Mike Holt customer support comparison (review 1)

Why this comparison exists

Working electricians ask one question when they hit a code snag at 2 PM on a Tuesday: who answers fastest with a real answer. Mike Holt Enterprises has been the gold standard for NEC training and reference material since the 80s. Ask BONBON is the new kid, built for the phone in your pouch. Both have their place, but they handle support very differently.

This is an honest field comparison from an electrician who has used both. No marketing speak, no affiliate angle. Just what happens when you need help and the inspector is on the way.

How Mike Holt support actually works

Mike Holt's customer support is built around their product catalog and training programs. You email or call during business hours, Monday through Friday. The team handles order issues, course access, and shipping. They are courteous and they know their products. If your DVD set arrives damaged or your continuing education login breaks, they will fix it.

What they do not do is answer code questions over the phone. The model is: buy the book, watch the video, attend the seminar, then you have the answer. The forum is community-driven, and responses can take hours or days depending on who is online. For a 250.66 grounding electrode conductor sizing question on a service call, that is too slow.

• Phone support: business hours only, Eastern time
• Email turnaround: typically 1 to 2 business days
• Forum responses: variable, often helpful but not guaranteed
• Direct code Q and A: not part of the service

How Ask BONBON support works

Ask BONBON is built around in-app code lookup. Support handles the app itself: subscription issues, login, sync between devices. The actual code questions get answered inside the app, not by a support rep. You type the question, you get the article, the section, and a plain-language explanation referenced to the NEC.

For account problems, support runs through email and is typically same-day. There is no phone line. That is a real tradeoff if you prefer voice. For code lookup itself, the answer is on your screen in seconds whether it is 3 AM in a crawlspace or noon in a switchgear room with no signal (offline cache pulls last-synced articles).

Field tip: when you call any support line from a job site, have your account email and last four of payment ready. Cuts the call in half. Works for both companies.

Real scenario: GFCI question on a kitchen remodel

Customer wants under-cabinet receptacles for small appliances. Question: do they need GFCI if they sit above the counter line but the receptacle box is mounted under the cabinet. Answer is in NEC 210.8(A)(6), and the 2023 cycle expanded the language around countertop and work surfaces.

With Mike Holt, the path is: open the NEC Handbook, flip to 210.8, read the commentary. If you do not have the book on the truck, you are stuck or you call the office and hope someone picks up. With Ask BONBON, you type "GFCI under cabinet receptacle countertop" and the app surfaces 210.8(A)(6) and 210.8(A)(7) with the relevant 2023 changes flagged.

1. Identify the location and use of the receptacle
2. Check 210.8(A) for the dwelling unit list
3. Verify against the adopted code year for your jurisdiction
4. Document the install location for the inspector

Where Mike Holt still wins

Mike Holt's training depth is not a fair comparison. Their continuing education, exam prep, and illustrated graphics are best in class. If you are studying for a master's exam or running a class for apprentices, that is the resource. Their support team supports that ecosystem well.

The graphics in the NEC Illustrated Guide series have saved more apprentices than any app. The way Mike explains 250.30 separately derived systems on video is worth the price of the course. None of that goes away because a phone app exists.

Where Ask BONBON fits in the workflow

Ask BONBON is not trying to replace training. It is built for the moment when you are already on the job, the inspector flagged something, and you need the citation in your hand right now. Support reflects that: the product answers the code question, and human support keeps the app working.

For a service electrician doing five different jobs in a day, that is the right tradeoff. For a journeyman studying at night for the master's exam, Mike Holt's depth is hard to beat. Most working electricians end up using both, and that is fine.

Field tip: when you find a code answer in the field, screenshot the article and text it to the apprentice. Two birds, one stone, and the next guy on that scope already knows the rule.

Bottom line

Mike Holt: deep training, business-hours support, books and courses are gold. Ask BONBON: instant code lookup on your phone, fast email support for account stuff, no human on the line for code questions because the app handles those. Different tools, different jobs. Pick based on what you actually do all day.