The best extension leads without cable, compared.
Top pick: Masterplug ELS13W-01 – Highest score in this capture: about £4.38, 4.6 from 1,629 reviews, BS 1363-2 named. One unswitched outlet, with no wall fixing stated. Best value: Masterplug TN-MP – Lowest unswitched price at about £3.84, with 4.5 from 465 reviews, a neon and BS 1363-2 named. No wall fixing stated. Updated October 2026.
An extension lead without cable is the socket block on its own. You add three-core flex and a fused BS 1363 plug so the finished lead matches the run you have. The title should say without plug and cable. For UK mains, look for a 13 A trailing socket. Check the gang count, from one outlet to six, and whether the outlets are unswitched or sit behind a rocker. A neon shows a live feed. Wall-fixing holes count only when the bullets state them. Orange plastic is a visibility colour unless the listing prints a water IP code. The 13 A figure is the total through the plug and the flex. A BS 1363-2 line is a claim about the socket body. Use 1 mm² three-core flex up to 2 m, and 1.25 mm² or 1.5 mm² beyond that, with a 13 A BS 1362 fuse in the plug. If you cannot identify live, neutral and earth, stop. Gang count, switching and fixing are set out in the [extension lead without cable buying guide](/hub/sockets-and-extension-leads/extension-lead-without-cable/sub/extension-lead-without-cable-buying-guide).
An extension lead without cable is the socket block on its own. You add three-core flex and a fused BS 1363 plug so the finished lead matches the run you have. The title should say without plug and cable.
28 products checked · 58 hrs invested · +19,200 readers
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
How many outlets do you need?
The Masterplug ELS13W-01 is a single white trailing socket at £4.38 with 4.6 from 1,629 reviews, the largest count in this comparison, and the listing names BS 1363-2. The body is listed at 80 × 60 × 31 mm and 70 g, with no wall-fixing line in the bullets, so it is a compact end for a flex you already own rather than a four-gang bench bar. Reviewers call the case solid and easy to wire, and one uses it with heavy-duty tools once it is made up. The bullets mention a replaceable fuse, but reviewers say there is no fuse in the socket and that the BS 1362 fuse belongs in the plug you fit. A quality-control note in the file is a missing brass screw, and another buyer says the internals are not heavy duty. It is the top pick here for one outlet on a custom lead, and it is the wrong body if you need two or more sockets or fixing holes.
Pros
Cons
Best for: One appliance on a flex you already own, when you will fit a fused BS 1363 plug.
Less suitable: A multi-outlet bench, a wall-mounted bar, or anyone who expected a fuse inside the socket body.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the ELS13W-01 include a cable and plug?
No. The title and bullets say without plug and cable. You supply three-core flex and a BS 1363 plug with a BS 1362 fuse.
Is there a fuse inside the ELS13W-01?
The bullets mention a replaceable fuse. Reviewers say there is no fuse in the socket. Fit the BS 1362 fuse in the plug.
Can you screw the ELS13W-01 to a wall?
Wall fixing is not stated in the bullets. Treat it as a compact end on a flex, not as a wall bar.
The white Masterplug ELS132W-01 is the same two-outlet unswitched shape at £5.09, with 4.6 from 1,391 reviews, the second-largest sample in this set. Buyers describe a sturdy case that is straightforward to wire, and the bullets state wall fixing for a shed or workshop where floor space is tight. One review says the unit arrived with no earth connection, which is a stop-using fault if you see it, not a reason to treat every white double as unearthed. Other texts say the insides can fall out during wiring and that the terminals are not marked, so you need the instructions rather than coloured clues on the brass. The same file is clear that two-core flex is the wrong cable, because earthed appliances need three-core. Weight is listed at 140 g, and BS 1363-2 is not named in the bullets. Choose it when you want the white wall-fix double with a large review count, and skip it if unmarked terminals or a missing-earth report would put you off opening the cover.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A white two-gang wall or bench socket when you will fit three-core flex and check the earth terminal.
Less suitable: Anyone who wants marked terminals, a supplied lead, or a switched bar.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the ELS132W-01 include a cable and plug?
No. The title and bullets say without plug and cable. Fit three-core flex. Two-core flex is the wrong cable for an earthed appliance.
Are the ELS132W-01 terminals marked?
Reviews say the terminals are not marked and that the insides can fall out while you wire. Follow the instructions and check the earth.
Does the white double state wall fixing?
Yes. Wall fixing is stated in the bullets. One review also reported a unit with no earth connection. Stop using the bar if the earth is missing.
Across 852 amazon.co.uk reviews the black Masterplug ELS132B-01 is a two-outlet trailing socket at £5.34 that you wire yourself. Reviewers often say it is easy to wire and robust, and one notes cable connection lengths printed on the unit. The listing states wall fixing and a 13 A total, with no socket switches and no BS 1363-2 line in the bullets. A recurring complaint is that the terminals sit on one strip and can pop out while you dress the conductors, because nothing holds them captive. Another buyer found no fuse or fuse holder even though the description mentioned a fuse, so the protection on the finished lead still has to sit in the BS 1363 plug you fit. The size lines disagree in the file (a bullet says 16 × 6 × 3.5 cm, a dimensions row says 16 × 16 cm), so measure the body if a box or trunking is tight. It suits a black two-gang lead on a bench or wall when you already own flex, and it is the wrong buy if you wanted a moulded lead or individual switches.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A black two-gang bench or wall lead when you already have three-core flex and a fused BS 1363 plug.
Less suitable: A finished extension lead, or a bar with a switch on each outlet.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the black ELS132B-01 include a cable?
No. You supply three-core flex and a BS 1363 plug with a BS 1362 fuse. The 13 A figure is the total for the bar.
Do the ELS132B-01 terminals stay put?
Reviews say the terminals sit on one strip and can pop out while you dress the conductors. Nothing in those reports holds them captive.
How big is the black double?
The file disagrees with itself: a bullet says 16 × 6 × 3.5 cm and a dimensions row says 16 × 16 cm. Measure the body if a box is tight.
The orange Masterplug ELS134O-01 is an unswitched four-outlet bar at £8.27, 4.6 from 720 reviews, with a neon and wall fixing stated in the bullets. Reviewers point to the orange and black body as easy to see on a bench, which is the practical point of the colour, not a weather rating. The listing does not print an IP code in this capture, so a damp shed is still an indoor-style use unless you have a separate enclosure that the body actually fits. One buyer returned a unit because it was too long for a waterproof box. A reviewer also flags thin wires on the neon, which is only an indicator, and another questions quality control against a BS 1363 claim even though this amazon.co.uk capture does not name BS 1363-2 in the bullets. Weight is listed at 300 g. It is the visible four-gang in this set when you will wire your own flex, and it is the wrong row if you need a switch on each outlet or a stated outdoor rating.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A dry workshop bench where you want four outlets, wall fixing and a body you can see.
Less suitable: A damp or outdoor shed without a separate enclosure, or a set-up that needs a switch on each socket.
Specifications
Common questions
Is the orange ELS134O-01 weatherproof?
This capture does not print an IP code. Orange is a visibility colour. One buyer found the body too long for a waterproof box.
Does the orange four-gang have switches?
No. The outlets are unswitched. A neon is stated. The 13 A figure is the total for the bar, not per outlet.
Does the ELS134O-01 include flex?
No. You supply three-core flex and a BS 1363 plug with a BS 1362 fuse. Wall fixing is stated in the bullets.
The Masterplug TN-MP is an unswitched two-outlet white bar at £3.84, the lowest shelf price in this set, with 4.5 from 465 reviews, a neon and BS 1363-2 named on the listing. A reviewer ran a Wi-Fi router and computer kit from it for about six months of continuous use, and others say the sockets hold plugs firmly in a compact 164 × 61 × 26 mm ABS body listed at 119 g. Wall fixing is not stated in the bullets, and one layout comment says the neon and terminal block take space at the cable end. Soft screw heads that strip if you overtighten come up more than once, so a gentle driver matters. The replaceable-fuse line misled buyers who opened the cover and found no fuse; the 13 A protection still has to be the BS 1362 fuse in your plug. It is the best value two-gang here when a neon is enough and you will not mount it on a wall, and it is a weak choice if you wanted fixing holes or a switch on each outlet.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A low-cost two-gang lead for a router or small indoor bench when you already have flex and a fused plug.
Less suitable: Wall mounting, a workshop that needs fixing holes, or gear that must be switched per outlet.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the TN-MP include a cable and plug?
No. You supply three-core flex and a BS 1363 plug with a BS 1362 fuse. The listing is the socket block only.
Why do the TN-MP screws strip?
Reviews mention soft screw heads that strip if you overtighten. Use a gentle driver on the cover screws.
Does the TN-MP have wall-fixing holes?
Wall fixing is not stated in the bullets. Choose a row that states fixing if you will screw the bar down.
The Masterplug SWFG4W-MP is a white four-outlet trailing socket at £12.49 with one master switch and a power indicator, rated 4.5 from 290 reviews. You get wall-fixing holes and a 360 g body, and reviewers say there is room to dress the flex. The single rocker cuts all four outlets together, which several buyers knew in advance and still disliked when they wanted a television or console on its own switch. The switch itself draws the sharper criticism: one calls it stiff and bent, another had to squeeze poorly bent metal strips with mole grips before it made contact, and one lead produced no power in the strip after wiring. That is a small set of themes, not a measured failure rate. BS 1363-2 is not named in the bullets. It fits a bench where one switch for the whole bar is what you want, and it is a poor match if each outlet must isolate on its own.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A wall-fixed four-gang bench bar when one switch for all four outlets is enough.
Less suitable: Audio-visual kit that needs each socket isolated, or a buyer who wants an unswitched bar at a lower price.
Specifications
Common questions
Does one switch control every SWFG4W-MP outlet?
Yes. It is one master switch for all four outlets, plus a power indicator. It does not isolate a single socket.
What do reviews say about the SWFG4W-MP switch?
Reviews describe a stiff, bent rocker and poor metal contacts. One wired lead produced no power in the strip. That is a theme in the file, not a measured failure rate.
Does the SWFG4W-MP include a plug and cable?
No. You supply three-core flex and a fused BS 1363 plug. Wall fixing is stated. The listing current is 13 A total.
The Masterplug SWG4-MP is a white four-outlet bar at £11.99 with a rocker on each socket and BS 1363-2 named on the listing, at 4.3 from 207 reviews. Reviewers who wanted separate control for a television and consoles are the use the switches are for, and several say the terminals and cord grip are decent to wire. The same file includes a switch that failed and left an outlet live, plus stripped brass screws and a missing terminal screw that rattled in a sealed cover. Wall fixing is not stated in the bullets, and the body is listed at 300 g, so a loose floor lead is a weaker plan than fixing a bar that actually has holes. One buyer missed the without-plug-and-cable line and expected a finished lead. Treat a rocker that will not open the outlet as a reason to stop using that bar. It is the individual-switch four-gang when you accept that risk, and it is a poor default if you only needed unswitched outlets.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A television or console bench where you accept rocker risk and will stop using a switch that stays live.
Less suitable: A workshop floor lead, or anyone who only wanted unswitched outlets at a lower price.
Specifications
Common questions
Does each SWG4-MP outlet have its own switch?
Yes. The listing states an individual switch per outlet and a neon. A review reports a switch that failed and left an outlet live. Stop using a rocker that will not isolate.
Does the SWG4-MP name BS 1363-2?
Yes, on this listing. That line is about the socket body. You still fit a BS 1363 plug and a BS 1362 fuse. No plug or cable is supplied.
Can you screw the SWG4-MP to a wall?
Wall fixing is not stated in the bullets. A loose floor lead is a weaker plan than a bar whose listing actually states fixing holes.
The Masterplug SWG6-MP is a white six-outlet bar at £12.18 with an individual switch and a neon on the listing, BS 1363-2 named, and the weakest star line in the set at 4.0 from 145 reviews. Reviewers who only needed the outlets say it wires with 1.5 mm² flex and that the indicator is bright, but several also call the case light and flexible and say they would screw it down rather than leave it loose on the floor. Wall fixing is not stated in the bullets, and the listed weight is 760 g. The serious theme is the rockers: one switch failed after about a month and fewer than five uses, and another would not turn an outlet off within two weeks. Rattle is mentioned often and is treated by some buyers as normal on rewireable strips, which does not make a switch that stays live acceptable. It is the only six-gang in this table if you accept that switch record, and it is the row to skip when an unswitched bar would do the job.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A fixed six-outlet run where you will check every rocker and stop using one that will not isolate.
Less suitable: A floor lead, a first trailing socket, or anyone who can live with fewer unswitched outlets.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the SWG6-MP include six times 13 A?
No. The listing current is 13 A total through the plug and the flex, not 13 A on each of the six outlets.
What do reviews say about the SWG6-MP switches?
The star line is 4.0 from 145 reviews. Reports include a switch that failed after about a month and one that would not turn an outlet off within two weeks. Stop using a rocker that stays live.
Is flex supplied with the SWG6-MP?
No. Reviewers say 1.5 mm² flex fits. You still fit a BS 1363 plug and a BS 1362 fuse. Wall fixing is not stated in the bullets.
Eight amazon.co.uk rewireable trailing sockets without plug or cable were scored for this page. Weights sum to 100. Shelf date 20 October 2026. Stars, review counts and listing claims come from those pages. There was no lab test. A BS 1363-2 line and stated wall fixing add points. Individual switched bars lose points because UK reviews in this set include switches that fail to isolate. The 4.0-star six-gang loses a further step as the weakest star line. An unswitched shelf price at or below about £4.50 adds a small value step.
Amazon stars
40%The amazon.co.uk star rating for that ASIN, multiplied and rounded in the score. This is the largest moving part. It is not a lab measurement of the socket.
Review count
15%500 or more reviews add the full step. A count from 100 to 499 adds a smaller step. A thin sample cannot carry the row on its own.
Switching risk
15%Unswitched outlets stay on the base score. A bar with a switch on each outlet loses points, because UK reviews in this set include rockers that failed to isolate. The weakest star line loses a further step.
Listing standards
15%BS 1363-2 named on the listing adds a step. Wall fixing stated in the bullets adds a smaller step. A standard line on the socket is not a certificate for the flex and plug you fit.
Shelf price
15%GBP on amazon.co.uk on 20 October 2026. An unswitched body at or below about £4.50 gains a small value step. Flex, the plug and the fuse are extra and are not in that shelf price.
Work through product type, gang count and switching, then fixing, the standard line on the listing, and the flex you will fit. The table is eight stored amazon.co.uk listings from 20 October 2026. None of these bodies was tested in a lab for this page.
An extension lead without cable is a rewireable trailing socket. You buy the block, then fit three-core flex and a BS 1363 plug with a BS 1362 fuse. The point is a lead the length of the run you have. Confirm the product type first. The title and the bullets should say that no plug and no cable are supplied. A short-flex adaptor and a moulded extension lead are different products. A cube that plugs straight into the wall is a different product again.
The title has to say without plug and cable. A cube adaptor and a moulded lead are different products. Buyers in this file missed that line and expected a finished lead.
Two-core flex is wrong for an earthed appliance. Use 1 mm² three-core up to 2 m, and 1.25 mm² or 1.5 mm² beyond that, with a 13 A BS 1362 fuse. 13 A is the total, and leads should not be daisy-chained.
A surge field that repeats 13 A is current, not joules. Orange plastic is visibility unless a water IP code is printed. A BS 1363-2 line on the socket does not certify the lead you assemble.
Count the outlets you will use at once, then decide whether any of them must be isolated. One outlet is the ELS13W-01. Two unswitched outlets are the TN-MP, or the white and black doubles when the bullets state wall fixing. Four unswitched outlets are the orange ELS134O-01, which also states wall fixing and a neon. The SWFG4W-MP puts all four outlets behind one master switch. The SWG4-MP and the SWG6-MP put a rocker on each outlet.
Every row in this table is sold without a plug and without flex. You add three-core flex and a BS 1363 plug. BEAMA's checklist is the length rule used here: 1 mm² up to 2 m, and 1.25 mm² or 1.5 mm² after that. The fuse is a BS 1362 link, typically 13 A for this bar, and it sits in the plug. Several listings mention a replaceable fuse and reviews then find no fuse holder in the socket. The ELS13W-01, the TN-MP and the black double all draw that comment.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You already have three-core flex and you need a single 13 A outlet. The Masterplug ELS13W-01 is the top pick at about £4.38, with 4.6 from 1,629 reviews and BS 1363-2 named. Wall fixing is not stated, and the fuse belongs in the plug.
You want two unswitched outlets and a neon, and you will not screw the bar down. The Masterplug TN-MP is the best value at about £3.84, with 4.5 from 465 reviews. Soft screws strip if you overtighten.
You want four outlets you can see on a dry bench, with wall fixing stated. The orange Masterplug ELS134O-01 is about £8.27, with 4.6 from 720 reviews and a neon. Orange is visibility. This capture prints no water IP code.
The top pick is the Masterplug ELS13W-01 at about £4.38, with 4.6 from 1,629 reviews and BS 1363-2 named on the listing. It is a single unswitched outlet. Wall fixing is not stated, and reviews say the fuse belongs in the plug you fit. The best value is the Masterplug TN-MP at about £3.84, with 4.5 from 465 reviews, a neon and BS 1363-2 named. It is the lowest shelf price in this set. Wall fixing is not stated, and soft screws strip if you overtighten.
Masterplug ELS13W-01
Highest score in this capture: about £4.38, 4.6 from 1,629 reviews, BS 1363-2 named. One unswitched outlet, with no wall fixing stated.
Masterplug TN-MP
Lowest unswitched price at about £3.84, with 4.5 from 465 reviews, a neon and BS 1363-2 named. No wall fixing stated.
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 20 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.
