The best individually switched extension leads, compared.
Top pick: Masterplug SWSRG4210N – Highest score: about £9.50, 4.8 from 1,232 reviews, four switched sockets and 370 J in the table. The end lamps are too bright for a bedroom. Best value: Pro Elec PL15330 – About £9.99 with 4.7 from 2,687 reviews, four switches and a surge claim. No joule figure is printed, and the green neon is bright at night. Updated October 2026.
An individually switched extension lead is a UK portable socket bar with its own on/off control on each outlet. You use one at a TV unit, a desk, a kitchen counter or a bedside table. Check gang count, cable length, shutters, a UK three-pin plug with a 13 A fuse, and whether the surge wording agrees across the listing. The switches do not add capacity. The bar is still one 13 A plug, so high-load appliances should not share it, and one lead should not feed another. A joule figure is a surge claim, not a higher continuous current. Lit indicators help in a kitchen and are a common complaint beside a bed. Two plug types in one field are a listing conflict, not a second plug. Without an IP rating the lead is not outdoor kit, and the switches are not an RCD. How gang count, length, surge wording and lamps trade off is on the [individually switched extension lead buying guide](/hub/sockets-and-extension-leads/extension-lead-individually-switched/sub/extension-lead-individually-switched-buying-guide).
An individually switched extension lead is a UK portable socket bar with its own on/off control on each outlet. You use one at a TV unit, a desk, a kitchen counter or a bedside table.
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
Where will the lead sit?
The Masterplug SWSRG4210N is a white 2 m bar with a switch on each of four sockets, listed at £9.50 with 4.8 from 1,232 amazon.co.uk reviews. The specification table prints 370 joules, and the bullets add power and surge LEDs plus connected-equipment wording of up to £1,000 within three years. Reviewers use those switches to leave plugs in and turn unused kit off, and several describe the housing as sturdy rather than flimsy. The same UK reviews say the status lamps, one per switch plus two coloured lights at the end that stay on, are too bright for a bedroom. The listing does not describe USB ports. The plug fields print Type G and also Type B, so the UK three-pin plug is what the photos show and the Type B cell is a conflict, not a second plug in the box. It is still one 13 A lead: the four switches do not give each socket its own 13 A.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A desk or TV unit where you want four switched sockets and a stated 370 J figure.
Less suitable: A bedroom that has to stay dark, or a setup that needs USB charging on the bar.
Specifications
Common questions
Does this Masterplug lead have a switch on every socket?
The bullets say four individually switched shuttered sockets. The title also says individual switches. The four switches still share one 13 A plug.
What surge figure does the listing give?
The specification table says 370 joules. The bullets also mention power and surge LEDs and connected-equipment wording of up to £1,000 within three years.
Are the indicator lights bright?
UK reviews say the status LEDs, including two at the end that stay on, are too bright for a bedroom.
The Pro Elec PL13085 is a grey and white four-gang lead with a neon switch on each socket and a 5 m cable, at £11.19 with 4.7 from 2,782 amazon.co.uk reviews. The bullets do not claim surge protection or USB, and a review that assumes either does not match this listing. Buyers who wanted reach praise the 5 m cable, the individual switches, and a cable one of them calls thick, and several say they have bought it again. The same sample includes tiny switches that are hard to operate, a housing that feels light or a bit cheap, and one review that says it cannot hang on the wall. The recommended-use line says indoor, and no IP rating is printed. At 650 g and £11.19 it is the long lead in this set when you do not need a surge sentence, and the wrong row if you were shopping for USB or for a joule figure.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A run of about 5 m to a desk, router or printer where surge protection is not the reason for the purchase.
Less suitable: A TV you wanted on a surge-claimed bar, or a wall where the lead has to hang.
Specifications
Common questions
Does this 5 m Pro Elec lead claim surge protection?
The bullets do not. They describe four switched sockets, neon indicators, a 5 m cable and a Type G plug.
Can it be fixed to a wall?
The bullets do not claim wall mounting. One review says it cannot hang on the wall.
Does it have USB ports?
The bullets do not list USB. A review that mentions USB fast charge does not match this listing.
The Pro Elec PL15330 is a white 2 m four-gang lead at £9.99 with 4.7 from 2,687 amazon.co.uk reviews, the heaviest review count among the surge-claimed four-gangs in this set. The title and bullets say surge protected, and reviewers mention a green neon, but the page does not print a joule figure. Buyers praise the individual switches, the spacing between sockets, and a thick cable with a rubberised moulded plug. One review says the switches themselves do not light, so the glow is the shared neon rather than a lamp on every rocker. That neon is described as very bright at night, and some buyers call the build mediocre or doubt the switches will last. One review measured the cable a couple of inches short of the stated 2 m. At this price it is the best value pick when you want switches and a surge claim without a printed joule number, and a weak bedroom pick if the green light will sit in your eye line.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A home office or TV corner where £9.99 and a large review count matter more than a printed joule figure.
Less suitable: A bedroom, or a buyer who will only accept a joule number on the page.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the listing give a joule rating?
The title and bullets say surge protected. They do not print a joule figure.
Do the switches light up?
One UK review says the switches do not light individually. Other reviews mention a green neon that is bright at night.
Is the cable a full 2 m?
The title says 2 m. One review says the cable is a couple of inches short of that.
The Mscien BW005-5M is a five-socket lead at £23.99 with 4.7 from 2,556 amazon.co.uk reviews, and the bullet says the 5 m figure includes the plug board, so the free cable is shorter than a lead that quotes 5 m of flex alone. Each outlet has its own switch and lamp, the housing is the heaviest in this set at 790 g, and keyhole slots are claimed. Surge and circuit protection appear in the title and a bullet, with no joule number. Reviewers like the reach and the coloured lamps, but they also call the lights bright, and the switch colour is random, so the colour is not a fixed on or off code. One review says the bar tripped when several high-demand kitchen appliances ran together, which is the shared 13 A limit showing up, not a higher rating. A recommended-use line says outdoor use, and no IP rating is printed, so that line is not an outdoor rating. There are no USB ports.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A longer indoor run that needs five switched sockets and can accept a surge claim without joules.
Less suitable: Outdoor use, a dark bedroom, or anyone reading 5 m as five metres of free cable.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the 5 m include the socket bar?
The bullet says the 5 metre figure includes the plug board, so the free flex is shorter than a lead that quotes 5 m of cable alone.
Is this an outdoor lead?
The recommended-use line says outdoor use. No IP rating is printed, so that line is not an outdoor rating.
What joule figure is printed?
None. The title and a bullet claim surge and circuit protection without a joule number.
The Masterplug SWSRG6210N is the six-socket version of the same white 2 m surge bar, at £12.49 with 4.7 from 1,535 amazon.co.uk reviews. The table prints 370 joules, the bullets claim wall mounting, and the connected-equipment wording is again up to £1,000 within three years. Reviewers describe the switches as crisp and use the bar for a kitchen counter of small appliances and for PCs. One UK review measured the wall holes at 270 mm and said that did not match an older switched bar, so a replacement may need new fixings. The LEDs are called bright enough to light a room, which makes this a poor bedroom lead. One buyer found the surge-warranty registration difficult. As with the four-socket model, Type G and Type B both appear in the plug fields, and six switches still share one 13 A plug.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A kitchen counter or PC desk that needs six switched sockets on a 2 m lead.
Less suitable: A dark bedroom, or a wall where the old bar’s holes are not 270 mm apart.
Specifications
Common questions
Does this six-socket Masterplug have a switch on every socket?
The bullets say six individually switched shuttered sockets. Reviews describe the switches as crisp. Six switches still share one 13 A plug.
What surge figure does the listing give?
The table says 370 joules. The bullets mention power and surge LEDs and connected-equipment wording of up to £1,000 within three years.
How far apart are the wall holes?
One UK review measured 270 mm and said that did not match an older switched bar. The listing itself does not print the spacing.
The Addtam TH-UK04U3 is a white 1.8 m bar at £15.99 with 4.7 from 767 amazon.co.uk reviews, with a switch on each of four AC sockets plus two USB-A and two USB-C ports. The table and the item highlight print 1,050 joules, which is the highest joule figure in this set, and the highlight describes a braided cable. Reviewers use it behind a TV and on a desk, and they like the USB ports for freeing wall-charger spaces. A UK review says those ports do not fast-charge, and another doubts that they do; the listing does not print a USB wattage. The switches are called cheap by some buyers, and one review wanted an LED on each socket rather than the two status LEDs. The outlet field prints 8 because it counts the USB ports with the AC sockets, and the plug fields print Type G and Type B. Shutters and keyholes are claimed. The 1,050 J line does not raise the 13 A rating of the plug.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A TV or desk that needs four switched sockets, phone charging, and a printed 1,050 J claim.
Less suitable: Fast charging, or a buyer who will treat eight outlets as eight mains sockets.
Specifications
Common questions
How many mains sockets does it have?
The bullets say four AC outlets plus two USB-A and two USB-C ports. The outlet field prints 8 because it counts the USB ports.
Do the USB ports fast-charge?
A UK review says the ports do not fast-charge. Another buyer doubts that they do. The listing does not print a USB wattage.
What surge figure is printed?
The table and the item highlight say 1,050 joules. That figure does not raise the 13 A rating of the plug.
The Pro Elec PELB1918 is sold as a white 1 m four-gang switched surge lead at £11.18 with 4.6 from 2,605 amazon.co.uk reviews. A bullet names BS 1363/A and BS 5733/A, and keyhole slots are claimed, which is why some buyers use it where a longer cable would only add clutter. The amperage field prints 15 A and the weight prints 62 g, both out of line with the other four-gang leads here, and the power-plug field says no plug while reviews describe a standard UK plug that arrived moulded rather than the rewireable plug in a picture. Reviews measured about 90 cm to 92 cm from block to plug. One buyer painted the all-white switches because on and off were hard to tell. Surge protection is claimed and no joule figure is printed. The model field says 15329pl while the title says PELB1918. Treat the printed 15 A and 62 g as listing errors to notice, not as a higher current rating.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A tight desk or TV corner where about a metre is enough and a surge claim without joules is acceptable.
Less suitable: Anyone who needs the cable to pass a worktop hole, or who needs the amperage cell to say 13 A.
Specifications
Common questions
Why does the table say 15 A and 62 g?
Those are the printed amperage and weight. Other four-gang leads in this set are about 13 A and several hundred grams. Treat 15 A and 62 g as listing errors to notice, not as a higher current rating.
Is the plug rewireable?
A review says the picture showed a rewireable plug, but the lead arrived with a moulded plug, so the cable would not pass through a worktop hole.
Can you see whether a switch is on?
One review says the switches are all white, so on and off are hard to tell, and the buyer painted them.
The Dewenwils six-way lead is the black 3 m bar in this set, at £16.99 with 4.6 from 2,224 amazon.co.uk reviews. A bullet prints 270 joules, a 13 A resettable breaker, 3,250 W at 250 V, a spare fuse, and indicator lights. The surge-protection field itself says 13 amps, which is the continuous rating, not a joule figure. The title says individual switches on a six-way lead, one bullet says four individual switches, and reviews describe a switch per socket, so the four-switch line should not be treated as the count you will receive. Buyers like turning sockets off in the dark and mounting the bar, though the fixings are through-holes with visible screw heads rather than hidden keyholes. Switches and ports are called stiff, one buyer thought the build was not good enough for the price, and one review says a shorter cable arrived than the 3 m ordered. USB is not in the bullets. A review that calls USB a bonus may be a different variant.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A PC setup that wants about 3 m, six sockets, and a 270 J bullet you have read against the 13 A field.
Less suitable: Anyone who will read 13 A in the surge field as the surge rating, or who wants soft switches.
Specifications
Common questions
Is the surge rating 13 A?
The surge-protection field says 13 amps. The bullet says 270 joules and a 13 A resettable breaker. 13 A is the continuous rating, not a joule figure.
Are all six sockets switched?
The title says individual switches on a 6-way lead. One bullet says four individual switches. Reviews describe a switch per socket.
How does it fix to a wall?
The bullet says two screw mounts. Reviews describe through-holes with visible screw heads.
The Mscien UKS-6K5PUC is listed as a white 1 m five-way lead with two USB-A ports and one USB-C port, at £18.68 with 4.6 from 866 amazon.co.uk reviews. The box line matches that 1 m five-way description, while the outlet field prints 8, and several reviews describe a 5 m lead, so the review set is mixed and the title is the length to order against. Two UK reviews say the blue lamps are subtle and did not keep the buyer awake, which is the opposite of the Masterplug SWSRG complaints. The switches need a firm press, and one buyer in her eighties found the buttons hard. The bar is wider than a plain lead because of the switches; one buyer could not fit it in an Ikea desk shelf and another screwed it to a timber batten instead of using the hooks. Bullets claim overload protection, not a joule figure. One review calls the USB charging quite quick, which is not a printed wattage.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A bedroom or dorm desk where dim lamps and three USB ports matter, if you order against the 1 m title.
Less suitable: A buyer who needs a confirmed 5 m cable, or a printed joule rating.
Specifications
Common questions
Is this a 5-way or an 8-way lead?
The title and the box line say a 5-way lead with three USB ports. The outlet field prints 8.
How long is the cable?
The title and a bullet say 1 m. Several reviews describe a 5 m lead, so the review set is mixed. Order against the title.
Are the lights bright at night?
Two UK reviews say the lamps are subtle and did not keep the buyer awake. The switches need a firm press.
The Masterplug SWC4210N is a white 2 m four-socket switched lead at £9.49 with 4.6 from 828 amazon.co.uk reviews. The bullet prints a maximum load of 3,120 W at 240 V on the 13 A fused plug, names shuttered sockets to BS 1363-2, and claims wall mounting. Reviewers like the switches for chargers, cameras and Kindles, and they call the build solid. The attribute table says surge protection and 370 joules, while the title and the box line do not say surge, and UK reviews say the surge parts and the power and surge LEDs are not fitted. Buyers have returned it because the page did not match a surge lead they already owned. Do not buy this model number for surge protection. One review mentions a small neon at the end, which is not the same as the LEDs a surge title would lead you to expect. The plug fields again print Type G and Type B.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A cheap four-socket switched bar when you have already decided you do not need surge protection.
Less suitable: Any TV, console or PC you intended to put on a surge-protected lead.
Specifications
Common questions
Is the SWC4210N surge protected?
The attribute table says surge protection and 370 joules. The title and the box line do not say surge. UK reviews say the surge parts and the LEDs are not fitted. Do not buy this model number for surge protection.
What load does the bullet print?
The 13 A fused plug is rated for a maximum load of 3,120 W at 240 V AC. The four switches do not give each socket its own 13 A.
Which standard is named?
A bullet says the shuttered sockets are certified to BS 1363-2.
The XGKEGS 8382-1.5M is a two-socket lead with a switch on each, a 1.5 m cable, and a 13 A fused Type G plug, at £12.99 with 4.6 from 327 amazon.co.uk reviews. A bullet claims 3,250 W and a flame-retardant casing, and a review found push-out covers over two recessed screw holes rather than an obvious hanging slot. Buyers who wanted a short two-gang lead use it behind a sofa and in a campervan, and they mention indicator lights that the bullets do not name. The cable and plug are not pure white in one review, which describes a blue tinge against a white wall, and the plug is called very hard to pull out. One buyer used it for a tumble dryer, reported the socket getting very hot with one side burnt, and stopped using it. Some reviews on the page describe a four-way 5 m surge lead, which is not this title. Surge protection is not claimed. Two sockets still share one 13 A fuse, and a tumble dryer is the wrong load for this bar.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A short two-socket run for light loads, if you ignore reviews that are about a different lead.
Less suitable: A tumble dryer, a kettle, or any job that needs more than two sockets.
Specifications
Common questions
How many sockets does it have?
The title and the bullets say two AC sockets. The outlet-count field is missing. Both sockets share one 13 A fuse.
How does the wall fixing work?
The bullet says a wall mounting slot. A review found push-out covers over two recessed screw holes.
Did a review report heat?
One buyer used it for a tumble dryer, reported the socket getting very hot with one side burnt, and stopped using it. A tumble dryer is the wrong load for this bar.
The Pro Elec PELB1761 is a grey and white three-gang lead with 1 m of cable, at £9.99 with 4.6 from 94 amazon.co.uk reviews. Each outlet has its own switch and a neon indicator, and a bullet names BS 1363/A. The bullets do not claim surge protection or wall mounting, and listing questions that ask about both are not a specification. The file contains 21 review texts. They praise solid-feeling switches, lights that show something left on, space between sockets, and a compact size for a kitchen. There is no repeated defect in those 21 texts, which is a quiet sample rather than a large one. At 260 g it is one of the lighter bars here. Ninety-four reviews cannot carry the same weight as the Pro Elec listings with more than two thousand, so this is a short three-socket lead for a desk or bedside, not a surge lead.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A desk, TV unit or bedside that only needs three switched sockets within about 1 m.
Less suitable: A surge-protected run, a wall mount, or a decision you want backed by thousands of reviews.
Specifications
Common questions
Does this 3-gang lead claim surge protection?
No. A listing question asks, and the bullets do not claim it.
Can it be wall mounted?
A listing question asks. The bullets do not say that it can.
How many reviews are on the listing?
The listing line is 4.6 out of 5 from 94 reviews. The file contains 21 review texts, which is a thin sample beside the Pro Elec listings with more than two thousand.
Twelve amazon.co.uk listings were scored for this page. Weights sum to 100. Shelf date 22 October 2026. Stars, review counts and the printed surge, plug and load cells come from those listings. This was not a lab test. A switch on every socket is the entry ticket. A printed surge figure that the title, the table and the reviews do not fight over scores higher. A Type B cell beside Type G, a 15 A cell, a 62 g weight, or a surge table that reviews say is empty, sits as a deduction.
Listing agrees with itself
30%A switch on every socket is the entry ticket. A printed surge figure that the title, the table and the reviews do not fight over scores higher. A Type B cell beside Type G, a 15 A cell, a 62 g weight, or a surge table that reviews say is empty, is a deduction. The switches do not give each socket its own 13 A.
Amazon evidence
25%Stars and review count on amazon.co.uk for that ASIN. Stars in this set sit between 4.6 and 4.8, so the count matters. The 4.8 from 1,232 reviews leads. A 4.6 from 94 reviews cannot lead on stars alone.
Review sentiment
25%Bright bedroom lamps, stiff switches, a short cable and a heat report are deductions. One heat text is a deduction, not a failure rate. Reviews that describe a different lead are not treated as evidence for this title.
Price for the job
20%GBP on amazon.co.uk against the job the reviews support. A clear four-socket surge lead at £9.50 scores high. A £23.99 five-way lead can still place, but it does not win on price. The best value badge is a different ASIN from the top score.
The checks run in this order: the shared 13 A load, a switch you can see, then the surge wording, the cable length and the plug fields. The table is the twelve stored amazon.co.uk listings. Joule figures and warranty sentences stay seller claims. None of these leads was tested on a bench for this page.
An individually switched extension lead is a UK portable socket bar with a separate on/off control on each outlet. Plugs can stay fitted while you cut standby on the sockets you are not using. Shoppers use one at a TV unit, a desk, a kitchen counter or a bedside table. You choose the number of gangs, the cable length, and whether the listing claims surge protection. A switch on every socket is the entry ticket for this comparison. The switches do not raise what the plug can supply.
Each switch only cuts that outlet. The plug is still one 13 A fuse. A kettle, a toaster and a microwave should not share the bar. Daisy-chaining another lead into it does not add capacity. Stop if the lead is hot, smells or arcs.
The attribute table says 370 J. The title and the box line do not say surge. UK reviews say the surge parts and the LEDs are not fitted. Buyers have returned it because the page did not match a surge lead they already owned.
Several Masterplug files and the Addtam file print Type B beside Type G. That is a listing conflict until the photo shows otherwise. It does not mean two plugs are supplied. No file here prints an IP rating, so an outdoor line is not an outdoor rating.
The lead is one 13 A plug, not 13 A on every socket. Masterplug prints 3,120 W at 240 V on the SWC4210N bullet as the maximum load of the fused plug. Dewenwils prints 3,250 W at 250 V beside a 13 A breaker. Electrical Safety First says one lead per wall socket and no daisy-chaining. London Fire Brigade says a kettle, a toaster and a microwave should not share one lead. Scottish Fire and Rescue Service states the 13 A total on the bar.
Read the surge claim against the model. The Masterplug SWSRG lines print 370 J and connected-equipment wording of up to £1,000 for three years. The SWC4210N title omits surge, the attribute table says 370 J, and UK reviews say the surge parts are missing. Dewenwils prints 270 J in a bullet and 13 A in the surge field. 13 A is the continuous rating, not joules. Addtam prints 1,050 J. Pro Elec PL15330 and PELB1918, and Mscien BW005-5M, claim surge and print no joule figure.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You want four switched sockets, a short cable and a surge figure the listing actually prints. The Masterplug SWSRG4210N is the top pick at about £9.50, with 4.8 from 1,232 reviews and 370 J in the table. The end lamps stay on and are too bright for a bedroom.
You want lamps you can see, and you still keep a kettle, toaster or microwave off the bar. The Masterplug SWSRG6210N has a switch on each of six sockets at about £12.49, with 370 J in the table. One review measured the wall holes at 270 mm.
You want switches whose lamps stay dim. The Mscien UKS-6K5PUC is listed at about £18.68, with two USB-A ports and one USB-C port, and two UK reviews say the lamps did not keep the buyer awake. Order against the 1 m title. Several reviews describe a 5 m lead.
The top pick is the Masterplug SWSRG4210N at about £9.50, with 4.8 from 1,232 reviews, a switch on each of four sockets and 370 J printed in the table. UK reviews say the end lamps stay on and are too bright for a bedroom, and the plug fields print Type G and Type B. The best value is the Pro Elec PL15330 at about £9.99, with 4.7 from 2,687 reviews, four switches and a surge claim that does not print a joule figure. The Masterplug SWC4210N is cheaper at about £9.49 and is not the surge lead to buy: the table says 370 J and UK reviews say the surge parts are missing.
Masterplug SWSRG4210N
Highest score: about £9.50, 4.8 from 1,232 reviews, four switched sockets and 370 J in the table. The end lamps are too bright for a bedroom.
Pro Elec PL15330
About £9.99 with 4.7 from 2,687 reviews, four switches and a surge claim. No joule figure is printed, and the green neon is bright at night.
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.
Sources taken from the research digest. Listings were scored on 22 October 2026. This page did not run a lab test.
This article contains affiliate links. If you buy through these links we may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you. Prices, stars and review counts come from stored amazon.co.uk listings. We did not run a lab test.
