Switches come in may different colors, types and grades. If you shop around for switches, you'll see that some may cost under a dollar and yet others may cost a few dollars. Standard switches are the cheaper residential variety that everyone seems to flock to. The price is unbelievably lower than the commercial type, so what is the difference between the two?
A standard switch will still turn the lights on and off just fine, but the construction of the commercial type is more stout and with better contacts. You know what they say, "You get what you pay for." The commercial switch will last longer due to heavier contacts for switching longevity. Some hardware stores may list commercial grade switches as their "Pro" grade switches.
You can decide which grade is best for your installation. But if you ask me, I'd spend more for quality, instead of replacing the switches every couple of years. Cheaper isn't always better because after replacing a cheaper grade switch a few times, you could have bought the commercial grade switch and saved yourself the repetition of replacing the switch over and over. After all, nothing lasts forever.
In the photo, the standard switch is on the left and the commercial switch is on the right. Notice the difference in the quality of the commercial switch. I think you'll agree that this should be the grade of choice.
