The best aerial sockets, compared.
Top pick: Xiciki TV FM socket Best value: XINXINGDINGSHENG faceplate – About £3.19 with 4.4 from 25 reviews. Cheapest unbranded plate in the set that still has a star line and at least 20 reviews. It costs more than the BG plate. Updated October 2026.
An aerial socket is the coaxial wall plate that finishes a television or radio downlead in a UK home. It is a 75 ohm outlet, usually a female IEC connection, and it is not a BS 1363 mains socket. You buy one to replace a damaged faceplate or to end a cable that already reaches a back box. Judge it by the connector, screening, whether direct current can pass, and back-box depth, commonly 25 mm and sometimes 35 mm. Female IEC suits a house aerial, because the television input is female too. A dish wants an F-connector and a direct-current path. A bullet that only says satellite proves neither. Isolation blocks that current on a communal system. A non-isolated plate can feed a masthead amplifier. If the listing does not say screened, do not assume a screen. That gap is explained under [screened or unscreened aerial sockets](/hub/sockets-and-extension-leads/aerial-socket/sub/aerial-socket-screened-or-unscreened). A kinked cable in a shallow box is a fitting fault. BS 3041 is the outlet pattern. BS 5733 is a general accessory standard, not a screening class.
An aerial socket is the coaxial wall plate that finishes a television or radio downlead in a UK home. It is a 75 ohm outlet, usually a female IEC connection, and it is not a BS 1363 mains socket.
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
What are you feeding?
The Xiciki plate is about £4.09, rated 4.8 from 6 amazon.co.uk reviews, and the four short UK reviews stored with the listing are all positive with no fault described. The specification names polycarbonate and a tin phosphor bronze core, and the bullets call the plastic flame-retardant. A Phillips screwdriver and mounting hardware are in the box, which one review says arrived. The face is listed at 8.5 cm wide and 1 cm thick, at 50 g. Back-box depth, screening, isolation and connector gender are not stated, so the bronze core is a material line, not a screening class. Six reviews is too small a sample to treat 4.8 as a settled result next to the BG plate’s 704. It suits a first fitting where you want the screwdriver in the packet, and it is a weak pick if you are matching a stated 25 mm box or a screened module.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A white TV and FM plate where the included screwdriver is useful and you already know the cable in the box.
Less suitable: A decision that depends on a large review count, a stated 25 mm box, or a screened outlet.
Specifications
Common questions
What is this Xiciki plate made of?
The specification says polycarbonate and a tin phosphor bronze core. The bullets call the plastic flame-retardant.
Does it come with a screwdriver?
The title includes a screwdriver, and one UK review says it arrived with one. Mounting hardware is also listed.
How many reviews support the 4.8 score?
The listing says 4.8 from 6 reviews. Four short UK reviews are stored with it, all positive, with no fault described.
Across 704 amazon.co.uk reviews at 4.5 stars, the BG Electrical 960-0J is the about £2.10 white moulded plate that names a female IEC connection for a TV or FM aerial and a 25 mm minimum back box. Buyers use it as a straight swap for an existing flush point, and the pack includes the fixing screws, though the box itself is not in the pack. The listing states a United Kingdom origin and a face of about 8.5 cm square at 60 g. Isolation is not stated, and neither is an F-connector, so a dish or a line-powered masthead amplifier is outside what this page can confirm. One UK review says that sample had no screen and no internal ground point. The maker’s page sits in a screened range and cites BS 3041 and BS 5733, which describe the coaxial outlet pattern and a general accessory standard, not a Class A result measured on this unit. At this price it has the largest review count in the set, and it is still the wrong plate if you need screening printed on the listing.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A like-for-like female IEC swap on a house aerial where the signal is already strong and the box is at least 25 mm.
Less suitable: A stated screened module, a satellite F-connector, or a masthead amplifier that must pass direct current.
Specifications
Common questions
Is the BG 960-0J a female TV socket?
The listing says it has a female IEC connection for a TV or FM coaxial aerial. It does not describe an F-type satellite socket.
What back box does this BG plate need?
The listing states a minimum mounting box depth of 25 mm. Reviewers note that the back box is not in the pack.
Does the listing say this plate is screened?
The bullets do not say screened. One UK review says there is no screen or internal ground point. Isolation is not stated.
Across 47 amazon.co.uk reviews at 4.5 stars, the TIANXUAN faceplate is a white TV and FM plate at about £5.49, with mounting hardware and a flame-retardant claim that does not name the plastic. One UK review says the two screws are not M3 and were replaced, and that a clamp screw stripped when it was over-tightened. The same reviewer says the socket insert comes off the plate, which made fitting easier, though the listing itself does not describe a removable insert. The specification fields are unusable here: connector type says no, and cable type says Display Port, while the title is a coax faceplate. Screening and isolation are not stated, and the satellite wording does not name an F-connector. At about £5.49 it costs more than the BG plate and still leaves you to supply the right screws. The 40 g weight is typical of these moulded plates, not a sign of a metal screen.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A white TV and FM plate if you already have M3 screws and you can ignore the broken specification fields.
Less suitable: A first-time fit that relies on the supplied screws, or any satellite job that needs a named F-connector.
Specifications
Common questions
Are the fixing screws the right thread?
The bullets say hardware is included. One UK review says the two screws are not M3 and were replaced, and that a clamp screw stripped when over-tightened.
Can the socket be removed from the plate?
One reviewer says the actual socket is removable and that this helped fitting. The listing itself does not describe a removable insert.
Does the specification name the coax connector?
The connector-type field says no, and the cable-type field says Display Port. The title and bullets describe a TV and FM coax faceplate. Gender, screening and isolation are not stated.
Across 76 amazon.co.uk reviews at 4.4 stars, the DRUT faceplate is a white painted metal TV and FM plate at about £8.99, the highest price in this set, listed at 70 g with hardware included. Several reviewers say it is straightforward if you have fitted a coax socket before. One review says there are no instructions, the screen clamp pulls out of place, and the core screw can cut the copper if it is fully tightened. That clamp mention is a fitting note, not a printed screening class: the listing does not state EN 50083-2, isolation or an F-connector, and back-box depth is not given. Weatherproofing is an unanswered question on a painted finish. Paying about £8.99 does not buy a certificate the cheaper BG plate also lacks. It is for a metal look on a TV or FM point you already know how to terminate.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A painted metal TV and FM plate when you have terminated coax before and you want the finish, not a certificate.
Less suitable: A first fitting, a weak-signal screened module, or a dish that needs an F-connector.
Specifications
Common questions
Is the DRUT plate easy to wire?
Several reviews say it is easy if you have fitted a coax socket before. One review says there are no instructions, the screen clamp pulls out of place, and the core screw can cut the copper if it is fully tightened.
Is it weatherproof?
Weatherproof is only a question on the listing. No answer and no outdoor rating are given. The finish is painted metal.
Does the price include a screened class?
At about £8.99 it is the dearest plate in this set, with 4.4 from 76 reviews. The listing does not state EN 50083-2, isolation, or an F-connector.
Across 25 amazon.co.uk reviews at 4.4 stars, the XINXINGDINGSHENG faceplate is a white plastic TV and FM plate at about £3.19, with a fire-resistant claim and mounting accessories in the pack. That is more than the BG 960-0J, so the best-value mark is the unbranded alternative with a readable review count, not a lower shelf price. One reviewer says the central locking screw came through the cardboard and the plate itself was not damaged. Screening, isolation and back-box depth are not stated, and the listing does not name an F-connector. The plate is listed at 40 g and made in China. With only 25 reviews, a repeated fault would move the picture quickly, and none is described beyond that packing nick. Use it when you want a cheap white plate and do not need the female IEC line or the 25 mm depth that BG prints.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A second cheap white TV and FM plate when you do not want the BG moulded look and the signal is already strong.
Less suitable: A weak Freeview area, a dish, or any job that needs a printed screening class or a 25 mm depth on the listing.
Specifications
Common questions
Does this plate include screws?
The bullets say mounting accessories are included. One review says the central locking screw came through the cardboard, and the plate itself was not damaged.
Will it feed a satellite dish?
The listing describes a TV and FM coaxial faceplate. It does not name an F-connector or isolation.
Is a screening class stated?
No. The listing claims fire-resistant plastic and a coaxial TV and FM outlet. Screening and isolation are not stated.
Across 111 amazon.co.uk reviews at 4.1 stars, the Cablestar outlet is a white wall-mount coax plate at about £5.90 for cable that stays on the surface, not a flush plate over a buried downlead. Reviewers describe a hole in the top and a lead that leaves nearly parallel to the wall. Several call it flimsy, mention stripped threads, or a soldered joint that failed, while others say it is acceptable if the lead stays plugged in. Whether screws are in the pack is disputed in those reviews, and the listing does not specify them. Weatherproofing is only an unanswered question, with no outdoor rating. At 20 g it is the lightest plate here with a real review count. It is the wrong part if the coax already comes out of a back box in the wall, and FM is not stated on the listing.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A surface TV lead that must leave the wall almost flat, and that will not be unplugged often.
Less suitable: Cable already in a flush back box, an outdoor run, or a joint you expect to remake more than once.
Specifications
Common questions
Is this a flush plate for cable inside the wall?
Reviews describe a hole in the top for a surface cable, and a lead that leaves nearly parallel to the wall. It is the wrong plate if the downlead comes out of a buried box.
How solid is the Cablestar outlet?
The listing is 4.1 from 111 reviews. Several UK reviews call it flimsy, mention stripped threads, or a soldered joint that failed. Others say it is fine if the lead stays plugged in.
Does the listing say it is weatherproof?
Weatherproof is only a question on the page. There is no answer, and no outdoor rating is stated.
The Voltrique single plate is about £5.99, rated 3.9 from 7 amazon.co.uk reviews, with fixing screws and a claim that it fits standard UK back boxes. Depth is not given. One UK review says the screws that hold the connections also hold the socket to the faceplate, and that plugging in the lead broke the socket off. Another review says it grips the cable, so the small sample is not all one story. A bullet lists satellite systems beside TV and FM, without naming an F-connector, screening or isolation. The plate is plastic, listed at 40 g, with a flame-retardant claim, and the country of origin is China. Seven reviews and a socket that can leave the plate are enough to keep it off a shortlist unless you can return it easily. The UK-back-box sentence does not replace a depth.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A trial replacement only if the return is simple and the cable is an ordinary TV coax lead.
Less suitable: A plate that will be plugged and unplugged, a dish, or a job where the socket must stay fixed to the face.
Specifications
Common questions
Does Voltrique say this fits a UK back box?
The bullets say the fixing screws are included and that it fits standard UK back boxes. Depth is not given.
Will the socket stay on the plate?
One UK review says the screws that hold the connections also hold the socket to the faceplate, and that plugging in the lead broke the socket off. Another review says it grips the cable.
Is the satellite claim an F-connector?
A bullet lists satellite systems with TV and FM. The listing does not name an F-connector, screening or isolation.
The BG Nexus NBS60-01 is a metal single co-axial plate at about £5.99, with rounded edges and a stated minimum box of 25 mm. The stored listing has no average-rating line, so no star score is shown. Review texts mention looks and a fiddly core screw. The listing calls the configuration a euro module and says screws and instructions are included. Gender of the coax contact is not stated, and neither is screening or isolation, so a metal face is not evidence of a screened joint. A question about a gasket is unanswered on the page. At 81 g and about 8.6 cm square it is the heavier BG option beside the moulded 960-0J. You would pick it to match a metal switch plate, and you would leave it if you need a stated female IEC or a review count you can compare.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Matching a metal BG switch plate on a TV or FM point where you already know the connector on the cable.
Less suitable: Anyone who needs a published star rating, a stated female IEC, or a screened class on the listing.
Specifications
Common questions
Can this metal plate be used for an FM aerial?
The bullets say it is used for a TV or FM coaxial aerial connection. A gasket is asked in the listing questions and not answered.
How deep a box does the NBS60-01 need?
The listing states a minimum mounting box depth of 25 mm. It also says the configuration is a euro module.
What is the amazon.co.uk star rating?
The stored listing has no average-rating line, so the rating is not stated. Review texts talk about looks and a fiddly core screw.
The Homiladi plate is a white 8.5 cm square TV and FM faceplate at about £5.59, listed at 40 g, with screws in the pack and a flame-retardant claim that does not name the material. The bullets say it fits standard back boxes. They do not give a minimum depth, so you cannot check it against a 25 mm or a 35 mm box from the page alone. Screening, isolation and connector gender are not stated. The stored listing has no star line and no review texts, which is why the score stays low despite a tidy size claim. Country of origin is given as China. It is only a candidate if you already know the cable, the gender and the box, and you accept that nobody on this listing has described the joint. At about £5.59 it sits well above the BG plate without adding a stated connector.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A spare white plate only if you have already measured the box and identified the cable.
Less suitable: A first aerial point, a weak signal, or any purchase that depends on other buyers’ fitting notes.
Specifications
Common questions
Will this Homiladi plate fit a standard back box?
The bullets say it fits standard back boxes and measures 8.5 x 8.5 cm. Depth is not stated.
Does it work for TV and radio?
The bullets say it is an aerial socket for TV and FM radio. Satellite and screening are not stated.
Are there UK reviews stored for this plate?
No review texts and no star line are stored for this listing, so fit and signal comments are not available.
The Whispern Cloud plate is a white plastic single at about £5.99 with two screws, and the bullets claim a match to common UK back boxes at a standard 86 mm fit. No review texts and no star line are stored for this listing, so that fit is only the seller’s sentence. A bullet says it works with most coax for TV, FM and satellite, and an F-connector is not named. Screening, isolation and box depth are not stated. The listing says no special tools are required, which covers the faceplate screws and does not cover a joint you have not stripped before. At 20 g it is light even for a moulded plate. Skip it until a review count exists, or until the page states female IEC and whether direct current can pass. The model code does not add a standard number you can look up as a screening class.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Only a measured 86 mm box where you already know the connector and you do not need reviews.
Less suitable: A dish, a masthead amplifier, or a buyer comparing plates by what other people found on fitting.
Specifications
Common questions
Does this plate claim a UK back box?
The bullets say it matches common UK back boxes and a standard 86 mm fit. Depth, screening and isolation are not stated.
Is it a satellite F-socket?
A bullet says it works with most coax for TV, FM and satellite. An F-connector is not named, so the satellite line is only that claim.
What tools does the listing say you need?
The bullets say two fixing screws and a standard size, and that no special tools are required. No reviews are stored for this listing.
The Voltrique pair is two white single plates at about £6.49, so about £3.25 each if both arrive usable, with fixing screws claimed and the same UK-back-box and flame-retardant lines as the single. The stored listing has no review summary and no review texts. The included-components line says two sockets, while the configuration field still says single, which means each plate is one outlet rather than a double. Screening and isolation are not stated, and the satellite bullet again does not name an F-connector. The weight cell lists 10 g, which is not a credible figure for two faceplates and should not be used when you compare it with the 40 g single. Buy the pair only when you need two identical points and you already know the connector from the cable in the wall. The single Voltrique listing, which does have reviews, includes a report of the socket breaking off, so the pair does not inherit a clean record.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Two matching TV points only if you already know the cable and you can return both plates.
Less suitable: A dish, a screened install, or a buy based on other people’s fitting notes for this exact pack.
Specifications
Common questions
How many plates are in this Voltrique pack?
The title and included-components line say two TV aerial sockets. The configuration field still says single, meaning each plate is a single outlet.
Is there a star rating?
The stored listing has no review summary and no review texts, so the rating is not stated.
Does the pack state screening?
No. The bullets claim flame-retardant plastic, UK back boxes, and TV, FM and satellite use, without an F-connector or a screening class.
The generic 86-type plate is about £5.99 in matte white plastic, with a flame-retardant claim and a bullet that the shell avoids yellowing, warping or cracking. There are no reviews stored for this listing to check that claim, and fixings are not stated. The same bullets say it matches common 86-size junction boxes and also give about 10 x 10 x 2 cm, which is larger than an 86 mm UK face, so the size line contradicts itself. Screening, isolation and an FM socket are not stated. Weight is listed at 20 g, origin China, and a 25 mm UK depth is not given. Leave it unless you can measure the plate against the box you already have, because the listing does not settle the size. A coaxial port is all the connector detail you get.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A box you have already measured, and only after the plate in your hand matches that opening.
Less suitable: Any TV or radio point where the listing has to be trusted for size, screws or connector gender.
Specifications
Common questions
Which back box does this 86-type plate claim?
The bullets say it matches common 86-size wall junction boxes and give about 10 x 10 x 2 cm. A UK 25 mm depth is not stated.
Does the listing claim it resists yellowing?
The bullet says the rigid plastic avoids yellowing, warping or cracking. No reviews are stored for this listing to check that claim.
Is screening stated?
No. The text says a coaxial port and a flame-retardant shell. It does not state screening, isolation or an FM socket.
Twelve amazon.co.uk listings were scored for this page. Weights sum to 100. Shelf prices, stars and review counts are the figures already stored for these ASINs. Screening and isolation score only when the listing states them. None of these twelve listings states EN 50083-2 or an isolation voltage, so those points are not added. A repeated mechanical fault, a specification field that contradicts the product, disputed screws, a satellite bullet with no F-connector, and an implausible listed weight sit outside the 100 as deductions. There was no lab test.
Star line
45%The published amazon.co.uk average sets the base. A 4.8 line starts higher than 4.5, 4.4, 4.1 or 3.9. No star line starts at the floor. This is the listing average, not a measured screening result.
Review count
25%500 or more reviews adds the most. 100–499 and 40–99 add less. A count of 20–39 adds a single point. 1–19 reviews, or no reviews at all, pulls the score down. A small sample cannot carry the star line alone.
Connector and back box
20%A female IEC named on the listing scores. A stated minimum box depth scores. A stated 86 mm UK face scores a smaller amount. Gender, screening and isolation that the page does not state stay blank.
Fixings, finish and origin
10%Fixings that are included and not disputed in reviews score. A metal plate, a flame-retardant claim, and United Kingdom as the stated country of origin add smaller points. A metal face is not treated as a screen.
The checks run in this order: connector and job, isolation, screening, box depth, then the evidence on the listing. The table is the twelve stored amazon.co.uk plates. None of them was measured for screening class or isolation voltage.
An aerial socket is the wall plate on the end of a television or radio downlead. In the UK that plate is usually a female IEC outlet on 75 ohm cable. It is not a BS 1363 mains socket. The checks below are the buying order: connector and job, isolation, screening, box depth, then the evidence on the listing. None of the plates in this comparison states EN 50083-2 or an isolation voltage, so those points are not assumed.
A bullet that says satellite on a single coaxial plate does not name an F-connector and does not prove that direct current can pass. A dish, an LNB and a remote eye need those facts on the listing. None of the twelve plates here states them.
If the listing does not say screened, do not treat the colour or a metal face as a screen. EN 50083-2 Class A is not stated on any plate in this set. One UK review of the BG 960-0J says that sample had no screen and no internal ground point.
A terminal screw can cut the copper if it is fully tightened, which one DRUT review describes. Braid left on the core, and a cable kinked in a shallow box, are fitting faults. Call a competent person for loft, roof or communal cable, a metal plate with no earth, or mains in the same box. Do not work on the aerial in a thunderstorm.
A house aerial wants a female IEC plate and a male-to-male fly-lead, because the television input is female too. In this table only the BG Electrical 960-0J names female IEC. The other rows say coaxial, or they leave the gender unstated. Satellite wants an F-connector. TIANXUAN, both Voltrique packs and Whispern Cloud mention satellite and do not name an F-connector, so that wording is not scored as a dish outlet. Isolation is separate.
BG specifies a minimum 25 mm box for the 960-0J, and the Nexus NBS60-01 states the same depth. A screened euro module can need 35 mm. Homiladi, Voltrique and Whispern Cloud claim a standard or 86 mm UK box and do not give a depth. The generic 86-type plate also says about 10 cm, which fights the 86 mm claim, so the size line is not trusted. Cablestar is a surface outlet: reviews describe a cable hole at the top, not a flush plate over a buried downlead.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You are swapping one plate on your own aerial and the picture is already strong. The BG Electrical 960-0J is the top pick at about £2.10, with 4.5 from 704 reviews, a female IEC connection and a 25 mm minimum box. Screening is not stated, and one UK review says that sample was unscreened.
A communal aerial or dish is the managing agent’s system. Isolated and non-isolated plates do different jobs, and none of these listings states isolation. Ask before you change the plate. The BG 960-0J only suits a like-for-like female IEC swap once that answer is clear.
A line-powered masthead amplifier, an LNB or a remote eye needs a direct-current path, and a dish wants an F-connector. None of these twelve listings states isolation or names an F-connector. Do not treat a satellite bullet as either fact. The BG 960-0J still does not state a DC path.
The top pick is the BG Electrical 960-0J at about £2.10, with 4.5 from 704 amazon.co.uk reviews. The listing names a female IEC connection for a TV or FM aerial and a 25 mm minimum back box, and the pack includes the fixing screws. Screening is not stated. One UK review says that sample had no screen and no internal ground point. Isolation and an F-connector are not stated. The best value is the XINXINGDINGSHENG faceplate at about £3.19, with 4.4 from 25 reviews. It is the cheapest unbranded plate here that still has a star line and at least 20 reviews. It costs more than the BG plate. Screening, isolation, connector gender and box depth are not stated.
XINXINGDINGSHENG faceplate
About £3.19 with 4.4 from 25 reviews. Cheapest unbranded plate in the set that still has a star line and at least 20 reviews. It costs more than the BG plate.
Editorial
Peter F. is the editor for DIY & tools at productscompared.co.uk. Comparisons in this category are checked against amazon.co.uk listings, review evidence and public UK sources.
Guides on what to look for, how to use a product, and common mistakes.
Sources taken from the research digest. Listings were scored on 22 October 2026. This page did not run a lab test. No plate here is claimed as EN 50083-2 Class A.
This article contains affiliate links. If you buy through these links we may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you. Prices, stars and review counts come from stored amazon.co.uk listings. We did not run a lab test.
