Bench power supply buying guide
Updated: October 2026
You are buying a variable DC supply in the UK, and the title will not tell you whether 30 V and 10 A are available together. This bench power supply buying guide covers the watt ceiling, the controls and the mains lead. It is not a ranking. Prices and the grid stay on our [laboratory power supply comparison](/hub/workshop/laboratory-power-supply). Products Compared did not lab-test these units. Figures are amazon.co.uk listings in this set, as of October 2026. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
You are buying a variable DC supply in the UK, and the title will not tell you whether 30 V and 10 A are available together. This bench power supply buying guide covers the watt ceiling, the controls and the mains lead.
You are buying a variable DC supply in the UK, and the title will not tell you whether 30 V and 10 A are available together. This bench power supply buying guide covers the watt ceiling, the controls and the mains lead. It is not a ranking. Prices and the grid stay on our laboratory power supply comparison. Products Compared did not lab-test these units. Figures are amazon.co.uk listings in this set, as of October 2026. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Our top picks
| Badge | Product | Power ceiling | Output switch | Mains as listed | Note | Price | Offer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall |  Jesverty Jesverty SPS-3010V | Title class 300 W; table says 320 W | Yes, unless OPN is enabled | Bullets 115/230 V selectable; table says 115 V | 8.6 | about £50.99 | View offer |
| Best value |  NANKADF NANKADF WPS305H | 150 W | Yes | 230 V, British lead in the bullets | 8.2 | about £49.99 | View offer |
| Alternative |  RUZIZAO RUZIZAO SPS-E3010 | 150 W | n/a | Bullets 100–240 V; table says 100 V | 7.0 | about £39.99 | View offer |
On this page
Volts, amps and the watt ceiling
Multiply the voltage you need by the current you need before you trust the title. Breadboard logic usually fits in 0–30 V and a few amps. Motors and LED runs are why people step up to 10 A. A 60 V range is a different job, and 400 V is a different hazard. The RUZIZAO SPS-E3010 at £39.99 is 150 W, so 10 A only reaches 15 V and 30 V only reaches 5 A. The Abestop AT6301 at £99.99 lists 0–60 V and 0–10 A inside 300 W, and a UK review says current folds above 30 V. The Wanptek 30 V 10 A at £50.92 and the Nankadf WPS3010H at £59.99 are 300 W, so 30 V at 10 A is the corner of the rating.
Controls worth paying for
An output switch matters more than another digit on the display. On the Nankadf WPS305H at £49.99, UK reviews use the OUTPUT button to set voltage and current before the rail is live. The Jesverty SPS-3010V works the same way unless OPN is on, in which case the listing says the output follows the mains switch. USB on these boxes is a charger or a data port, not a second laboratory rail. A review of the Wanptek 30 V 5 A says the USB current is fixed. If the board needs a voltage and a limit you choose, use the main terminals. The green or centre post is mains earth. Which unit is the top pick is on the best bench power supply page.
The mains lead and the attribute table
UK mains are nominally 230 V. The Electricity Safety, Quality and Continuity Regulations 2002 allow 216.2 V to 253 V. A plug for a UK socket should be BS 1363, with a BS 1362 fuse of a sensible rating. The Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016 cover mains equipment placed on the Great Britain market in the relevant voltage range. The Nankadf WPS3010H table says 115 V while the bullets include a British lead. The Jesverty bullets say 115/230 V selectable and the table says 115 V, and the table also says 32 V and 320 W against a 0–30 V title. The Wanptek 30 V 10 A table says 220 V. The Nankadf WPS305H table says 230 V. One review of the Wanptek 30 V 5 A describes a magnetic plug and fuse.
What to skip on a first buy
Do not buy 400 V as a first bench supply. The RUZIZAO R-SPS4001S lists 0–400 V at up to 1 A, at £319.96, with 4.0 stars from two reviews. That output is a shock hazard. BS EN 61010-1 is the laboratory-equipment standard that covers shock and live terminals when the output is on. Leave it unless you already work at that voltage. Skip the StonyLab 30 V 5 A at £299 as a first buy as well. The bullets call it linear, the listing has no review line and no ripple figure, and the attribute table’s maximum of 30 V AC is not a UK mains specification. If the only open question is switching noise, that sits on linear versus switching.
Common questions
Do I need 5 A or 10 A?
Use 5 A for logic and small modules. The Nankadf WPS305H lists 0–30 V, 0–5 A and 230 V. Use a 300 W 10 A unit, such as the Jesverty, when a motor needs the current. Ten amps is headroom. A 150 W title may still say 10 A and only deliver it up to 15 V.
Why can a 30 V 10 A title still be only 150 W?
The title prints the highest voltage and the highest current as separate maxima. The RUZIZAO SPS-E3010 is 150 W, so 10 A stops at 15 V and 30 V stops at 5 A. Thirty volts at ten amps is 300 W. A smaller watt rating does not become that figure because the title is large.
What is an output switch for?
It holds the terminals off while you set voltage and current. Reviewers use the OUTPUT button on the Nankadf WPS305H for that. On the Jesverty, OPN instead applies the rail when mains power comes on. The switch does not check the fuse, and it does not turn USB into the variable output.
Does a four-digit display mean the supply is accurate?
No. Extra digits are easier to read. They are not a measured error against a known meter, and Products Compared did not calibrate these units. OWON SPM6103 owners said the built-in meter agreed with a hobby meter, and one reviewer still called the unit short of laboratory grade.
What if the listing says 115 V but includes a UK lead?
Read the rear panel. The Nankadf WPS3010H table says 115 V while the bullets include a British lead. The Jesverty table says 115 V and the bullets say 115/230 V selectable. A BS 1363 plug in the box does not rewrite the input marking on the case.
Is a CE line in the Amazon table enough?
No. A CE, UKCA, UL or FCC cell is the seller’s claim, not a check by Products Compared. The Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016 are the Great Britain framework for equipment in scope. Check the plug, the fuse, the lead and the case. A damaged lead is a reason to stop, including for a hobbyist working alone.
When is 60 V or 400 V the wrong first buy?
Skip 60 V when you only use 5 V and 12 V. The Abestop and the OWON SPM6103 offer that range inside 300 W, at a higher price and with fewer reviews. Skip 400 V for ordinary repair. The RUZIZAO R-SPS4001S reaches 400 V DC and has two reviews.
Related pages
Sources
Public UK sources used for this comparison, retrieved in October 2026. Listing prices, stars, and review counts are the amazon.co.uk lines in this set.
- Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016 (retrieved October 2026)
- BS EN 61010-1:2010+A1:2019 (retrieved October 2026)
- HSE, frequently asked questions on portable appliance testing (retrieved October 2026)
- HSE INDG236, maintaining portable electric equipment (retrieved October 2026)
- Electrical Safety First, plugs and fuses (retrieved October 2026)
- Keysight, linear versus switching power supplies (retrieved October 2026)
- Electricity Safety, Quality and Continuity Regulations 2002 (retrieved October 2026)
- Institution of Electronics, constant voltage and constant current (retrieved October 2026)