Search for “buy E27 lamp holder” and you'll quickly land on twenty variants that differ only in small details – but it's exactly those details that decide whether the lamp holder fits your bulb, your shade and your ceiling rose. Here are the seven questions to settle before you order.
Which base: E27, E14 or GU10
E27 is the standard base for most pendant lights, globe bulbs and classic bulb shapes – 27 mm in diameter, the "E" stands for Edison screw. E14 is the small version (14 mm), typical for candle shapes, small shades or bedside lights with little space. GU10 isn't a screw base but a push-fit system with two pins, common in spotlights and recessed lights but rare in DIY pendant lights. For building your own fabric cable pendant light, E27 is almost always the right choice, because that's where the interesting bulbs such as globe or filament bulbs are available. You'll find matching bulbs in the light bulb collection, and globe shapes specifically under Globe bulbs.
Material: metal, porcelain, Bakelite, wood, silicone
Metal lamp holders (brass, copper, black-painted aluminium) are sturdy but conduct electricity if a fault occurs – so they must have a protective earth (PE) and a 3-core cable. Porcelain lamp holders are non-conductive and heat-resistant, so they don't need an earth connection. They look more fragile, but in everyday use they rarely are – porcelain handles more heat than any other lamp holder material. Bakelite is the historic synthetic resin predecessor, usually in black or brown, vintage in look and also non-conductive. Wooden lamp holders are a special variant with a natural look and, because wood is flammable, need enough distance from the bulb (no full-spectrum halogen – LED is a must here). Silicone lamp holders are flexible and water-repellent, which makes them the first choice for festoon lights and outdoor use. For a typical living-room pendant light, the choice usually comes down to metal (cool, industrial) or porcelain (warm, understated) – you'll find both sorted under Metal lamp holders and Porcelain lamp holders, and E27 lamp holders gives you an overview of all bases and materials.
Protection class and when the earth connection is mandatory
Lamp holders without exposed metal parts (porcelain, Bakelite, plastic) count as protection class II and don't need an earth connection – a 2-core fabric cable (2x0.75 mm²) is enough. Lamp holders with touchable metal (open metal lamp holders, metal lamp holders without a continuous insulating sleeve) require protection class I: a 3-core cable (3x0.75 mm²) with the PE connected through to the designated screw terminal on the lamp holder. If the packaging says nothing about it, look at the lamp holder itself: if you can touch metal from the outside without a plastic or porcelain sleeve in between, it's protection class I. If in doubt, buy and wire 3-core rather than retrofitting later.
Shade ring: yes or no
A shade ring (also shade holder) is a threaded ring on the lamp holder that a lampshade can be screwed or clamped into, without the shade resting on the bulb itself. For exposed lamp holders without a shade, you can do without it. As soon as you're planning a shade from the lampshade collection, a lamp holder with a shade ring is worth it – usually on an E27 thread with 39/40 mm or as a clamp ring for smaller shades. Before buying, check that the shade you want fits the ring size of the lamp holder, otherwise it wobbles or doesn't fit at all.
Lamp holder with switch
Some lamp holders have a built-in pull or rotary switch right on the body – handy for plug-in lights without a separate cable switch, but impractical for pendant lights switched from the wall switch, because you'd then need two switching points. For a classic ceiling pendant light, a lamp holder without a switch is enough; it's switched via the ceiling wiring. For plug-in lights, a switch right on the cable is often the better solution than one on the lamp holder, because it stays within reach when the light hangs high – matching switches and plugs are under Switches and plugs.
Don't forget strain relief
Every good lamp holder has its own strain relief in the base of the holder – usually two small clamping screws or a clamping plate that grip the cable before the cores reach the actual terminals. Without a tightened strain relief, the solder joint or terminal ends up carrying the weight of the cable, and that loosens over the months. When wiring, close the strain relief first, then connect the cores to L, N (and PE), and finally give the cable a short, firm tug: it mustn't move.
Lamp holder, cable and ceiling rose as a kit
If you don't want to hunt down every part individually, you'll find matching combinations of lamp holder, cable and ceiling rose in the ready-made kits – useful as a starting point, even if you end up swapping in a different lamp holder. The quickest way, though, is the configurator: there you choose the base, material and colour of the lamp holder together with the cable and ceiling rose, and immediately see how the combination looks as a finished light.