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Best 8 way extension lead

Updated: 23 October 2026

You want one best 8 way extension lead, and the answer depends on the job in front of the wall socket. A television within arm’s reach is a different buy from a socket across the room, and neither is the same as a desk that also needs to charge two phones. This page names who each pick is for, and who should skip it. The [8 way extension lead comparison](/hub/sockets-and-extension-leads/extension-lead-8-way) holds every row, price, and score. Listings were compared on 20 October 2026. We did not run a lab test. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

You want one best 8 way extension lead, and the answer depends on the job in front of the wall socket.

Our top picks

Brennenstuhl Brennenstuhl Primera-Line, 2 m, black

Best overall

Brennenstuhl Brennenstuhl Primera-Line, 2 m, black
8.6/10about £18.62
View offer
Masterplug Masterplug BEN210-MP, 2 m, white

Best value

Masterplug Masterplug BEN210-MP, 2 m, white
8.5/10about £11.99
View offer
Pro Elec Pro Elec 8-way, 5 m, switched

Alternative

Pro Elec Pro Elec 8-way, 5 m, switched
8.3/10about £16.99
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.Best depends on the job
  2. 2.Top pick for a typical TV or desk setup
  3. 3.Best value when you only need eight sockets
  4. 4.When you need switches, surge, or 5 m

Best depends on the job

Eight sockets still share one 13 A fuse, so best is the bar whose features you will use. Prices run from £11.99 for a plain 2 m block to £28.99 for a switched bar with a 2,100 J line. A television cabinet wants about 2 m, one switch, and room for fat plugs. A printed joule figure is a PC job. A 5 V port does not change the fuse.

Top pick for a typical TV or desk setup

For a television, a soundbar, and a router on the same wall, the top pick is the Brennenstuhl Primera-Line at £18.62, with 4.7 from 875 reviews. The listing names an H05VV-F 3G1.25 cable, one illuminated switch, and a clip so the lead can leave either end. You give up USB, a switch on every socket, and any joule number. Plug Type says Type G and Power Plug Type says Type B, so check the live photo. Fat adaptors can leave one socket empty.
Brennenstuhl Brennenstuhl Primera-Line, 2 m, black

Testsieger

Brennenstuhl Brennenstuhl Primera-Line, 2 m, black
8.6/10about £18.62
View offer

Best value when you only need eight sockets

If you only need eight shuttered sockets, the best value is the Masterplug BEN210-MP at £11.99, with 4.7 from 112 reviews. The bullets claim BS 1363-2, a 13 A fuse, 3,120 W at 240 V, a power light, and wall fixing. There is no joule rating. The Invero at the same price has nine ratings, which is too thin. Power Plug Type says No Plug, so check the live photo.

When you need switches, surge, or 5 m

When the socket is across the room, the Pro Elec 5 m bar is £16.99, with a switch on each outlet, 125 J, and both plug fields Type G. Its 1,202 reviews are shared with the 1 m listing. The TOPREK at £28.99 prints 2,100 J if that claim is the job. Leave POWSAF off a heated load: it never states 13 A, and one review describes a smell, a pop, and the lead stopping. The buying guide is the order of checks if you have not chosen a job yet. The how to use guide covers load and placement.

Common questions

Which 8 way lead should I buy for a PC, a monitor, and a router?
If they sit within 2 m and you want a named cable size, start with the Brennenstuhl Primera-Line and add nothing that heats. If you want a printed joule figure as well, compare the Pro Elec at 125 J or the TOPREK at 2,100 J, and remember both still share one 13 A fuse. A router and a monitor are a small part of that fuse. A laser printer that warms up is not, so check the plate on the printer before it joins the bar.
Is the cheapest 8 gang lead a false economy?
The £11.99 Masterplug is reasonable value because it has 112 reviews, a BS 1363-2 claim, and a stated watt line. The £11.99 Invero is the thin file: nine ratings and one short review. Cheap becomes a false economy when the plug cells contradict the title or the only amp figure is a USB share, which is the POWSAF pattern at a higher price, not the Masterplug pattern.
Do I need individual switches on each socket?
You need them if you want one device off without unplugging the rest, which is the Pro Elec and TOPREK layout. You do not need them for a television group you switch off together. The Brennenstuhl’s single illuminated switch does that job. Masterplug’s power light tells you the bar is live and does not isolate one socket. Switches on the Pro Elec sit between outlets, and reviewers lose track of which switch belongs to which socket.
Is 2 m enough behind a television?
For a socket on the same wall, 2 m is the length on the Brennenstuhl and the Masterplug, and 1.8 m is the HANYCONY figure. It is not enough if the socket is across the room. That is the 5 m Pro Elec. Measure the skirting run before you rely on a title, because one TOPREK reviewer measured 1.8 m against a 2 m claim.
Which lead if the wall socket is across the room?
Use the Pro Elec 5 m, not the 1 m twin and not a 2 m bar with another lead plugged into it. Daisy-chaining does not add current. The 5 m page does not print a conductor cross-section, so you cannot confirm a 1.25 mm² or 1.5 mm² cable from the listing alone. Both plug fields on that 5 m page say Type G, which is cleaner than the 1 m page.
Who should skip the top pick and buy the plain short bar?
Skip the Brennenstuhl if £18.62 is more than you want for a bar with no USB and no per-socket switches. The Masterplug at £11.99 is the plain alternative, with the limits above: no joules, a plug cell that says No Plug, and a smaller review file. Also skip the Brennenstuhl if you need 5 m. The Primera-Line in this set is the 2 m model, not a 3 m trade variant from another shop.

Related pages

8 way surge protected extension lead

Extension lead 8-way

8 way extension lead buying guide for one 13 A fuse

How to use an 8 way extension lead on one 13 A fuse

8 way extension lead with USB for phones, not laptops

Sources

Sources taken from the research digest. Listings were scored on 19 October 2026. This page did not run a lab test.

  1. Electrical Safety First — Extension leads (retrieved 19.10.2026)
  2. Electrical Safety First — Plugs and fuses (retrieved 19.10.2026)
  3. Electrical Safety First — Appliance ratings (retrieved 19.10.2026)
  4. BEAMA — Extension lead safety check-list (retrieved 19.10.2026)
  5. BSI — BS 1363-2:2023 (retrieved 19.10.2026)
  6. OPSS — Tower power strip recall (retrieved 19.10.2026)
  7. Philips UK — What is a joule (retrieved 19.10.2026)
  8. Kent Fire and Rescue — Electricity safety (retrieved 19.10.2026)