CEE cable reel: the checks before you choose a drum
Updated: 23 October 2026
You are looking at a round industrial plug and a drum the listing calls outdoor, camping, or site. A CEE cable reel uses connectors to BS EN IEC 60309. It is a different object from a domestic reel with a fused BS 1363 plug. Work through colour and voltage, then the sockets, then the cable code and the length, then IP44 and whether a thermal cut-out is printed. The [CEE cable reel comparison](/hub/sockets-and-extension-leads/cee-cable-reel) ranks five drums from amazon.co.uk. A qualifying purchase through our links can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
You are looking at a round industrial plug and a drum the listing calls outdoor, camping, or site. A CEE cable reel uses connectors to BS EN IEC 60309.
You are looking at a round industrial plug and a drum the listing calls outdoor, camping, or site. A CEE cable reel uses connectors to BS EN IEC 60309. It is a different object from a domestic reel with a fused BS 1363 plug. Work through colour and voltage, then the sockets, then the cable code and the length, then IP44 and whether a thermal cut-out is printed. The CEE cable reel comparison ranks five drums from amazon.co.uk. A qualifying purchase through our links can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Our top picks
| Badge | Product | Voltage | Sockets | Cable | Note | Price | Offer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall |  Brennenstuhl Brennenstuhl Garant 25 m orange CEE reel | 230 V | 2 CEE | H07RN-F 3G2.5 | 8.8 | about £126.32 | View offer |
| Best value |  VonLux VonLux 10 m camping hook-up reel | Not listed | 4 UK 13 A | 1.5 mm² | 8.1 | about £33.90 | View offer |
| Alternative |  Brennenstuhl Brennenstuhl X-Gum 14 m 110 V CEE reel | 110 V | 2 CEE 110 V | H05VV-F 3G1.5 | 4.9 | about £32.72 | View offer |
On this page
Start with the colour, not the brand
The colour on a CEE plug is the voltage band, and the keyway is there so the wrong plug should not seat. Yellow covers about 100–130 V. Blue covers about 200–250 V. Red covers about 380–480 V. If the tool in your hand is yellow, unwind a yellow drum. If a plug will not mate, do not file the plastic. The 110V or 230V cable reel page stays on yellow versus blue. After the colour matches, read the face of the drum, because a matching voltage can still offer the wrong sockets.
CEE outlets are not UK sockets
A CEE cable reel with two CEE sockets feeds other CEE plugs. A 230 V rating does not add a UK 13 A face. If the kettle, charger, or inspection lamp has a BS 1363 plug, you need a drum whose inlet is the 16 A hook-up connector and whose outlets are UK sockets. In this set that is a short camping drum, a different purchase from a blue-to-blue workshop reel. The camping hook up cable reel page keeps those jobs apart. Match the outlet to the plug you own, then read the printing on the cable.
Read the cable code before the length
H07RN-F is the rubber trailing cable you expect on a site or workshop drum: 450/750 V and an oil-resistant sheath. H05VV-F is PVC flexible cord. On the drums in this set, H05VV-F 3G1.5 is the 14 m 110 V reel, and a UK review, not the bullets, names H05VV-F on the 10 m hook-up reel. 3G2.5 is three cores of 2.5 mm². 5G2.5 is five cores, which is how you recognise a three-phase drum. A supplier table that pairs over 10 m with 2.5 mm² is a shop guide, not a clause of BS 7671. Measure the furthest socket you will reach.
IP44 and a printed cut-out
IP44 keeps out objects larger than 1 mm and resists splashes. It applies when the connector is fully mated or fully detached, not while the pins are half exposed. When a title says waterproof and the bullets say IP44, believe the IP code. Then look for a thermal cut-out in the bullets. Electrical Safety First tells households not to use a reel that has none. On the orange 25 m drum the bullets do not print a cut-out, while reviews describe a reset button. The other four drums name a cut-out. When those lines agree with the plugs you own, compare the drums.
Common questions
Is a CEE cable reel the same as a 13 A extension reel?
A CEE cable reel uses round connectors to BS EN IEC 60309. A domestic reel uses a BS 1363 plug and UK sockets, with a fuse in the plug. That fuse does not set the safe load of a wound industrial drum. Yellow or blue CEE plugs will not fit the domestic reel, and UK plugs will not fit a CEE-to-CEE face. Match the connector before you compare prices.
What do yellow, blue, and red mean on the plug?
Yellow is about 100–130 V, blue about 200–250 V, and red about 380–480 V. On a UK site, yellow is the 110 V band after a centre-tapped transformer, blue is 230 V single-phase, and red is three-phase. The keyway should stop a mismatch. If the plug will not lock, check the voltage rather than forcing it.
Do I need H07RN-F or is H05VV-F enough?
H07RN-F is the rubber cable for medium mechanical stress outdoors and on site. H05VV-F is PVC flexible cord, and the sheets treat it as the wrong cable for permanent outdoor or industrial use. A short 110 V lead that is already specified as H05VV-F is a different job from a 25 m drum that will lie in a damp yard. Read the code on the sheath.
Is IP44 waterproof?
IP44 resists objects larger than 1 mm and water splashed against the enclosure. It is not a rating for a puddle or for immersion. The seal is for a plug that is fully in or fully out. A title that says waterproof beside bullets that say IP44 has overclaimed. Keep the drum out of standing water.
Does 16 A on the plug mean each socket can supply 16 A?
The 16 A figure is the connector and the inlet, shared by every socket on the face. Two 16 A outlets are not a 32 A supply. A kettle and a heater together can exceed what the drum and the upstream breaker will carry, especially while the cable is still coiled. Add the loads, and unwind before a long run.
Why does one listing mention DGUV 203-006?
DGUV 203-006 is a German site document named on two Brennenstuhl drums here. It is not a UK approval and it does not replace BS 7375 on a temporary supply. Keep checking voltage colour, cable code, IP44, and a cut-out printed in the specification.
Related pages
Sources
Sources taken from the research digest. Listings were scored in October 2026. This page did not run a lab test.
- HSE — Electrically powered equipment (retrieved 22.10.2026)
- HSE — HSG141 Electrical safety on construction sites (retrieved 22.10.2026)
- HSE — HSR25 Memorandum of guidance on the Electricity at Work Regulations (retrieved 22.10.2026)
- Electrical Safety First — Extension leads, cable reels and block adaptors (retrieved 22.10.2026)
- BSI — BS EN 61242 Cable reels for household use (retrieved 22.10.2026)
- IEC — IEC 61316:2021 Industrial cable reels (retrieved 22.10.2026)
- IET Wiring Matters — BS 7671 section 708 caravan pitches (retrieved 22.10.2026)
- Caravan and Motorhome Club — Cable news (retrieved 22.10.2026)