Need a lampholder for a hanging pendant? The choice comes down to three things: your bulb fitting, whether you're attaching a shade, and the style you want.
Lampfix stocks a wide range of cordgrip lampholders, from traditional brass and Bakelite to porcelain, wood and contemporary metal designs.
Here's how to find the right one.
What Is a Cordgrip Lampholder?
A cordgrip lampholder connects directly to the lighting flex rather than mounting onto a threaded tube or bracket.
The cordgrip secures the cable and provides strain relief, making it suitable for use as part of a properly designed hanging pendant.
Before choosing a lampholder, check:
Bulb fitting: ES/E27, SES/E14 or BC/B22.
Shade fitting: Smooth skirt for a bare bulb, or a suitable threaded skirt if you need to attach a shade.
Material and finish: Metal, plastic, porcelain or wood.
Cable compatibility: The flex must suit the cordgrip and the electrical requirements of the fitting.
If you're making a complete pendant, our guide to making a ceiling pendant light is a useful place to start.
Metalbrite ES Cordgrip Lampholders
Traditional solid brass, built for decorative lighting.
Our Metalbrite ES range is a popular choice for pendant manufacture and restoration. These solid-brass lampholders have ceramic inserts and come in a selection of finishes, including brass, antique brass, bronze, nickel and copper.
Choose between two versions:
Smooth skirt: For a visible E27 bulb without a shade attached to the lampholder.
Threaded skirt: For attaching a suitable shade using compatible locking rings.
The threaded version is generally used with shades having an approximately 40mm fixing opening.
Metalbrite metal lampholders have provision for protective earthing, which must be incorporated correctly into the finished fitting.
Metalbrite ES — Threaded Skirt
Decorative Knurled Metalbrite ES
For a pendant where the lampholder is part of the design.
Our 05986 Decorative Knurled ES Lampholder has a substantial machined-brass body with a distinctive knurled finish.
It's particularly effective with an oversized decorative E27 bulb.
This version is intended for a bare bulb rather than a lampshade.
View Decorative Knurled Lampholder
Scandi ES Cordgrip Lampholders
A natural wood finish for simple pendants.
The Scandi range has a real wooden outer cover, available in natural, limed and dark finishes.
These E27 holders work well with braided lighting flex and are a useful alternative when you don't want a metal or plastic finish.
They're designed for bare-bulb pendants rather than supporting a shade directly.
View Scandi ES Cordgrip Lampholders
Gloss Porcelain ES Cordgrip Lampholders
Colourful porcelain holders for visible-bulb pendants.
Our gloss porcelain E27 holders come in a range of colours, including black, white, blue, red, green and orange.
They work particularly well with contrasting braided flex.
These are bare-bulb lampholders. The lower decorative section isn't a shade-retaining ring, so they're not intended to support a lampshade.
Porcelain can chip or crack if handled roughly, so care is needed during assembly.
View Gloss Porcelain Lampholders
Continental ES Cordgrip Lampholders
A straightforward option for everyday pendant assemblies.
Our Continental E27 range is available in simple plastic designs, with several skirt options.
Smooth skirt: For a bare bulb.
Threaded skirt: For a compatible shade secured with locking rings.
Threaded skirt with shoulder: The built-in shoulder supports the shade, normally allowing it to be secured with one locking ring.
These are useful when you need a practical pendant lampholder without the weight or appearance of a traditional brass model.
Continental ES — Threaded Skirt
Continental ES — Threaded Skirt with Shoulder
Metalbrite BC Cordgrip Lampholders
Traditional brass holders for British bayonet-cap bulbs.
Our Metalbrite BC range takes B22 bulbs and offers the familiar appearance of a traditional metal pendant lampholder.
The solid-brass construction and choice of finishes make these useful for both new lighting and restoration work.
They're designed for suitable shade fittings, using the appropriate retaining arrangement.
If you're replacing an existing BC lampholder, check the shade opening and mounting arrangement rather than choosing by bulb fitting alone.
View Metalbrite BC Cordgrip Lampholders
Bakelite BC Cordgrip Lampholders
A familiar, practical choice for traditional pendants.
Bakelite-style BC lampholders have been used in British lighting for generations.
Our range includes black and white versions suitable for B22 bulbs. The removable lower skirt provides the shade-retaining arrangement on compatible fittings.
They're useful for replacing damaged holders in traditional pendants or making a straightforward new assembly.
View Bakelite BC Cordgrip Lampholders
Metalbrite SES Cordgrip Lampholders
Smaller brass lampholders for E14 bulbs.
If a standard E27 holder looks too large, the Metalbrite SES range offers a slimmer option.
These take E14 bulbs and come in smooth and threaded-skirt versions.
Choose a smooth skirt for a bare bulb or a threaded skirt when you need to attach a compatible shade. The threaded versions are commonly used with shades having an approximately 30mm fixing opening.
View Metalbrite SES Threaded-Skirt Lampholders
Slimline ES and SES Cordgrip Lampholders
A neater, more contemporary metal finish.
Our Slimline range uses a compact internal lampholder inside a metal outer cover.
Available in E27 and E14 versions, these are a good choice where you want a simple cylindrical appearance rather than a traditional exposed brass holder.
Finishes include black, white, nickel, copper and other metal effects.
They're intended for bare-bulb applications, not for supporting a shade directly.
View Slimline ES Cordgrip Lampholders
Transparent SES Cordgrip Lampholder
An unusual clear holder for an E14 pendant.
Our 05970 Transparent SES Cordgrip Lampholder has a clear body that exposes the internal construction.
It works particularly well with transparent flex and can also accept a compatible shade ring on its threaded skirt.
This is a specialist option, so check the product page for current availability.
View Transparent SES Lampholder
Attaching a Lampshade: Smooth or Threaded Skirt?
This is one of the most important differences between cordgrip lampholders.
A smooth-skirt lampholder normally won't hold a shade directly.
A threaded-skirt lampholder has external threads for compatible shade rings. Two rings are normally used to clamp a shade in place, although a holder with a built-in shoulder may need only one.
Common shade openings are approximately:
40mm: Often used with ES/E27 holders.
29–30mm: Often used with BC/B22 and some SES/E14 holders.
These sizes aren't universal. Check the actual shade opening and the lampholder's skirt before ordering.
What About the Weight of the Pendant?
Don't assume that every cordgrip can support the same weight.
The safe arrangement depends on the lampholder, cordgrip, cable, shade and ceiling fixing. A heavy shade may need separate mechanical support rather than relying on the flex.
The electrical construction also matters. Metal components requiring protective earth must be connected appropriately, and all parts must be suitable for the lamp's electrical and temperature ratings.
Always follow the relevant product specifications. Electrical assembly, alterations and testing should be carried out by a suitably competent person.
Not Sure Which Cordgrip Lampholder You Need?
If you're replacing an existing holder, check its bulb fitting, skirt type and cable arrangement.
If you're making a new pendant, start with the bulb and shade you want to use, then choose a suitable lampholder and finish.
We stock a wide range of pendant lampholders, including less common types. If you're unsure what fits, send us a photo or the relevant dimensions and we'll help you identify the right part.