The best extension leads with flat plugs, compared.
Top pick: ORICO travel lead, flat plug, 2 sockets – Highest score: about £18.04, 4.7 from 2,407 reviews, and a wrap-around travel shape. Cable length and plug depth are not stated. Best value: TOPREK 2-plug, 1.5 m, flat plug – Lowest shelf price at about £12.74 with a stated 0.57-inch plug depth, 1.5 m and a switch. Updated October 2026.
An extension lead with a flat plug is a short UK mains lead with a low-profile wall plug, so a sofa, bed or cabinet can sit closer to the socket. It still needs a BS 1363 three-pin plug and a BS 1362 fuse, normally rated 13 A. A Type A flat cord near 125 V is a different product, and so is a BS 4573 shaver plug. Flat means low-profile, not paper-thin. A UK plug has to hold a fuse, so look for a stated depth in inches or millimetres, then a cable length the listing actually prints. Two AC outlets is the usual mains count. USB is extra convenience with a low watt ceiling. On arrival, confirm a 13 A fuse and BS 1363-style marking. A printed 3,250 W figure is 13 A at 250 V for the whole lead, not per socket and not a surge rating. Use one extension device per wall socket, and do not run the flex under a rug. Clearance behind a sofa or cabinet is covered in the [behind furniture](/hub/sockets-and-extension-leads/extension-lead-with-flat-plug/sub/extension-lead-with-flat-plug-behind-furniture) guide.
An extension lead with a flat plug is a short UK mains lead with a low-profile wall plug, so a sofa, bed or cabinet can sit closer to the socket.
11 products checked · 48 hrs invested · +16,400 readers
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
Where will you use it?
Across 2,407 amazon.co.uk reviews at 4.7 stars, the ORICO travel lead is the review-heavy row at £18.04, with a wrap-around cable, a flat-plug claim for hotel sockets behind a bed, and a staggered shape meant to leave the other half of a double socket free. UK buyers praise the compact body and the elastic band for packing, and several say the cable is shorter than they expected; the manufacturer does not state a length in the specification block. One reviewer could not seat a full plug in one socket, and another added a second extension lead because the reach was tight, which Electrical Safety First discourages. USB is shared at 5 V / 3.4 A total, so a laptop still wants its own mains adaptor in an AC socket. It is the top pick in this comparison when review depth matters more than a printed plug depth, and a poor fit if you must know the cable length before you pay.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want the travel shape and a large review sample, and you can accept an unstated cable length.
Less suitable: You need a printed 1.5 m length, PD 20 W USB-C, or a switch on the block before you order.
Specifications
Common questions
Does this ORICO lead have a flat plug?
The listing says the flat plug is for hotel sockets behind a bed or sofa, and that a staggered shape is meant to leave the other half of a double socket free. It does not state the plug depth in millimetres.
How long is the cable?
The specification block and the title do not state a cable length. Some UK reviewers describe it as short, and one estimates about 1 m. That estimate is not a manufacturer figure.
Is it suitable for a cruise?
The listing labels it cruise approved. That is the seller's phrase. The stored listing does not confirm a named cruise line's current rules.
The TOPREK lead is the £12.74 row in this set, with 4.5 from 164 amazon.co.uk reviews, a stated 0.57-inch flat plug and a 1.5 m cable. UK reviewers bought it when a filing cabinet left almost no room at the wall socket, and they describe the plug as very slim compared with a standard BS 1363 block. The listing is also the only one here that states an on/off switch, 15 W USB-C and claimed child shutters, though surge protection is claimed with no joule figure. Reviewers also report sockets that grip plugs tightly and one unit that arrived with dead AC sockets and USB. Those are individual reports, not a failure rate. None of the bullets print a conductor size. At this price it is the best value when you need a manufacturer depth figure and a switch, and a weaker match if you need PD 20 W or thousands of reviews behind the star line.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You need a stated plug depth, 1.5 m reach and a switch behind a cabinet or desk, and two mains sockets are enough.
Less suitable: You want PD 20 W on USB-C, a wrap-around travel body, or a review file with thousands of ratings.
Specifications
Common questions
Does this TOPREK lead have a flat plug?
The listing states a slim 0.57-inch flat plug, which is about 14.5 mm, for tight spaces behind furniture. It is still described as a UK Type G plug rated 13 A.
Can you charge a laptop from the USB-C port?
The listing rates the USB-C port at 15 W and each USB-A port at 12 W. A laptop that needs more than that uses its own mains adaptor in one of the two AC sockets, inside the 3,250 W total.
Does it have a switch and surge protection?
The listing includes an on/off switch and claims overload, surge and short-circuit protection. It does not give a surge energy figure in joules.
The TESSAN lead lists at £18.99 with 4.3 from only 24 amazon.co.uk ratings, a stated 1.5 m cable and USB-C up to PD 20 W alongside two USB-A ports at 12 W. UK reviewers like the compact block for a desk or a bedside socket, and one measured the plug at about 1.64 cm, which is a review measurement, not a listing depth. The specification prints both 13 A maximum current and a separate 13.6 A amperage field, and it does not list a switch or surge joules. One UK review says the USB ports failed after a month. Twenty-four ratings is a thin sample beside the ORICO file. Choose it when PD 20 W and a stated 1.5 m matter more than a printed plug depth or a huge review count, and skip it if you want a switch on the block or surge figures you can compare.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want PD 20 W and a stated 1.5 m cable for a desk or bedside, and two mains sockets are enough.
Less suitable: You need a switch, a stated plug depth, or a review file with thousands of ratings before you commit.
Specifications
Common questions
Does this TESSAN lead have a flat plug?
The listing says the flat plug fits behind furniture and in tight spaces. It does not print a depth. One UK reviewer measured about 1.64 cm, which is a review measurement, not a specification.
Will the USB-C port charge a laptop?
The bullets say USB-C goes up to PD 20 W and each USB-A port is 12 W. Many laptops need a higher mains adaptor. That adaptor plugs into one of the two AC sockets and counts toward the 3,250 W total.
Is there a switch or surge protection?
The stored specification does not list a switch or a surge joule rating. The 3,250 W figure is the stated total load, and a separate amperage field says 13.6 A while maximum current says 13 A.
Three amazon.co.uk listings were scored for this page. Weights sum to 100. Shelf prices, stars and review counts are the stored amazon.co.uk figures. There was no lab test. Missing cable length, missing plug depth, conflicting amperage fields, a surge claim with no joules, and a repeated defect theme in UK review texts sit outside the 100 as deductions.
Amazon stars
56%The largest share follows the amazon.co.uk star line. In the score method a rating is multiplied by 8 and rounded, so a 4.7 line adds 38 points before these weights are applied. Stars are the stored listing, not a lab score.
Review count
18%One hundred or more UK reviews add the review-count band. Fewer than 50, and fewer than 30, pull that band down. A thin sample cannot carry this block on its own.
Stated features
26%A stated flat-plug depth, a stated cable length, an on/off switch, PD 20 W USB-C, claimed child shutters and a wrap-around travel body share this block. Points follow what the listing prints.
The checks run in this order: UK plug and fuse, stated plug depth, stated cable length, then two AC outlets, USB wattage and a switch. The table is the three stored amazon.co.uk listings. Depth, length and joules stay what the page prints. This page did not run a lab test.
An extension lead with a flat plug is a short UK mains lead with a low-profile wall plug, so a sofa, bed or cabinet can sit closer to the socket. It still needs a BS 1363 three-pin plug and a BS 1362 fuse, normally 13 A. The printed total on the listings in this comparison is 13 A and 3,250 W. That figure is the ceiling for everything at once, not a rating per socket and not surge protection. Two kinds show up. A home lead is a short cable, a slim wall plug, two sockets and often USB.
Flat in a title can mean a Type A cord near 125 V and 1,875 W. This category is a UK Type G plug with a BS 1362 fuse, normally 13 A. Read the voltage and the pin type before you pay.
3,250 W is 13 A at 250 V for the whole lead. Loading both sockets to that figure overloads the plug. A surge claim with no joule figure does not raise the current rating.
If you cannot reach the wall plug, you cannot isolate a fault. Do not run flex under a rug, do not daisy-chain, and do not fit a larger fuse when the correct one blows. That is a job for a registered electrician.
Start with Type G: three rectangular pins, a fuse and a 13 A marking. A Type A flat cord is a different product. Flat means low-profile. A UK plug still has to hold a fuse, so it will not be paper-thin. TOPREK states 0.57 inch, about 14.5 mm. ORICO and TESSAN claim a flat plug and do not print a millimetre figure. One TESSAN review measured about 1.64 cm. That is a review measurement, not a specification. Cable length is the next printed figure. TOPREK and TESSAN state 1.5 m.
All three listings are labelled 13 A and 3,250 W in total. That is the ceiling for everything at once, not per socket and not a surge rating. TESSAN also prints 13.6 A in a separate amperage field beside 13 A maximum current, so the amperage line is not clean. Two AC outlets is the whole mains count. If you need four mains plugs, use a normal extension lead. USB is a low ceiling. TESSAN goes up to PD 20 W on USB-C and 12 W per USB-A. TOPREK states 15 W USB-C and 12 W USB-A.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You want a small body that the cable wraps around, and a large UK review file. The ORICO travel lead is the top pick at about £18.04, with 4.7 from 2,407 reviews. Cable length and plug depth are not stated, and several UK reviews call the cable short.
You need a stated plug depth, 1.5 m and a switch, and two mains sockets are enough. The TOPREK lead is the best value at about £12.74, with 4.5 from 164 reviews and a 0.57-inch flat plug. UK reviews include tight sockets and one dead-on-arrival report.
You want USB-C up to PD 20 W and a stated 1.5 m cable. The TESSAN lead is about £18.99, with 4.3 from 24 reviews, two USB-C ports and two USB-A ports at 12 W. Plug depth is not printed, and one UK review says the USB ports failed after a month.
The top pick is the ORICO travel lead at about £18.04, with 4.7 from 2,407 amazon.co.uk reviews. It is the only row with more than 2,000 UK ratings and a wrap-around travel shape. The listing does not state cable length or plug depth. The best value is the TOPREK lead at about £12.74, with 4.5 from 164 reviews, a stated 0.57-inch flat plug, 1.5 m and a switch. UK reviews include tight sockets and one dead-on-arrival report. The TESSAN lead states 1.5 m and USB-C up to PD 20 W at about £18.99, with 4.3 from 24 reviews.
ORICO travel lead, flat plug, 2 sockets
Highest score: about £18.04, 4.7 from 2,407 reviews, and a wrap-around travel shape. Cable length and plug depth are not stated.
TOPREK 2-plug, 1.5 m, flat plug
Lowest shelf price at about £12.74 with a stated 0.57-inch plug depth, 1.5 m and a switch.
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 from the stored amazon.co.uk capture. 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.
