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Picking the right cable can feel like choosing the right pair of shoes—get it wrong and the whole job becomes uncomfortable, inefficient, or even dangerous. Whether you're fitting a satellite, wiring a downlight, or running control lines to machinery, the cable you choose affects performance, longevity, and safety. In the UK market you'll find everything from thin braided twin-core for decorative lighting to heavy-duty multi-core industrial cable. Let’s walk through the brands, suppliers, and practical tips so you buy with confidence.
The UK market is packed with reputable names. Some specialise in industrial-grade cable, others focus on consumer and decorative wiring. Below I highlight suppliers and brands mentioned in the product lists you’ll see when comparing options online, plus a few useful UK retailers to check for competitive pricing and stock.
Expert Electrical is known for stocking a broad selection of technical items and specialist cables. If you need branded cable markers, multi-core power lines, or more unusual cable types, vendors like this often carry both standard and hard-to-find rolls. Expect pro-focused listings and technical data sheets that help you match cable specs to the job.
Doncaster Cables is a household name in the UK for domestic and commercial cabling. They supply everything from small twin-and-earth runs to flexible low-smoke halogen-free (LSNH) cords. Products often come on handy reels and are ideal for electricians needing reliable, well-documented cable for building work or retrofits.
LAPP produces high-quality industrial cable designed for motors, control cabinets, and automation. Their Olflex range and multi-core cables are resilient, flexible, and engineered for demanding environments. If the job involves continuous movement or a confined machine cabinet, LAPP is a brand worth considering.
Deta’s RG6 satellite coaxial cable is a common choice for TV and satellite installations. Coax designed for satellite reception needs a solid copper conductor and careful shielding to keep signal loss low—look for RG6 that comes on a full reel if you’re running long runs to several rooms.
For exposed lighting or downlight-style finishes you might like braided or twisted twin-core cables in colourful finishes. Brands like Glorelle and Luxuria produce stylish 82-foot rolls and single-foot sections in shades like red-and-white, beige, purple, and more. These make it easy to match the wiring to a visible fixture’s aesthetic.
Cablecraft supplies finishing items such as heat-shrink tubing in various diameters and colours. Heat-shrink keeps joints tidy and provides insulation and strain relief—especially useful around connectors and outdoor splice points.
Turck supplies ready-made sensor cables with M12 connectors and pre-wired terminations—great for industrial sensors, proximity switches, and simple plug-and-play installations. If you need a 16.4-foot sensor lead with an M12 connector, these pre-assembled cables save time and reduce wiring errors.
Understanding cable types will help you shop smarter. Below are the most common varieties for domestic, AV, lighting, and industrial work.
Coaxial cable like RG6 is designed to carry high-frequency signals with minimal loss. A typical 328-foot reel is useful for running cables from a satellite dish into a house, or distributing a signal to multiple rooms. When you need long runs, choose a coax with a copper conductor and solid shielding to preserve signal quality.
Multi-core cables are labelled by the number of conductors and the conductor diameter. For example, a 7-core cable with roughly 0.098-inch conductors suits complex control panels and motor connections. For most domestic lighting circuits, twin-and-earth or 4-core flexible variants are common.
Sensor and control cables tend to be lower-voltage, shielded, and often come with connectors like M12 or screw terminations. Ready-made sensor leads are available in common lengths like 16.4 feet, offering fast installation and reliable connectivity in factories and workshops.
Choosing correctly requires balancing electrical specs, mechanical needs, and installation realities. Think of cable selection as a three-legged stool—voltage/current capacity, environmental resistance, and mechanical flexibility must all be balanced.
Power circuits need cables rated for the current they’ll carry—use thicker conductors for higher loads. For TV and satellite, coax is the standard. For visible light fixtures, braided twin-core gives a vintage look while maintaining function. Don’t mix types; each has a purpose.
Conductor diameter governs how much current a cable can safely carry. If a product lists 1.5 mm conductor size, that’s roughly 0.059 inches in diameter—suitable for many lighting circuits. Larger work or appliance feeds will require thicker cores. Also note insulation type: low-smoke, halogen-free jackets are increasingly specified for public buildings.
If your cable must bend around tight corners or thread through a conduit, pick a flexible cable. LAPP’s Olflex lines are built for movement, while rigid power cable is better for fixed runs. Always think about the space you’ll route the cable through—bulkier cables need bigger conduits and glands.
Shopping for cable in the UK blends online convenience with the need to check technical details. Here are practical tips I use when comparing suppliers and reels.
Cables are commonly sold in reels like 328-foot or 82-foot lengths, or in single-foot samples for decorative runs. Measure twice and order a little extra for error and future changes. If you need a 3.3-foot patch cable for a visible pendant, buying a single-foot pre-cut or having a supplier cut to length saves money and reduces scrap.
Price matters, but the technical data sheet tells you whether a cable is fit for purpose. Look for conductor material, shielding, voltage rating, temperature range, and compliance marks. A cheap reel with poor shielding will cost you in signal loss or interference.
Good suppliers label reels clearly with length in feet, conductor size, and intended use. This sounds obvious, but I’ve seen reels with unclear labels that made measuring and matching to job specs a chore. Buy from retailers that display clear product photos and specification tables.
There are several channels for buying cables—each has pros and cons depending on need and urgency.
Suppliers like City Electrical Factors (CEF) and Screwfix cater to tradespeople and often carry a broad selection of building wiring, flexible cable, and accessories. They’re useful when you need something quickly or prefer to see product examples in person.
Online vendors and electrical wholesalers offer huge catalogues: RS Components, Farnell, Cables Direct, and Doncaster’s online store are good examples. These sites let you filter by conductor size, shielding, and length. For specialist brands like LAPP or Turck, authorised distributors often provide the full technical documentation you’ll need.
Retailers such as Amazon UK and larger hardware chains carry common cables and branded reels. They’re convenient for household runs and decorative cables. For technical or industrial projects I typically cross-check specs with a specialist distributor to be sure.
Proper installation is as important as choosing the right cable. Even the best cable can fail if it’s misused, pinched, or installed near heat sources or electromagnetic interference.
Support and secure cables every few feet to prevent sagging. Use appropriate cable clips and avoid sharp bends; a cable’s bend radius should rarely be compressed to avoid conductor and insulation stress. For visible braided cables, consider decorative clips that match the fixture style.
After installation, test circuits for continuity, insulation resistance, and, where relevant, signal integrity. Use a proper tester or hire a professionally qualified electrician for mains work. For AV installations, test signal strength at the furthest outlet to ensure the coax or shielded cable is performing as expected.
Sustainability is growing in the electrical trade. Several UK suppliers now offer cables with recycled copper contents or reduced plastic use in packaging. If you’re running a large commercial job, ask suppliers about eco-conscious lines and take-back programs for leftover cable reels to reduce waste.
To bring the options into focus, here are product types pulled from typical UK listings and what they’re best for.
Simple but important: cable markers help you identify runs in a panel or junction box. Hellermann markers sized for small conductors are a small investment that saves hours when tracing faults later on.
A full-length RG6 reel is great when you plan multiple runs or need to snake cable through walls. Deta’s offering is a good balance of price and performance for domestic satellite and terrestrial TV installations.
Pre-wired M12 sensor leads speed up factory installations and reduce wiring errors. Buying a handful of common lengths—like 16.4 feet—covers most machine layouts.
LAPP cables are my go-to when flexibility and toughness matter. Their multi-core lines come in useful sizes for control panels and motor connections, while Olflex handles repeated movement well.
For visible fixture wiring, braided twin-core cables in decorative colours transform a plain pendant into a design feature. Rolls of about 82 feet or single-foot sections let you match quantity to job scale.
Before you click buy, here’s a quick checklist to make sure you’ve covered the essentials: match cable type to application, verify conductor size and material, confirm insulation and temperature rating, buy a little extra length for contingencies, and keep the technical data sheet for reference. If in doubt on mains wiring or anything involving protective devices, consult a qualified electrician.
There’s a lot to consider when buying cable, but thinking ahead makes installation smoother and keeps systems reliable. Whether you’re after a 328-foot RG6 reel for a satellite install, a 16.4-foot M12 sensor lead for a shop floor, or decorative braided twin-core for a living room pendant, the UK market has the right products. Check specs, compare suppliers, and buy with confidence—your future self (and your circuits) will thank you.
Conclusion: With the right knowledge and the right supplier, choosing cables becomes straightforward. Prioritise fit-for-purpose specs, convert the measurements to the units you use on site, and invest in slightly better quality where reliability matters most. That approach will save time, frustration, and cost over the long run.
