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Extension lead buying guide

Updated: 23 October 2026

You have one wall socket and a cluster of plugs: a lamp, a router, a monitor and a phone charger. An extension lead buying guide is the order of checks before the brand name. A normal UK lead uses a BS 1363 three-pin plug, and the strip still shares one 13 A ceiling. Extra sockets do not add amps. This page is from the Products Compared editorial team. We compared twelve amazon.co.uk listings on 21 October 2026, plus public UK safety sources, and we did not lab-test any lead. Prices in the [extension lead comparison](/hub/sockets-and-extension-leads/extension-lead) run from about £4.99 to £29.99. A qualifying Amazon purchase can earn us a commission at no extra cost to you.

You have one wall socket and a cluster of plugs: a lamp, a router, a monitor and a phone charger. An extension lead buying guide is the order of checks before the brand name.

Our top picks

Masterplug Masterplug 4-way switched 2 m

Best overall

Masterplug Masterplug 4-way switched 2 m
9.6/10about £9.50
View offer
Masterplug Masterplug 4-way 5 m

Alternative

Masterplug Masterplug 4-way 5 m
9.4/10about £9.99
View offer
Desiretech Desiretech 4-gang 2 m

Best value

Desiretech Desiretech 4-gang 2 m
9.2/10about £6.99
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.Start with the load, not the number of sockets
  2. 2.Measure the run before you pick 1 m, 2 m, 5 m or 10 m
  3. 3.Add surge, switches or USB only if the listing states them
  4. 4.Read the title when the specification table disagrees
  5. 5.What this guide will not decide for you

Start with the load, not the number of sockets

The first check is the current the lead may carry, not how many sockets you can see. Electrical Safety First says most extension leads are rated 13 A, and extra sockets are not extra supply. A six-way and a four-way in this set both list 13 A. SI 1994/1768 names BS 1363 for domestic plugs and BS 1362 for the fuse. You should see a UK three-pin plug, a fuse and shutters. Thirteen amps at 230 V is 2,990 W. A kettle is often around 3 kW on its own. London Fire Brigade says a kettle, a toaster and a microwave should not share one extension.

Measure the run before you pick 1 m, 2 m, 5 m or 10 m

Measure the route around the furniture, not the straight line. This set runs from 1 m to 10 m, and the TESSAN tower states no cable length. Buyers of the 1 m Desiretech say they missed the length. Electrical Safety First says not to plug one lead into another. BEAMA’s checklist suggests 1 mm² up to 2 m and 1.25 mm² or 1.5 mm² above 2 m. If the metres are the whole decision, use how long an extension lead.
Masterplug Masterplug 4-way switched 2 m

Testsieger

Masterplug Masterplug 4-way switched 2 m
9.6/10about £9.50
View offer

Add surge, switches or USB only if the listing states them

Pay for surge, a switch or USB only when the title or the bullets state it. Surge is a short spike. It does not raise the 13 A limit. Printed joules here are 270 J, 370 J, 1,050 J, 1,700 J and 1,800 J. Both PARTH titles say surge protected and print no joules. The £9.50 Masterplug has a switch on each socket. The £10.82 six-way does not. Skip the Hanycony eight-way for a laptop that needs 14–22 V: four ports share 3.1 A and that bullet excludes those machines. The joule choice is on the surge protected or basic extension lead page.

Read the title when the specification table disagrees

Amazon tables sometimes add a feature the title denies. The 5 m Masterplug, B0001P0GDK, is titled basic and unswitched. The table says 4 USB ports and 1 joule. The bullets do not, so that is a conflict, not a feature. The six-way Masterplug table says 6 USB ports. The title does not. The TESSAN bullet says up to 3,250 W and the table says 101 A and 8 A. Those current fields conflict. The plug a UK socket needs is Type G, the BS 1363 shape. If the title, the bullets and the table disagree, believe the narrower claim.

What this guide will not decide for you

This guide will not call the cheapest four-gang unsafe, or the longest lead the best. The Desiretech 2 m is £6.99 with 4.6 stars from 13,380 reviews, and a weak buy if you wanted surge, because the title claims none. Its outdoor field states no IP rating. Electrical Safety First says a permanent run of leads means more sockets fitted. Who each lead is for is on the best extension lead page.

Common questions

What should I check before the brand?
Check a UK three-pin plug and fuse, shuttered sockets, and a 13 A total before you compare Masterplug with Desiretech or PARTH. Electrical Safety First treats extra sockets as layout, not as extra current. Brand and star rating come after the load and the measured run. A 4.8-star lead is still a 13 A lead, and a cheap four-gang can be a reasonable light-load buy if the title matches what you need.
Does a 6-way lead allow more than 13 A?
No. The six-socket leads in this set still list 13 A, the same ceiling as the four-socket leads. The 121 Wholesale guide says four-way versus six-way does not change the total rating. Six sockets let you plug in six light loads. They do not let you run two kettles, and a printed 3,250 W line does not raise the fuse in the plug.
Is a surge title enough, or do I need a joule number?
A joule number is the stronger claim, because you can compare 270 J, 370 J, 1,050 J, 1,700 J and 1,800 J inside this set. The PARTH titles say surge protected and do not print joules, which is a weaker claim than a printed figure. Surge still does not add amps. For lamps and chargers, a basic lead with no surge line is often enough.
What if the Amazon table says USB and the title does not?
Use the title and the bullets. On the 5 m Masterplug the table says 4 USB ports and 1 joule, and the title says basic and unswitched. Those cells are a conflict, not a feature. The same applies to 6 USB ports on the unswitched six-way Masterplug, and to the TESSAN table that says 101 A beside a 3,250 W bullet.
When should I stop buying leads and fit sockets?
Stop when the lead would stay in place for months because the room does not have enough sockets, or when a fuse keeps blowing, or when you see heat damage. Electrical Safety First points that situation to an electrician. Another 10 m lead does not fix a missing wall socket, and plugging one lead into another only loads the first plug harder.

Related pages

How to use an extension lead

Extension lead

Best extension lead UK: who it fits and who should skip

How long an extension lead should be for your room

Surge protected extension lead versus a basic lead

Sources

Sources taken from the research digest. Prices and review counts are a stored amazon.co.uk snapshot, not a live check. This page did not run a lab test.

  1. SI 1994/1768 — Plugs and Sockets etc. (Safety) Regulations 1994 (retrieved 22.10.2026)
  2. GOV.UK — Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016 (retrieved 22.10.2026)
  3. Electrical Safety First — Extension leads, cable reels and block adaptors (retrieved 22.10.2026)
  4. Electrical Safety First — Plugs and fuses (retrieved 22.10.2026)
  5. London Fire Brigade — Cables, fuses and leads (retrieved 22.10.2026)
  6. Scottish Fire and Rescue Service — Electrical safety (retrieved 22.10.2026)
  7. County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service — Extensions and leads (retrieved 22.10.2026)
  8. HSE — HSG107 Maintaining portable electrical equipment (retrieved 22.10.2026)