Embrass Peerless Compact Compression Fittings — Couplers, Elbows, Tees and Reducers for UK Plumbers

Compression fittings are the plumber's go-to for accessible, tool-free jointing — no torch, no flame, no drying-out time. Whether you're repairing a burst pipe, adding an isolation point, or connecting copper to a threaded valve, Embrass Peerless Compact Compression fittings give you a reliable, water-tight joint on copper, chrome, and stainless tube from 8mm up to 54mm. This guide covers the four most-reached-for fittings in the range.

Why Compression?

Compression fittings work by clamping an olive (a soft metal ring) between the fitting body and a threaded nut. As you tighten the nut, the olive deforms slightly around the pipe to create a watertight seal — no heat or solder needed. This makes compression the right choice for:

• Accessible locations — under sinks, behind appliances, in airing cupboards, or anywhere a torch would be awkward or unsafe near timber.
• Repairs on live systems — freeze the pipe, fit the compression joint, defrost. No need to drain and refill.
• Connections to threaded fittings — male and female adaptors bridge copper tube directly to BSP-threaded valves, appliances, and isolation points.
• Removable joints — unlike solder, a compression fitting can be dismantled and reassembled if access is needed later.

15mm Elbow — Right-Angle Changes Without a Bender

Embrass Peerless Compact Compression Elbow 15mm

Price: £1.60

A 90° compression elbow is the quickest way to change direction in 15mm copper without reaching for a pipe bender. Ideal for running pipe from a wall outlet to a tap tail, turning a corner inside kitchen furniture, or directing pipework around a structural element. Equal sockets both ends — simply cut the pipe square, deburr, slide on the nut and olive, and tighten. No solder, no flux, no WRAS certificate required on site. Standard imperial olives (supplied or used separately) give a reliable seal on copper and chrome tube. View product

15mm Tee — Branch Off a Live Run

Embrass Peerless Compact Compression Tee 15mm

Price: £1.90

The equal compression tee lets you add a branch to an existing 15mm supply without draining the system — freeze the pipe, cut in the tee, defrost and you're live. All three ports take 15mm tube, making it the standard fitting for adding a new outlet: a washing machine stub, an outside tap feed, or a second basin feed. Because compression joints are fully demountable, this tee can be repositioned if the layout changes in future. Compact body keeps the footprint small in tight spaces. View product

22mm Straight Coupler — Central Heating and Mains Repairs

Embrass Peerless 22mm Compact Compression Coupler

Price: £1.99

22mm copper is the workhorse size for central heating flow and return pipes, cold mains supplies in larger properties, and connections to hot water cylinders. This equal-end compression coupler joins two lengths of 22mm tube in a straight run — the standard repair fitting when a section of pipe needs cutting out. Equal sockets both ends, compatible with imperial olives. Faster to fit than a solder coupler in a tight heating cupboard and strong enough for central heating system pressures. At under £2 it's worth keeping several in the van alongside 22mm stopends and elbows. View product

22mm x 15mm Reducer — Step Down Between Sizes

Embrass Peerless Compact Compression Reducing Coupler 22mm x 15mm

Price: £2.30

The step-down reducer connects a 22mm supply or return to a 15mm branch — the most common size transition in UK domestic plumbing. Use it where a 22mm mains or heating circuit feeds off to a 15mm zone, or where an existing 22mm supply needs to serve a 15mm appliance connection. Compression fittings on both ends so no torch is needed at the step-down. One of the most versatile fittings in the compression range; keeping one on the van avoids an extra site visit when the pipe sizes don't match at the connection point. View product

How to Make a Compression Joint

1. Cut square — use a pipe slice or hacksaw and deburr the end inside and out. A burr can cut into the olive and cause a leak.
2. Slide on the nut, then the olive — ensure the nut thread faces the fitting. The olive sits flush against the pipe shoulder inside the fitting body.
3. Hand-tighten first — screw the nut down until snug by hand so the olive is held in position.
4. Spanner-tighten 1¼ turns — the standard rule for a new copper compression joint is hand-tight plus one and a quarter turns with a spanner. Do not overtighten — you can always add a small amount if it drips, but an over-compressed olive can crack the fitting.
5. Test under pressure — restore supply and check the joint before concealing pipework. A dry joint is the only acceptable outcome before closing up.

Note on PTFE: Compression fittings do not require PTFE tape or jointing compound on the olive or nut threads. The seal is made by the olive, not by the threads. PTFE on compression threads can actually prevent proper tightening and cause joint failure.

Compression vs End Feed vs Push-Fit

Shop the Embrass Peerless Compact Compression Range

APM Electricals stocks over 70 Embrass Peerless Compact Compression fittings from 8mm through to 54mm — straight couplers, elbows, tees, stopends, reducing couplers, male adaptors, female adaptors, and olives. All sized to imperial UK pipe standards and compatible with standard brass and copper olives.

Browse the Embrass Peerless Compact Compression range at APM Electricals — over 70 fittings from 8mm to 54mm, available for same-day collection.

APM Electricals
24 Western Avenue, Acton, London W3 7TZ
Tel: 020 8702 8080
Open to the trade, Monday–Friday. Same-day collection available on stocked lines.