a kitchen worktop.
• Modern design. Such blocks fit into any interior and do not stand out against the general background.
• Stealth in closed form.

It is allowed to put any objects on the cover of the socket block, this will not affect the device’s performance in any way.

• Child protection. When omitted, the outlet blocks are safe and completely isolated from prying fingers.
• A large number of sockets in the module.
• Impact resistance.
• Reduce the number of wires.

There are also shortcomings, which are few, but they can play a key role in choosing devices:

• Products cannot be used to connect stationary equipment, since the lid will be constantly open, and the outlet will be raised.
• Hidden blocks take up space inside the cabinets and hanging cabinets.

• Countertop Modules Built-in, inconvenient for connecting side plugs: the cord rests on the surface or the plug has to be turned over, and then the wire will bend.
• Vertical blocks, especially from unscrupulous manufacturers, are quickly shaken and require careful handling: when connecting and disconnecting equipment, they will have to be held by hands.
• The price of products is much higher than the cost of standard wiring accessories.

Note! Installing retractable receptacle units near a stove or sink is not recommended.

In general, the built-in modules are very convenient. A large number of outlets allows you to solve the problem with the simultaneous use of household appliances.