Abstract: An electroless nickel bath for applying a nickel coating to articles without heat distortion, especially plastic articles, comprising water, nickel ions, a reducing agent for reducing the nickel ions to a metal, and a stabilizing agent for controlling the operating speed of the reducing agent, the bath being maintained at an alkaline pH, with the weight of the nickel ions being less than the weight of the hypophosphite anions. The nickel ions may be obtained from nickel salts, the reducing agent may be sodium hypophosphite, and the stabilizing agent may be sodium citrate and ammonium chloride. A replenish mixture for maintaining the bath comprising nickel ions and reducing agent anions in about the same ratio as in the original bath, and a stabilizing agent in about one-third the amount as in the original bath. A method of applying a nickel coating to articles comprising immersing the articles in said electroless nickel bath at room temperature.