6 way extension lead buying guide: plug, fuse and load
Updated: 22 October 2026
A desk, a television or a bedside table has more plugs than wall sockets, and a six-socket bar looks like the tidy answer. A 6 way extension lead, also sold as a 6 gang extension lead, gives you six UK outlets from one Type G plug. It does not give you six times the current. Check the plug, the fuse and the total load before you compare length, surge protection or USB. The [6 way extension lead comparison](/hub/sockets-and-extension-leads/6-way-extension-lead) holds the leads kept for this set. This page is the checklist.
A desk, a television or a bedside table has more plugs than wall sockets, and a six-socket bar looks like the tidy answer.
A desk, a television or a bedside table has more plugs than wall sockets, and a six-socket bar looks like the tidy answer. A 6 way extension lead, also sold as a 6 gang extension lead, gives you six UK outlets from one Type G plug. It does not give you six times the current. Check the plug, the fuse and the total load before you compare length, surge protection or USB. The 6 way extension lead comparison holds the leads kept for this set. This page is the checklist.
Our top picks
| Badge | Product | Cable | Surge | Switches | Note | Price | Offer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall |  Pro Elec Pro Elec PELB1755 | 5 m | Claimed, no joules | Not stated | 8.4 | about £9.99 | View offer |
 Masterplug Masterplug SWSRG6210N | 2 m | 370 J | One per socket | 9.0 | about £12.49 | View offer | |
| Best value |  Status Status S6W2MS12 | 2 m | No claim | No | 7.7 | about £6.97 | View offer |
On this page
Six sockets, one fuse
A 6 way lead and a 4 way lead with the same 13 A marking share the same ceiling. The extra sockets are places to plug in, not extra amps. UK mains are nominally 230 V. Listings here print 2,990 W, 3,120 W and 3,250 W. They are the same fuse unless the lead is marked lower. Kent Fire and Rescue Service tells you not to exceed 13 A or about 3,000 W in total.
A kettle is often around 3,000 W on its own. London Fire Brigade says a kettle, a toaster and a microwave should not share one extension. The how to use a 6 way extension lead page walks through the sum.
What you can see on the plug and the lead
The Plugs and Sockets etc. (Safety) Regulations 1994 require a standard plug to contain, or be accompanied by, a BS 1362 fuse. BEAMA's retailer checklist looks for BS 1363-1 on the plug, BS 1363-2 on the portable sockets, a 13 A fuse, and shutters that close. A line in a bullet is the seller's claim, not a test this comparison carried out. Do not invent a conductor size the listing omits.
Status pictures suggest a rewireable plug, and UK reviews say it is sealed and moulded, so you cannot take it off to shorten the flex. The unswitched Masterplug SRG has the same mismatch. Shutters should spring closed. Bent pins, a missing fuse or open live parts are a reason to reject the lead.
Length, surge and USB
Measure the run. Stated lengths here run from 1 m on the Desiretech to 5 m on the Pro Elec. The SE UKASE tower does not state a length. Use the title unless the seller confirms the cable, and leave slack.
Pay for surge protection when the listing states joules plus an indicator. The Masterplug bars state 370 J. The Dewenwils bullets say 270 J. The Pro Elec claims surge protection and does not give joules. A 1 J cell is not a surge product in the reviews. The 6 way extension lead with surge protection page separates those figures. Both SE UKASE leads state a shared 5 V total, not a Power Delivery wattage.
What to leave
Leave a kettle, a toaster and a microwave off the same bar, even if three sockets are empty. Do not daisy-chain a second extension. Electrical Safety First says one extension per socket, and Masterplug's surge warranty excludes a daisy-chained lead. Do not run an indoor lead outside. The Pro Elec table says indoor and not water resistant. A keyhole lets you hang the bar. It does not replace a new wall socket.
If you already know the length and whether you want switches, the best 6 way extension lead page assigns a lead to a desk, a low budget and a long run.
Common questions
What should be printed on the plug and the flex?
Look for a BS 1363 three-pin plug, a 13 A BS 1362 fuse unless the lead is marked lower, and shutters. BEAMA also looks for BS 1363-2 on the portable sockets. The flex cross-section is part of that checklist, at least 1 mm² up to 2 m, but several listings omit it. Do not guess a size the page does not print.
How long a cable do I need?
Measure from the socket to the bar, then add slack. Stated lengths here are 1 m, 1.5 m, 2 m, 3 m and 5 m. The SE UKASE tower does not state one. Two metres is the common desk length. A socket across the room is a 3 m or 5 m decision. Reviews sometimes disagree with the title, so check the order.
When is surge protection a reason to pay more?
Pay more when a television, a console or a PC is plugged in and the listing states joules and an indicator. That is clearest on the Masterplug bars at 370 J. A 1 J cell, or a neon on a lead with no surge claim, is not a surge product. The parts do not let you add a heater beside the computer.
When are USB ports a reason to pay more?
Only when the listing states an output your phone or tablet needs, and you have read how that current is shared. The two USB leads here state 5 V shared across four ports, not a laptop Power Delivery wattage. If your devices already have chargers, a plain 13 A bar is the simpler buy.
What is a warning sign of a non-compliant lead?
Thin or bent pins, a plug with no fuse, shutters that stay open, or live parts you can touch are reasons to reject the lead. A hot smell, scorch marks or a buzz in use are reasons to unplug it and not to tape the damage. Those signs come from Electrical Safety First and from reports on failed multi-way leads, not from a lab test of this set.
Related pages
Sources
Sources taken from the research digest. Listings were scored on 19 October 2026. This page did not run a lab test.
- Plugs and Sockets etc. (Safety) Regulations 1994 (retrieved 19.10.2026)
- Electrical Safety First — extension leads (retrieved 19.10.2026)
- Electrical Safety First — plugs and fuses (retrieved 19.10.2026)
- BEAMA — extension lead safety check-list (retrieved 19.10.2026)
- OPSS — ETSC 6 way USB lead (retrieved 19.10.2026)
- Kent Fire and Rescue Service — electricity safety (retrieved 19.10.2026)
- London Fire Brigade — cables, fuses and leads (retrieved 19.10.2026)
- Masterplug — surge warranty (retrieved 19.10.2026)