Legrand, through its Pass & Seymour product line, brought the first GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter) receptacle to market in 1972, revolutionizing electrical safety. While Professor Charles Dalziel patented the technology in 1965, Legrand commercialized it for residential use to detect faults and prevent electrocution. They continue to expand their role as a global leader in electrical and digital building infrastructures, with 160 years of innovation behind them. To explore their latest developments and innovations, I recently spoke with Legrand Senior Product Manager Rachael Rich.
Steve: Let’s start with Legrand’s new EV charging solutions. That’s been a category amazingly overlooked by the industry for way too long.
Racheal: Absolutely. Vehicle charging, especially as EV adoption accelerates, has relied on outlets originally designed for electric ovens! That’s what’s been specified to power EV chargers in garages. This practice can create safety risks because EV charging places sustained loads on outlets and cables, introduces heat buildup, and involves heavier plugs that stress connections over time. Legrand’s new EV-rated outlet is designed specifically to address these challenges. Engineered for the unique demands of continuous EV charging, the outlet anticipates upcoming regulatory changes and aligns with new provisions in the 2026 National Electrical Code, which will require EV-specific UL-rated outlets. Planned for a mid-year launch, Legrand’s EV Outlet solution is designed to help contractors and homeowners adopt safer practices ahead of formal code enforcement.
With EV charging infrastructure still evolving, the market has been a “Wild West”, where proper installation practices are still catching up to technology adoption. Our training resources, such as installation guides and instructional videos, play a crucial role in helping contractors complete jobs correctly the first time, positioning them to guide the transition toward safer, code-compliant home electrification.
Steve: Legrand’s EV product design and commitment to safety appears to build on the company’s legacy.
Racheal: Exactly. Legrand is committed to exceed expectations on everything we do from product design, selection options, and installation support. For electrical professionals, reliability and compliance are more than technical considerations, and each step of this process directly impacts profitability.
Why? Because contractors receive payment after an installation passes inspection. And since callbacks to fix issues can quickly erode profit margins, Legrand’s products are designed and engineered to surpass code.
Steve: Kitchen electrical code updates are more than just evolving. What is Legrand doing to help electricians get in front of evolving code revisions?
Racheal: Modern kitchens are placing greater electrical demands on homes than ever before. With the proliferation of countertop appliances, charging devices, and smart kitchen technology, electrical infrastructure must be designed to safely support higher loads and more continuous usage. Central to the growing importance of enhanced protection requirements in kitchen environments, building codes increasingly emphasize the use of safety devices such as Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) protection, which helps prevent electrical shock in areas where water and electricity may come into contact. Legrand is responding by designing outlets and devices that not only meet code requirements but exceed testing standards set by organizations such as UL Solutions.
The National Electrical Code continues to evolve in response to changing appliance usage and safety expectations. Updated provisions are aimed at improving protection across kitchen countertop circuits and ensuring electrical devices are tested for real-world conditions rather than only laboratory benchmarks.
We embrace our network of electricians who recognize the challenges of stricter safety standards, their need and reliance on forward-looking product design, improved installer education, and they look to Legrand as a manufacturer with electrical expertise to ensure that modern kitchens remain both functional and safe.
Steve: Talk about kitchen power outlets and the integration of USB-C high-wattage support.
Racheal: The 2023 National Electrical Code is reshaping the way outlets are designed and installed in modern kitchens. One of the most significant updates affects outlets on kitchen islands and peninsulas. Traditional side-mounted receptacles, common in kitchens built just a decade ago, are no longer permitted in many cases under current code guidelines. The change is intended to improve safety and reduce hazards such as cords hanging from countertops where children could pull on appliances or charging cables.
These new requirements are creating additional coordination challenges for electricians. Installers must now work more closely with cabinet makers and countertop fabricators to ensure outlets are properly integrated into the kitchen design. The process can involve precise placement, drilling and finishing, making planning and communication across trades more critical than ever.
To address these challenges, Legrand has developed a new countertop outlet solution specifically designed to meet current code requirements while minimizing disruption to cabinetry and overall kitchen aesthetics. The product features one of the smallest core-hole sizes on the market, allowing it to fit into countertops without extensive redesign or specialized cutting. Its modular electrical design also simplifies installation, reducing the need for electricians to work in tight spaces beneath cabinets and helping prevent costly callbacks.
Beyond outlet placement, another growing issue in modern kitchens is USB charging performance. As smartphones, tablets, Bluetooth speakers and other devices demand higher charging speeds, low-powered USB ports can result in slow charging or error messages. Advanced outlets that support higher wattage and modern charging standards help ensure compatibility with today’s devices and deliver faster, more reliable charging experiences.
This is why Legrand has introduced several USB-C PD high wattage support options to choose from. Our best power outlets support 65W (watt) USB charging to best address today’s real-world demands. And most importantly, the need to charge more than one device. Lesser designs do not support multiple device high speed charging.
Steve: How does Legrand support electricians on the aesthetics side of the equation so they can be better partners to the interior design community?
Racheal: Meeting code and surpassing all the technical specifications are important, but the edge Legrand offers electricians is a tool for selecting the various adorne® series of designer wall plate solutions that help electricians streamline their customers’ decision-making process. Simply put, the electrician recommends the outlet based on charging needs, then integrates a room-matching wall plate. What it looks like installed supports this decision-making process by presenting Legrand’s offerings of colors, textures and the ability to match with wallpaper; totally customized to meet a customer’s aesthetic needs.
This is a game changer. Imagine an electrician using Legrand’s room-by-room planning tool that documents the room, the outlet choice counts, and the desired wall plate design solution for each outlet configuration. Saves time, supports decision making and accurate ordering counts.
Steve: Talk about Legrand’s lighting category.
Racheal: As homes become more connected and design-driven, lighting is increasingly viewed not just as a utility, but as an integral part of the overall living experience. Our approach focuses on blending performance, safety and aesthetics, principles that have long defined the company’s electrical product portfolio. With decades of expertise in wiring devices, controls and power distribution, the company is leveraging that foundation to deliver lighting solutions that integrate seamlessly into modern homes while meeting rigorous safety and regulatory standards. Today’s homeowners and designers want fixtures and controls that are visually minimal while still delivering sophisticated functionality. Legrand’s lighting offerings are designed with this balance in mind, emphasizing clean form factors, intuitive controls, and compatibility with contemporary smart home environments.
Legrand offers a dual approach to smart lighting, designed to serve both simple consumer applications and more comprehensive whole-home control systems. We support Smart Lighting with Netatmo, Legrand’s wireless mesh-based lighting control platform. Because devices communicate through a mesh network that strengthens as more components are added, the system avoids the need for signal extenders while enabling reliable whole-home lighting control. Another advantage is remote software updates and technical support capabilities, which allow troubleshooting and performance improvements without requiring a return visit from the installer.
In addition to its Netatmo platform, Legrand offers devices built on the Matter smart home standard, an emerging universal protocol developed by the Connectivity Standards Alliance. Matter-compatible products are designed for quick, plug-and-play integration with widely used platforms such as Amazon Alexa and Google Home, making them accessible for homeowners who want a few smart devices without installing a full control system.
Together, these two product strategies reflect the growing diversity of smart home users. Matter-enabled devices offer an easy entry point for consumers seeking basic automation, while the Netatmo ecosystem provides a more robust solution for whole-home lighting control and energy management.
With LED technology dramatically reducing energy consumption, homeowners can now track and manage lighting usage with greater precision. In some cases, the cost difference between leaving lights on or off may amount to only pennies per month—yet smart systems still provide valuable insights and control over household energy use.
Steve: Shed some light on Legrand’s sustainability efforts.
Racheal: Legrand highlighted the company’s efforts to reduce environmental impact through more responsible packaging and materials, most notably through the adoption of NatureFlexTM compostable film. NatureFlex is a plant-based, compostable material designed to replace traditional single-use plastic packaging. Although it looks and functions much like plastic, it can break down through composting processes rather than lingering in landfills for decades. Legrand is beginning to incorporate the material into packaging for products such as its radiant® wall plate collection, including screwless wall plates commonly used in residential installations. The initiative reflects a broader corporate push to eliminate single-use plastics and make product packaging more environmentally responsible. In addition to material changes, Legrand is rethinking how product information is delivered. Instead of including printed instruction sheets in every package, the company is moving toward digital instructions accessed via QR codes. Customers can scan the code to view step-by-step installation videos or visual guides, simplifying the process while also reducing paper waste. While sustainable materials and packaging often come at a significantly higher cost, sometimes two to three times more than conventional alternatives, Legrand views the investment as an important step toward responsible manufacturing and environmental stewardship.
Steve: Let’s wrap up with how you’re supporting builders.
Racheal: The Legrand Home Builder program aims to help electricians not only with product knowledge, but also with the business skills needed to grow profitable operations. Through training sessions led by field sales representatives, Legrand works directly with electricians, particularly smaller contractors and newer professionals, to demonstrate product solutions and explain how premium upgrades can benefit both the installer and the homeowner.
A key goal of the program is to help electricians become more consistent and strategic in their pricing and service approach. Company representatives noted that many trades, such as plumbing, follow well-established pricing structures, while electrical work can vary widely depending on the contractor. By providing guidance on product selection, project upgrades, and installation efficiency, Legrand aims to help electricians standardize their approach and improve profitability.
The Builder Program also reflects the company’s broader philosophy of designing products with the installer in mind. By simplifying installation and reducing the likelihood of callbacks or inspection delays, Legrand products can help contractors complete jobs faster and receive payment sooner, an important factor for small businesses managing cash flow.
Final Thoughts
New innovations in electrical and lighting products, combined with helping electricians and contractors become smarter and more efficient business operators demonstrates how Legrand is positioning itself as a reliable partner in the design-build community. Since its foundation, in 1904, Legrand has adapted to market evolutions and continues to bring a unique vision to the exacting science of electrical product innovation.
