The best extension leads with remote control, compared.
Top pick: PRO ELEC PELB0429 Best value: HBN 3-socket lead – Lowest shelf price, about £25.99, that still states 2 m, 13 A with 3,120 W, individual switching and all-off. Score 90. Updated October 2026.
An extension lead with remote control is a trailing socket strip with a flex, a UK 13 A plug, and a handheld radio remote that switches the mains sockets one by one, often with an all-off control as well. You buy one when the socket is behind a sofa, a television cabinet or a bedside table, or when you want appliances fully off instead of on standby. It is not a Wi-Fi smart strip, and it is not a plug-in remote adaptor with no flex. Judge a suitable lead by the marked current, using the lower of 13 A and any kilowatt cap, a BS 1363 plug with a BS 1362 fuse, a cable length the carton agrees with, and a handset battery you can replace. A printed range is a ceiling, because walls shorten it. The label checks are in the [extension lead with remote control buying guide](/hub/sockets-and-extension-leads/extension-lead-with-remote-control/sub/extension-lead-with-remote-control-buying-guide). Some USB ports stay powered when the mains sockets switch off. Some sockets stay off after a power cut until you press the handset, which rules them out for a recorder or a pump that must restart. Surge is often claimed with no joule rating. With no IP rating, treat the lead as indoor. Use one lead per wall socket, do not daisy-chain, and unplug if a socket stays live or the plastic smells hot.
An extension lead with remote control is a trailing socket strip with a flex, a UK 13 A plug, and a handheld radio remote that switches the mains sockets one by one, often with an all-off control as well.
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
Where will you use it?
The PRO ELEC PELB0429 is a five-socket remote lead at about £31.03, rated 4.6 from 59 amazon.co.uk reviews, and the bullets cap the maximum load at 2.4 kW while also marking the lead 13 A. Treat 2.4 kW as the working limit: one kettle can already sit on that figure, so a fifth socket is a fifth low-power outlet. The title and the item-length field say 1 m, one bullet says 2 m, and trade listings repeat 1 m, so the longer figure is unchecked until you see the carton. The remote switches each socket, and an all-off control is not stated in the bullets. Range is printed as up to 30 m in line of sight, and a 23A cell is supplied. One review says the sockets stay off until you use the remote, which made the lead unsuitable for an NVR, and another reports a socket stuck after one to two years. Surge protection is claimed with no joule rating in the table. It is the only five-gang in the set, and a poor match for a kettle beside other appliances on the same lead.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Five low-power plugs, such as lamps and chargers, where 2.4 kW is enough and you can check the carton for a 1 m flex.
Less suitable: A kettle, a heater, an NVR that must restart, or a buyer who needs a confirmed 2 m cable before ordering.
Specifications
Common questions
How long is the cable?
The title and the item-length field say 1 m. One bullet says a 2 m cable. Treat that as a conflict until you check the carton.
Is 13 A the same as the maximum load?
The bullets mark the lead 13 A and 250 V, and they also cap the maximum load at 2.4 kW. Use the lower figure.
Do the sockets come back on after a power cut?
One review says they stay off until you use the remote, which made the lead unsuitable for an NVR.
The HBN 4-socket lead, model BNPS-50/E81R, is listed at about £28.99 with 4.6 from 38 amazon.co.uk reviews, a 2 m cable and a stated 3,120 W at 13 A. The remote arrives pre-paired and switches each mains socket, with an all-off control, which is the job buyers describe for a television stack. Several UK reviews say the two USB-A and two USB-C ports stay powered and are not on the remote, so all-off leaves phone chargers live. Combined USB output in the bullets is 5 V / 3.4 A. One review says the sockets do not remember their state and come back off after the wall socket has been switched off, which rules the lead out for a recorder or a pump that must restart. Range is not printed, surge protection is claimed with an indicator, and the specification table gives no joule rating. One review mentions a 12 V cell without a size you can match in a shop. Thirty-eight reviews is a thin sample beside the Energenie lead's 403.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A television or a desk where you want four switched sockets and USB charging that can stay live.
Less suitable: A pump, a recorder or a router that must come back on by itself, or a room where the USB ports must die with all-off.
Specifications
Common questions
Do the USB ports switch off with the remote?
Several UK reviews say the USB ports stay powered and are not on the remote. The mains sockets are the ones that switch.
What happens after a power cut?
One review says the sockets do not remember their state and come back off when the wall socket has been switched off.
How long is the cable?
The listing bullets say 2 metres.
The HBN 3-socket lead, model BNPS-50/E80R, is the about £25.99 listing in this set, rated 4.5 from 37 amazon.co.uk reviews, with a 2 m cable, a Type G plug and 3,120 W at 13 A. The bullets say it arrives pre-paired. Reviews still mention pulling a battery tab, and one buyer had to bend a loose battery contact before the handset worked. Reviewers say the USB ports stay on and are not switched by the remote, while the three mains sockets are. Combined USB output is 5 V / 3.4 A across two USB-A and two USB-C ports. There is no IP rating, and the listing does not answer whether the lead can go outdoors. One review reports a unit dead on arrival, which carries more weight when the sample is 37 reviews. At about £25.99 it is the lowest shelf figure among the four leads, and a weak match if you need a fourth mains socket or a handset battery the specification table will name.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Three switched sockets plus USB charging, at the lowest price in this set, when you can return a dead unit.
Less suitable: You need four or five mains sockets, a named replacement cell, or a lead rated for outdoor use.
Specifications
Common questions
Do the USB ports follow the remote?
Reviewers say the USB ports stay on and are not switched by the remote. Combined USB output in the bullets is 5 V / 3.4 A.
Does the listing say it can go outdoors?
The listing does not answer that. There is no IP rating in the specification table.
Is it ready to use?
The bullets say it arrives pre-paired. Reviews still mention removing a battery tab, and one buyer had to bend a loose battery contact.
Across 403 amazon.co.uk reviews at 4.3 stars, the Energenie ENER010 switches four mains sockets from a radio handset, including an all-off control. The maker prints a 1.8 m flex, 13 A and 3 kW, and states indoor use. Reviewers put it behind a television or a sofa, and the handset works without the MiHome gateway that Alexa needs. The amazon.co.uk bullets claim up to 30 m through walls, yet one UK review found the signal weak into a shed about 3 m away through a wall. A repeated complaint is a socket that stays live, including a laptop charger left in socket 1, so that fault means unplugging at the wall. The item-length field of 2 cm is unusable; the flex to trust is the maker's 1.8 m. Reviews name a CR2032 in the handset, which some buyers find fiddly to remove. At about £27.99 it is the only lead here with hundreds of UK reviews.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want four switched mains sockets behind a sofa or a television, and you will unplug the lead if a socket stays live.
Less suitable: You need USB charging on the block, outdoor use, or a recorder that must restart after a power cut without a test.
Specifications
Common questions
How far does the listing say the remote works?
The amazon.co.uk bullets say up to 30 m through walls and ceilings. One UK review found the signal weak into a shed about 3 m away through a wall.
Does the box include Alexa or a hub?
The contents line is the extension lead and the remote. Reviews that used Alexa or the MiHome app say a separate gateway was required. The listing bullets do not mention Alexa.
Can it be used outdoors?
The listing does not answer that. The maker states indoor use only. Some reviews keep the lead indoors and feed lights that are outside.
Four amazon.co.uk listings were scored for this page. Shelf prices, stars and review counts are the figures stored on 19 October 2026. No lab test was run. A 4.6-star line starts at 70, a 4.5 at 66 and a 4.3 at 58. At least 400 reviews add 12, 50 to 399 add 4, and under 50 add 0. Individual switching, a stated all-off control, a stated USB block, a cable length that agrees at about 2 m (or a maker length of 1.8 m when the item-length field is unusable), and a 13 A line near 3 kW with no lower cap each add 4. A surge claim that also names an indicator adds 4. A printed range adds 2. A named handset cell adds 2. A repeated stuck-socket theme subtracts 6, a single stuck-socket report subtracts 3, a cable-length conflict subtracts 4, a kilowatt cap below the 13 A line subtracts 4, and sockets that return off after a power cut subtract 2. Surge joules are not scored, because none of the four tables prints a joule rating. The score on each card is that point arithmetic. The five weights below sum to 100 and show how the same checks are balanced.
Amazon line
40%Stars set the base: 4.6 starts at 70, 4.5 at 66 and 4.3 at 58. Review count adds 12 at 400 or more, 4 from 50 to 399, and nothing under 50.
Switching
20%Individually switched sockets add 4. A stated all-off control adds another 4. If the bullets do not state all-off, that second mark is not given.
Cable and load
16%A cable length that agrees at about 2 m, or a maker length of 1.8 m when the item-length field is unusable, adds 4. A 13 A line near 3 kW with no lower cap adds 4. A kilowatt cap printed below 13 A is a deduction.
USB and surge indicator
12%A stated USB block adds 4. A surge claim that also names an indicator adds 4. Joule ratings are not scored, because none of the tables prints one.
Range, battery and price
12%A printed range adds 2. A named handset cell, a CR2032 or a 23A, adds 2. Best value is the lowest shelf price that still states 2 m, 13 A with 3,120 W, individual switching and all-off.
The checks run in this order: a lead plus a radio handset, individual and all-off switching, the lower of 13 A and any kilowatt cap, then cable length, range, behaviour after a power cut, and a cell you can replace. The table is four stored amazon.co.uk listings from 19 October 2026. This page did not run a lab test, and it does not call any lead the safest.
An extension lead with remote control is a trailing socket strip with a flex, a 13 A-pattern plug and a handheld radio remote. The handset switches the mains sockets individually. Many also switch every socket together. In the UK you buy one when the wall socket is behind a sofa, a television cabinet or a bedside table, or when you want a stack of appliances fully off instead of on standby. It is not a Wi-Fi smart strip.
A title that is only smart, Alexa or 2.4 GHz means the phone, not a radio handset. A pack of plug sockets and remotes with no flex is a different category. The handset on a radio lead works without a router. An app on the Energenie ENER010 needs a MiHome gateway that is not in the box.
The marked current is the total for the lead. Use the lower of 13 A and any kilowatt cap. PRO ELEC prints 13 A and also 2.4 kW, so 2.4 kW is the working limit. London Fire Brigade advice is not to share an extension with kettles and similar appliances. Stop if the plastic smells hot.
UK reviews of both HBN leads say the USB ports stay live and are not on the remote. A printed range is a ceiling. Energenie and PRO ELEC print up to 30 m, and one UK review found the Energenie signal weak through a wall at about 3 m. HBN prints no range. Do not plan a shed from the headline figure.
Start with a lead plus a radio handset. Each mains socket should switch on its own, and you should see whether all sockets switch together. The HBN 3-socket lead, BNPS-50/E80R, and the HBN 4-socket lead, BNPS-50/E81R, both state individual switching and all-off, and both arrive pre-paired in the bullets. UK reviews say their two USB-A and two USB-C ports stay powered and are not on the remote. Combined USB output in the bullets is 5 V / 3.4 A, so all-off leaves chargers live.
Range is a ceiling. Energenie bullets say up to 30 m through walls and ceilings. One UK review found that signal weak into a shed about 3 m away through a wall. PRO ELEC prints up to 30 m in line of sight. HBN prints no range. Do not plan through brick from the headline, and do not amplify the handset. Ofcom IR 2030 covers the licence-exempt short-range band. Energenie's own page states 433.92 MHz, indoor use, and parts of BS 5733, BS EN 60730 and ETSI EN 300 220 for the ENER010.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You cannot reach the sockets behind a sofa or a television cabinet, and you can keep the handset by the chair. The HBN 4-socket lead is the top pick: four switched mains sockets, all-off, a 2 m cable and 3,120 W, at about £28.99 with 4.6 from 38 reviews. USB stays live, and one review says the sockets come back off after a power cut.
You want three switched sockets and USB charging, and you will accept a flex of about 2 m instead of a new wall socket. The HBN 3-socket lead is the best value at about £25.99, with 4.5 from 37 reviews, a Type G plug and 3,120 W. USB stays live, and the handset cell is not named in the specification table.
You want four sockets behind a television or a sofa, and you want the review sample that is hundreds deep. The Energenie ENER010 has 4.3 from 403 amazon.co.uk reviews at about £27.99. The maker states 1.8 m, 13 A, 3 kW and indoor use, and reviews name a CR2032. Stuck sockets are a repeated complaint, so unplug at the wall if one stays live.
The top pick is the HBN 4-socket lead, model BNPS-50/E81R, at about £28.99. It scores 92: four individually switched sockets, all-off, USB, a stated 2 m cable and 3,120 W, with 4.6 from 38 reviews. USB stays powered, sockets can return off after a power cut, and 38 reviews is a thin sample. The best value is the HBN 3-socket lead at about £25.99, score 90, the lowest shelf price that still states a 2 m cable, 13 A with 3,120 W, individual switching and all-off. The Energenie ENER010 has the long review trail, 403 reviews, and a repeated stuck-socket complaint.
HBN 3-socket lead
Lowest shelf price, about £25.99, that still states 2 m, 13 A with 3,120 W, individual switching and all-off. Score 90.
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 19 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.
