Circuit Breakers Price Comparison 2026
Compare 446 circuit breakers from ABB, Schneider Electric, Legrand & more. Find the best price from 11 £ across leading UK electrical suppliers.
Circuit breakers sit at the heart of every electrical installation — residential consumer units, commercial distribution boards, and industrial control panels alike. What's striking when you look across the 446 products we track is how wide the price spread actually is: from 11 £ for a basic single-pole MCB up to 156 £ for high-specification moulded case circuit breakers designed for demanding industrial environments. That gap isn't arbitrary — it reflects genuine differences in breaking capacity, pole configuration, and trip characteristic type.
ABB dominates this catalogue with the largest product count, and their miniature circuit breakers consistently sit at competitive price points. Schneider Electric's iC60 and Acti9 ranges are a favourite among electrical contractors for their reliability and broad accessory ecosystem. Legrand, meanwhile, commands a higher average price — their DX³ series is well regarded for selective coordination in complex panel builds. Eaton stands out as the value play: a solid average price well below the market mean, without sacrificing IEC 60898-1 compliance or build quality.
Choosing the wrong breaker isn't just an inconvenience — it's a safety risk. A Type B MCB installed on a circuit with high inrush currents (motor loads, transformers) will nuisance-trip constantly. Conversely, a Type D breaker on a standard lighting circuit offers no meaningful advantage and may fail to protect against genuine overloads at the expected speed. Our circuit breaker accessories section covers the add-ons — auxiliary contacts, shunt trips, and DIN rail hardware — that complete a professional installation.
Breaking capacity is the spec most buyers overlook. A 4.5kA Icn rating is perfectly adequate for a domestic consumer unit far from the supply transformer, but in a commercial premises or close to the main incomer, you'll want 10kA or higher. Pair that with the right number of poles — 1P for single-phase branch circuits, 3P or 4P for three-phase distribution — and you've covered the fundamentals. For installations where earth leakage protection is also required, our surge protectors and RCD-related categories are worth a look alongside. If upstream fuse protection is part of your design, the safety fuses section covers HRC and cartridge options from the same brands.
Prices across retailers vary more than you'd expect for what looks like a commodity product. We regularly see the same ABB or Schneider reference listed at meaningfully different prices across electrical wholesalers, trade counters, and online marketplaces. Comparing before you buy — especially on multi-pole or higher-rated MCCBs where the price differential can be significant — is straightforwardly worth the two minutes it takes.
How to Choose the Right Circuit Breaker
With 446 references spanning everything from a 6A single-pole MCB to a 125A moulded case breaker with electronic trip, the choice can feel overwhelming. The good news: once you've nailed four key parameters — rated current, trip characteristic, breaking capacity, and pole count — the shortlist writes itself. Here's how to work through them.
Rated Current (Amperage)
This is the non-negotiable starting point. The rated current must match the design current of the circuit it protects — not the connected load, but the cable's current-carrying capacity. Common residential values are 6A (lighting), 16A (sockets), 32A (cooker or shower). Going too high means the breaker won't trip before the cable overheats; going too low means nuisance tripping under normal load. If you're sizing for a three-phase motor or distribution board, work from the calculated design current and apply a diversity factor where appropriate.
Trip Characteristic: B, C, or D?
This is where most specification errors happen. Type B trips instantaneously at 3–5× rated current — ideal for resistive loads like lighting and heating circuits in domestic properties. Type C trips at 5–10× rated current, making it the standard choice for mixed commercial loads, small motors, and fluorescent lighting with ballasts. Type D (10–20×) is reserved for equipment with very high inrush currents: transformers, large motors, welding equipment. Fitting a Type C where a Type B suffices isn't dangerous, but it does reduce fault protection speed. Fitting a Type B on a motor circuit will cause constant nuisance trips.
Breaking Capacity (Icn)
Breaking capacity — expressed in kA — tells you the maximum prospective short-circuit current (PSCC) the breaker can safely interrupt. You need to know the PSCC at the point of installation, which depends on your distance from the supply transformer and the impedance of the supply network. For most domestic consumer units, 6kA is sufficient. Commercial premises near a substation may require 10kA. Industrial sites close to the main incomer can demand 25kA or more — this is where MCCBs from Schneider Electric or Siemens come in, at a significantly higher price point. Undersizing breaking capacity is a serious safety hazard; the breaker may fail catastrophically under fault conditions.
Number of Poles
Single-pole (1P) breakers protect one live conductor and are standard for branch circuits in single-phase installations. Double-pole (2P) protects both live and neutral — required for certain appliance circuits and mandatory in some TT earthing systems. Three-pole (3P) and four-pole (4P) breakers are for three-phase distribution: 3P for three-phase without neutral, 4P where the neutral must also be switched or protected. Getting this wrong isn't just a compliance issue — a 1P breaker on a circuit that requires 2P switching leaves the neutral live even when the breaker is open.
Selective Coordination in Cascaded Installations
In any installation with more than one tier of protection — a main incomer breaker feeding sub-distribution boards, for example — selective coordination determines which breaker trips first. Without it, a fault on a branch circuit can trip the entire installation. Achieving selectivity requires careful matching of trip curves and time delays between upstream and downstream devices. Legrand's DX³ and Schneider's Acti9 ranges both publish selectivity tables to simplify this. For straightforward domestic consumer units, this isn't a concern; for commercial or industrial panel design, it's essential.
Certification and Standards Compliance
All circuit breakers sold in the UK for fixed electrical installations must comply with IEC/EN 60898-1 (for MCBs) or IEC/EN 60947-2 (for MCCBs). Products from ABB, Schneider Electric, Legrand, Eaton, and Hager all meet these standards — but always verify the datasheet, particularly for products sourced outside normal trade channels. Non-compliant breakers are not only a safety risk but also a liability issue for any certified electrician signing off the installation. The BSI Kitemark is an additional quality indicator worth looking for on domestic-grade products.
- Entry-level MCBs (From 11 £ to 21 £) : Single-pole miniature circuit breakers from ABB, Legrand, and Eaton dominate this range. You'll find Type B and Type C MCBs rated 6A to 32A, typically with 6kA breaking capacity — perfectly adequate for domestic consumer unit work. Eaton and ABB offer particularly strong value here. Don't expect auxiliary contact options or high breaking capacity at this price point, but for straightforward residential circuits, there's no need to spend more.
- The sweet spot for trade use (From 21 £ to 33 £) : This is where most professional electricians shop for commercial and light industrial work. Schneider Electric's Acti9 iC60 series and Hager's MCB range sit comfortably here, offering 10kA breaking capacity, broader current ratings, and compatibility with auxiliary contacts. Good balance of specification and cost for distribution board builds.
- Multi-pole and higher-rated MCBs (From 33 £ to 79 £) : Three-pole and four-pole MCBs, higher-rated single-pole units (63A–125A), and entry-level MCCBs occupy this band. Legrand's DX³ 3P models and Schneider Electric's multi-pole Acti9 units are typical. Suitable for three-phase sub-distribution, commercial panel builds, and installations requiring selective coordination. Siemens also appears here with robust industrial-grade options.
- Industrial MCCBs and specialist breakers (Over 79 £) : Moulded case circuit breakers with high breaking capacity (25kA+), electronic trip units, and advanced protection functions. Siemens, Schneider Electric (Compact NSX), and APC's specialist units sit at the top end. These are specified by panel builders and M&E engineers for main incomer protection, motor control centres, and critical infrastructure. APC's average of over £800 reflects highly specialised UPS and data centre protection equipment.
Top products
- ABB S201-C20 circuit breaker Miniature circuit breaker Type C 1 (ABB) : The benchmark single-pole MCB for commercial circuits — Type C at 20A, IEC-compliant, and priced sharply. Excellent for socket and mixed-load circuits; overkill for a simple lighting ring.
- Legrand 410725 circuit breaker (Legrand) : The most-listed product in this catalogue and for good reason — Legrand's DX³ MCBs are a staple of commercial panel builds. Solid build quality, but you're paying a brand premium over equivalent ABB or Eaton units.
- Schneider Electric A9F94210 (Schneider Electric) : Part of the Acti9 iC60N range — one of the most specified MCBs in UK commercial electrical work. Strong accessory compatibility (auxiliary contacts, shunt trips) makes it ideal for managed installations. Not the cheapest, but the ecosystem justifies it.
- ABB 2CDS252001R0165 circuit breaker Miniature circuit breaker (ABB) : A two-pole ABB MCB at a mid-range price — good value for double-pole switching requirements in TT earthing systems or appliance circuits. Reliable trip mechanism; less glamorous than Schneider's Acti9 but does the job without fuss.
- Schneider Electric LV429070 circuit breaker 3 (Schneider Electric) : A three-pole unit stepping into MCCB territory — the right tool for three-phase sub-distribution in commercial or light industrial settings. Pricier than the MCB options, but the breaking capacity and adjustable protection justify the spend for the right application. Don't buy this for a domestic job.
Related categories
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between a Type B and Type C circuit breaker?
Type B breakers trip instantaneously at 3–5 times their rated current; Type C breakers trip at 5–10 times rated current. In practice, Type B is the right choice for standard domestic circuits — lighting, sockets, and heating — where loads are predominantly resistive. Type C is used where equipment produces a brief inrush current on start-up, such as fluorescent lighting with magnetic ballasts, small motors, or mixed commercial loads. Fitting a Type C on a purely resistive domestic circuit isn't dangerous, but it does mean the breaker will tolerate a higher fault current before tripping instantaneously, which slightly reduces protection speed.
How do I know what breaking capacity (kA) I need?
You need to know the prospective short-circuit current (PSCC) at the point of installation — this is determined by your distance from the supply transformer and the impedance of the supply network. For most domestic properties, 6kA is sufficient. Commercial premises, particularly those close to a substation or with a large supply capacity, typically require 10kA. If you're unsure, your DNO (Distribution Network Operator) can provide the declared PSCC at your supply point. Never fit a breaker with a lower breaking capacity than the measured PSCC — under a fault condition, it can fail explosively.
Can I replace a circuit breaker myself, or does it need a qualified electrician?
In the UK, replacing a circuit breaker in a consumer unit is notifiable work under Part P of the Building Regulations, which means it must be carried out by a competent person — typically a registered electrician. While the physical task isn't complex, working inside a live consumer unit carries serious risks, and incorrect specification (wrong amperage, trip type, or breaking capacity) can create a fire or shock hazard. For commercial or industrial installations, the requirement for a qualified person is even more clear-cut. Always use a registered electrician and ensure the work is certified.
Are cheap, unbranded circuit breakers worth the risk?
No — and this is one area where we'd actively advise against cutting corners. Unbranded or counterfeit circuit breakers are a well-documented problem in the UK market, particularly on general marketplace platforms. They may carry false CE markings and fail to trip under fault conditions, or fail catastrophically under short-circuit. The price difference between a genuine ABB or Eaton MCB and a dubious alternative is often just a few pounds — not worth the risk to life and property. Stick to recognised brands (ABB, Schneider Electric, Legrand, Eaton, Hager, Siemens) and buy from reputable electrical wholesalers or trade suppliers.
What does 'selective coordination' mean, and do I need it?
Selective coordination means that in a cascaded installation, only the breaker closest to the fault trips — leaving the rest of the installation live. For a simple domestic consumer unit feeding a single property, it's not a concern. For commercial or industrial installations with main incomers feeding sub-boards, it's essential: without it, a fault on one branch circuit can black out the entire building. Achieving selectivity requires careful matching of trip curves between upstream and downstream devices — Legrand and Schneider Electric both publish selectivity tables for their ranges to make this straightforward.
What's the difference between an MCB and an MCCB?
An MCB (Miniature Circuit Breaker) is a compact, DIN rail-mounted device typically rated up to 125A with a moulded-in trip mechanism — it's what you'll find in domestic consumer units and light commercial distribution boards. An MCCB (Moulded Case Circuit Breaker) is physically larger, rated from around 16A up to 1000A or more, and offers higher breaking capacity, adjustable trip settings, and optional electronic trip units. MCCBs are used as main incomers on commercial and industrial installations. The price difference is significant: MCBs start from 11 £, while MCCBs can reach 156 £ for high-specification industrial units.
Do circuit breakers in 2026 need to comply with any new UK standards post-Brexit?
As of 2026, the UK continues to recognise IEC/EN 60898-1 for MCBs and IEC/EN 60947-2 for MCCBs — these standards haven't changed materially since Brexit. Products bearing the UKCA mark (the UK's post-Brexit equivalent of CE) are compliant for UK market placement, though many manufacturers still dual-mark products with both CE and UKCA. For practical purposes, products from established brands like ABB, Schneider Electric, and Legrand that were compliant before Brexit remain fully compliant. Always verify the datasheet for the specific product reference rather than relying on brand reputation alone.