The best cable boxes, compared.
Top pick: Generic imitation rattan cable box Best value: GOZOLA rattan cable box, 2-pack – Best value at about £23.99 for two printed sizes, 33 × 15 × 13 cm and 28 × 10 × 10 cm, with 4.4 from 115 reviews. The smaller box is tight. Updated 22.10.2026.
A cable box is a lidded cover for a live extension lead and spare flex behind a television, under a desk, or on a worktop. You buy one in the UK when a switched block looks untidy and the sockets still need to stay on. A second product uses the same words for a clear drawer caddy. That caddy holds unplugged chargers and short leads. It will not cover a UK plug block. Judge a hider by the space left once the plugs are in, the exit slots on the faces you use, and whether the listing names an enclosure standard. External length is not the cavity. A switched strip and a bulky charger often stop the lid closing. Weave, pinholes, or a hollow base are seller wording unless a named standard and a free-space figure sit beside them. ABS is the plain box. Woven polypropylene and wood are furniture looks under the same load rules. Those checks are set out in the [cable box buying guide](/hub/diy-supplies/cable-box/sub/cable-box-buying-guide).
A cable box is a lidded cover for a live extension lead and spare flex behind a television, under a desk, or on a worktop. You buy one in the UK when a switched block looks untidy and the sockets still need to stay on.
36 products checked · 54 hrs invested · +18,400 readers
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
What are you covering?
This polypropylene box is £14.99 and 650 g, with 4.8 from 150 reviews, and 50 United Kingdom reviews are in the stored notes. Several buyers fitted a UK 4-gang, and one also fitted a large television power brick; side slots and a strap or toggle kept the lid shut around children and a dog, and those buyers found the lift-off lid easier than a clip lid. One buyer says it takes four plugs and no USB, or it will not fit, and adding USB plugs to a 4-gang stops the lid for at least one person. The listing publishes no dimensions; one buyer estimated roughly 40 × 10 cm. Some reviews describe two sizes or a pair, which this one-piece listing does not state, and the listing also describes the shell as a basket for artificial flowers. No enclosure standard is named. The 4.8 is a real sample for a woven look, and it is not a reason to rank this box ahead of the 14,120-review ABS unit on fit.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want one woven hider under £15 and you can measure the strip before you order.
Less suitable: You need a printed internal length, a second box in the pack, or a cited enclosure standard.
Specifications
Common questions
Will a UK 4-gang fit?
The listing does not publish dimensions. Reviews say several buyers fitted a UK 4-gang, and one says four plugs and no USB or the lid will not close.
How does the lid stay shut?
The listing describes a strap and buckle, side openings, and a lift-off lid. No drilling is claimed. The weave is described as airflow, with no standard number.
What is it made of, and how many are in the pack?
Polypropylene, one piece, natural colour, 650 g, £14.99. Some reviews describe a pair, which this 1-count listing does not state.
The FDTEK row is a white 5-way lead with four USB ports, a 2 m cord and a tidy shell at £25.99, and the line is 4.6 from 655 reviews. In 50 United Kingdom reviews, buyers use the USB ports so they do not need a separate charger on a television unit, desk or worktop, and side-facing sockets help some plugs whose flex leaves the top. The same sample says the lid feels flimsy or is hard to get on and off, and that bulky plugs and a fixed socket position block some devices. Bullets claim 3,250 W, an overload switch and BS 1363/A, while the plug fields say Type G and Type B, and the enclosure field says copper against ABS and PC in the bullets. Box dimensions are not published. One review says the strip is a separate lead inside the shell, and buyers set an Alexa or a plant on the lid. You are buying the lead and the cover together, which only pays if you do not already own a strip.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You still need a white 5-way lead as well as a shell, and you have checked the plug on the page is a UK 13 A plug.
Less suitable: You already own a strip, or you need one plug type and a published box size on the listing.
Specifications
Common questions
What is in the box?
One extension lead with 5 AC outlets, 4 USB ports (bullets: 3 USB-A and 1 USB-C), a 2 m cord, and a cable tidy box. One review says the strip is a separate lead inside the shell.
What power and plug type are claimed?
Bullets claim 3,250 W at 250 V, an overload protection switch, and BS 1363/A. The power-plug field says Type G and the plug-type field says Type B.
Do bulky plugs fit?
Reviews say some top-exit plugs fit because two sockets sit side-on, and that top-entry wall-wart adapters do not. Dimensions of the box are not published.
Cwokarb is a clear drawer caddy at £12.99, with an outer box of 7.87 × 3.93 × 2.36 inches and seven cases of 3.7 × 2.6 × 2.6 inches, and the line is 4.6 from 20 reviews. Eighteen United Kingdom reviews say it fits a drawer and holds shorter leads, one of them citing 1.2–1.8 m, and that people also use the cases for batteries, memory cards and USB adapters. The same reviews say UK plugs do not fit, and that cases are too small for plugs and long leads, so some buyers switched them to small parts. The listing claims coiled leads up to 5 ft and says waterproof and dustproof with no IP code. It weighs 290 g and is not a cover for a live strip. Use it for unplugged leads that are already coiled, and do not expect a 4-gang to go inside.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You are storing short unplugged leads, adapters or small parts in a drawer.
Less suitable: You need to hide a live UK extension or keep the plugs attached.
Specifications
Common questions
Will UK plugs fit in the cases?
Reviews say UK plugs do not fit. Each case is 3.7 × 2.6 × 2.6 in. The listing says the cases are for coiled leads and small parts, not a power-strip cover.
How much cable does it claim to hold?
The listing claims up to 5 ft. The outer box is 7.87 × 3.93 × 2.36 in. Reviews say longer cables need forcing or do not fit.
Is a waterproof rating given?
Bullets claim waterproof and dustproof and give no IP code. The pack is 8 pieces and weighs 290 g.
The D-Line small black box is listed at £9.99 and 325 × 125 × 115 mm for popular 4-gang blocks up to 280 mm, with 4.5 from 14,120 amazon.co.uk reviews. In the first 50 United Kingdom reviews, some buyers fit a 4-gang or a chunky vertical extender, and the lid snaps on with slits for the cables. The same sample says the lid can be too tight to open, or it sits badly and pops off, and that USB chargers and a smart plug leave this size tight, with one buyer tipping the strip sideways to close the lid. Packing the cavity full stops the lid closing. The listing cites BS EN 60670-22:2006, states three exits and ABS, and a bullet says made in the UK, while wall mounting is asked and is not answered as yes. Some of those 50 reviews describe a large size, an included extension, or a wood lid, which this small black listing does not state. The score of 95 ranks the published fit and that review depth, which is why this is the top pick for a popular 4-gang, not a fire test.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a measured ABS cover for a popular UK 4-gang up to 280 mm behind a television or under a desk.
Less suitable: You need a 6-gang, a wall-fixed box, or a drawer for unplugged chargers.
Specifications
Common questions
Will it cover a UK 4-gang?
The listing says it covers popular 4-gang blocks up to 280 mm. The external size is 325 × 125 × 115 mm. Reviews say USB chargers and a smart plug can stop the lid closing.
How many cable exits does it have?
The listing states three entry and exit slots, plus pin holes. It is described as indoor and freestanding.
Which enclosure standard does the listing cite?
The listing cites BS EN 60670-22:2006 and ABS. Wall mounting is not confirmed on the listing.
Bearware’s box is £16.90 and 660 g, with 4.5 from 241 reviews, and the listing says it hides power supplies, chargers and timer switches on strips. Across 38 United Kingdom reviews, buyers fitted 5-gang and 6-plug UK extensions, including bulky transformer plugs and a long Belkin surge protector, and they call the plastic sturdy once the lid is on. The lid is a repeated complaint: it is very tight and hard to prise off, including before first use, and one buyer says pressing the end tabs releases it. One unit cracked from a cable hole on opening. Dimensions and an exit count are not published. The installation field says self-adhesive while reviews describe a freestanding box, the colour field reads B against a black title, and the listing calls the box lockable. You pay more than the £9.99 D-Line unit and you still have no millimetre fit to check before the order.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You already know your strip’s length and you want a heavier plastic shell than the £9.99 D-Line box.
Less suitable: You need a published millimetre fit, or you expect the listing’s self-adhesive field to mean it sticks to a wall.
Specifications
Common questions
What does the listing say it hides?
Power supplies, chargers and timer switches on power strips. Dimensions are not published. Reviews describe 5-gang and 6-plug UK extensions, including bulky plugs.
Is the lid lockable?
The listing calls the box lockable. Reviews say the lid is very tight and that pressing the end tabs releases it. One unit cracked from a cable hole.
How is installation described?
The installation field says self-adhesive. Reviews describe a freestanding box. No tool-free assembly steps are in the stored notes.
ANCKNEG’s organiser is £7.99 and 129 g, with seven clear cases listed at 7.87 × 3.93 × 2.36 inches each and 4.5 from four reviews. All four reviews are in the stored notes, at least one of them an Amazon Vine review, and none of them contains a criticism. They say the compartments hold USB leads, earphones and a small adapter, and one reviewer used a case in a suitcase and said the lid stayed shut. The listing also names jewellery and cosmetics, and it says this is not a power-strip hider, with a claimed cable capacity up to 5 ft. Waterproof and dustproof are claimed with no IP code. Four texts, including a Vine review, are too small a sample to treat 4.5 as a settled verdict, which is why the score sits at 49. Keep it for spare unplugged leads, and do not buy it to hide a switched extension.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a cheap set of clear cases for unplugged USB leads and you accept a four-review sample.
Less suitable: You are covering a switched UK strip, or you want a large United Kingdom review count.
Specifications
Common questions
Is this a cover for a live extension lead?
No. The listing says it is not a power-strip hider. It is a clear organiser with 7 cases for USB cables, earphones and adapters.
What size is each case?
Each box is listed as 7.87 × 3.93 × 2.36 in, with a claimed cable capacity of up to 5 ft. The piece-count field is 7 and the weight is 129 g.
Is a waterproof rating given?
Bullets claim waterproof and dustproof and give no IP code. Indoor use is stated. Four reviews are in the stored notes, and at least one is an Amazon Vine review.
GOZOLA’s beige two-pack is £23.99, with a large box at 33 × 15 × 13 cm and a medium box at 28 × 10 × 10 cm, and the line is 4.4 from 115 reviews. Fifteen United Kingdom reviews say the smaller box can just take a UK distribution block and the larger can take two, and they also say both sizes were smaller than expected. Width is tight once an extension lead and plug are in, and the small box is too small for many UK plug extensions, so some buyers used it as decoration. The listing states four exits, a polypropylene weave, and a lid button aimed at children and pets, and it tells you to check the strip size first. Fire resistance is claimed with no standard number. The pack is freestanding and indoor, at 1.14 kg, with no warranty printed. At £23.99 for two printed sizes it is the best value woven option in this set, though the medium half is not a switched 4-gang you can assume will fit.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a woven box that will be seen, and you will keep a switched strip in the 33 cm shell after you measure it.
Less suitable: You expect both halves to take a switched UK 4-gang, or you want a named enclosure standard.
Specifications
Common questions
What sizes are in the pack?
Large is 33 × 15 × 13 cm and medium is 28 × 10 × 10 cm. The listing says to check the strip size first. Reviews say the smaller box is too small for many switched UK extensions.
How do cables leave, and how does the lid lock?
The listing states 4 exits, a hollow weave, and a lid button so children and pets cannot open it. No drilling is claimed.
Is a fire standard named?
The listing claims fire resistance and does not give a standard number. The material is polypropylene. Indoor use is stated.
Luxe Designs’ wood box is £44.99 and 3.01 kg, with 4.4 from 111 reviews, and the stored notes contain two United Kingdom reviews. Both praise the piece: one liked the hinged lid and room for an extension board and bulky adapters, and the other calls the colour and material well made, with no criticism in either text. The listing itself describes a magnetic lid, felt pads and ventilation holes, so the hinged-lid comment does not match the magnetic wording. The enclosure field says acacia and the bullets say mango wood, and no external size is published. The installation field says screw-in and the bullets do not describe screws. No enclosure standard is named, and 109 of the 111 ratings are not in those two UK reviews, so you should not treat the star line as United Kingdom experience. At this price it is a heavy indoor furniture box, not a measured 4-gang cover.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a heavy wooden lid on a desk and you will measure the strip yourself.
Less suitable: You need a published millimetre fit, a cited enclosure standard, or a box under £20.
Specifications
Common questions
What wood does the listing name?
The enclosure material field says acacia. The bullets say handmade sustainable mango wood. Dimensions are not stated and the weight is 3.01 kg.
How does the lid work?
The listing describes a magnetic lid, felt pads, and ventilation holes. The two UK reviews praise the build and a hinged lid, and they contain no criticism.
Does it screw down?
The installation field says screw-in. The bullets do not describe screws. Indoor use is stated. No enclosure standard is named.
Tuevob’s white two-pack is the lowest price in the stored notes at £7.31, with 4.3 from six reviews and only one United Kingdom review. That review says the larger box takes a UK 4-way strip with the plugs in, and that the smaller box is little use for UK extensions. The reviewer calls the boxes thin plastic and describes a wood or bamboo lid, which the listing does not state, and mentions Velcro ties that the contents line does not name. Sizes are not published, though the title says large, medium and small. Bullets describe side and front holes and a hollow base with four holes, called heat dissipation, with no standard number. The same review called the pair pricey at £24.99, while the stored price is £7.31, so you should use the price on the page when you order. Six ratings and no millimetres are why the score stays at 42.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want the lowest price in this set and you will treat only the larger box as a possible 4-way cover.
Less suitable: You need both boxes to take a switched UK strip, or a published size and a larger review sample.
Specifications
Common questions
Do both boxes take a UK extension?
Sizes are not published. The one review says the larger box takes a UK 4-way strip with plugs in, and the smaller box is little use for UK extensions.
How do cables leave?
Bullets describe side and front widened holes and a hollow base with 4 holes, called heat dissipation. No standard number is given.
What material is stated?
The listing does not name a polymer. The review calls the boxes thin plastic and mentions a wood or bamboo lid, which the listing does not state. Price in the stored notes is £7.31.
The XPJBKC brown box is £11.99 and 500 g, and the product dimensions are 31.5 × 13 × 12 cm while a bullet also says 31 × 13 × 13 cm. There is no customer-review line and no review in the stored notes, so the score of 20 records that gap rather than a low star rating. Openings are on both sides, the lid lifts off without drilling or gluing, and the weave is described as airflow with no standard number. The bullet names polypropylene and rattan together. The listing says it suits standard power strips, laptop adapters and USB hubs, and no review confirms whether a switched UK strip closed the lid on a television stand. You can read an external size before you order. You cannot read whether a switched 4-gang with the plugs in closed the lid.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a woven box with a printed external size and you accept zero reviews.
Less suitable: You want United Kingdom shoppers’ fit notes, or a cited enclosure standard.
Specifications
Common questions
What size is published?
The bullet size is 31 × 13 × 13 cm. Product dimensions are 31.5 × 13 × 12 cm. Weight is 500 g. There is no separate internal length for a 4-gang.
Does the listing name a safety standard?
No standard number is in the stored notes. The weave is described as airflow. Openings are on both sides, and the lid lifts off without drilling or gluing.
Are there UK reviews?
There is no customer-review line and no review text. The listing price is £11.99.
Scores rank the ten amazon.co.uk listings in this comparison. They are not a lab heat test, a BS EN 60670-22 certificate for every row, or a UK-wide best. Each stored score is out of 100 and the product score is that figure divided by 10. The highest score is the top pick. Best value is a different listing: the woven hider that publishes both external sizes, has at least 40 ratings, and costs less than the wood box.
Star line
30%Amazon stars divided by 5, times 30, rounded to the nearest whole number. No rating in the stored notes scores 0 on this block.
Review depth
25%0 if there are no ratings, 5 for 1–9, 12 for 10–39, 18 for 40–199, and 25 for 200 or more. A listing with fewer than 10 ratings also loses 6, because the star line is too thin.
Job evidence
25%United Kingdom review texts match the stated job: a live strip in a hider, or unplugged leads in a caddy. A published fit and a named enclosure standard raise this. A missing size, a repeated lid failure, or reviews of a different object lower it.
Listing clarity
12%Size, material, exits, and plug or standard fields agree. A contradictory field, such as two plug types or two wood names, costs points.
Price in type
8%A lower shelf price among listings that do the same job scores higher. A thin sample or a missing size is not treated as a bargain.
Decide whether you are hiding a live extension or storing unplugged leads. Then check the cavity with the plugs in, the exits, and whether any enclosure standard is actually named. A lid does not make an overloaded lead safe.
A cable box, in DIY cable management, is a lidded hider for a live extension lead and spare flex. People put one behind a television, under a desk, or on a worktop. A second product uses the same words and is a clear drawer caddy for unplugged chargers. That caddy will not cover a UK 4-gang. Judge a hider by internal length, plug height, real exit slots, and a published enclosure test, not by the word large. In this amazon.co.uk set, only the D-Line small ABS unit cites BS EN 60670-22:2006.
Clear 7-slot boxes are for coiled unplugged leads. UK reviews say the plugs do not fit. A waterproof line with no IP code is not an enclosure rating.
The medium woven box and the smaller plastic box are too small for many switched UK extensions. Measure the strip, including the plug, before you assume both halves work.
A full cavity stops the lid and leaves no air. The Fire Protection Association says not to cover blocks and to keep them inspectable. A weave, or a fire claim with no number, is not BS EN 60670-22.
External size is not the cavity. A switched UK strip and a bulky charger stop lids closing, including USB chargers and wall-wart adapters. One listing in this set publishes 280 mm for popular 4-gang blocks on the small unit. A large unit for 6-gang, at 340 mm, is not in this set. Openings have to sit on the faces you use. Three exits, four exits, side slots, or a hollow base are listing claims. Weave, pinholes, and a hollow base are seller wording.
ABS is the plain box with a named enclosure standard on one listing. Woven polypropylene and wood are furniture looks, and they sit under the same load rules. The wood listing names both acacia and mango wood. A weave is not a certificate, and a fire-resistance line with no standard number is not BS EN 60670-22. Clear 7-slot boxes claim waterproof and dustproof and give no IP code. UK reviews of those cases say plugs do not fit. Stars in this set sit between 4.3 and 4.8 where a line exists.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You want a measured ABS cover for a popular UK 4-gang up to 280 mm. The D-Line small black box is the top pick at about £9.99. It scores 9.5, with 4.5 from 14,120 reviews, three exits, and BS EN 60670-22:2006 on the listing. USB chargers can stop the lid.
You want a woven hider with both sizes printed, and you will measure the strip. The GOZOLA pair is best value at about £23.99. It scores 7.3, with 4.4 from 115 reviews. Keep a switched strip in the 33 cm shell. The medium box is tight for many UK extensions.
You are storing short unplugged leads, adapters, or small parts, not a live strip. The Cwokarb caddy scores 6.5 at about £12.99, with 4.6 from 20 reviews. UK reviews say the plugs do not fit the cases. It is not a cover for a switched extension.
The top pick is the D-Line cable tidy box, small, black, at about £9.99. It scores 9.5, the highest here, with a stated fit for popular 4-gang blocks up to 280 mm, three exits, and BS EN 60670-22:2006 on that listing, plus 4.5 from 14,120 reviews. USB chargers can stop the lid. Best value is the GOZOLA rattan pair at about £23.99. It scores 7.3 and publishes both external sizes. The medium box is not a switched 4-gang you can assume will fit.
GOZOLA rattan cable box, 2-pack
Best value at about £23.99 for two printed sizes, 33 × 15 × 13 cm and 28 × 10 × 10 cm, with 4.4 from 115 reviews. The smaller box is tight.
Editorial
Peter F. is the editor for DIY & tools at productscompared.co.uk. Comparisons in this category are checked against amazon.co.uk listings, review evidence and public UK sources.
Guides on what to look for, how to use a product, and common mistakes.
Public UK sources and the amazon.co.uk listings compared on this page. Updated 22.10.2026.
This page contains affiliate links to amazon.co.uk (tag pcuk26-21). If you buy through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Prices, stars and review counts are the amazon.co.uk figures already stored for this set. This is not a laboratory test.
