Rank #9 in Best Smart Plug 2026: 10 Ranked, and Why 13 Amps Means Three Different Wattages
Meross MSS425 Smart Extension Lead, 4 UK Sockets, 4 USB, Apple Home
Price and rating as shown on Amazon when we collected them. Both change.
The Meross MSS425 is the odd one out in our smart plug ranking: not a plug but a smart extension lead, with four individually switched UK sockets and four USB-A ports, and it takes ninth place. At GBP 34.99 it is priced as one unit rather than per socket. What it does that no plug here can is control a cluster of devices behind one piece of furniture, a TV stack or a desk, switching each socket on its own by app or voice, with the four USB ports sharing a 20 watt output and switching together as a group. It wall-mounts, and it works with Apple HomeKit as well as Alexa and Google Home.
It also carries the weakest ratings on the page, at 4.2 stars with a one-star share of ten per cent, the highest in the ranking, which is what happens when a device has more parts to go wrong than a single plug. The specification table adds its own confusion. It gives the plug type twice and differently: "Power Plug Type: Type G", the correct British three-pin, and two rows down "Plug Type: Type C", the European round two-pin that does not fit a UK socket. It records a unit count of 545 for something that ships one to a box, and it puts the configuration, "4 Gang 4 USB", in the colour field. The electrical figures, at least, are right: 230 volts and 13 amps, which is 2,990 watts, the true ceiling of any 13-amp lead.
How those 1,212 ratings break down
An average hides its own shape. This is the spread behind the 4.2 stars.
Specification
Exactly as published on the Amazon listing, field for field.
| Maximum current | 13 Amps |
|---|---|
| Voltage | 230 Volts |
| Power plug type | Type G |
| Plug type (as listed) | Type C |
| Number of outlets | 8 (4 AC + 4 USB) |
| Total USB ports | 4 |
| USB output | 20W shared across the four ports |
| AC sockets | 4, switched individually |
| Item dimensions (L x W) | 34 x 6.1 centimetres |
| Item weight | 630 g |
| Enclosure material | Plastic |
| Other features | Mountable |
| Compatible with | Apple HomeKit, Alexa, Google, SmartThings |
| Colour (as listed) | 4 Gang 4 USB |
| Unit count (as listed) | 545.0 count |
| Box contents | 1 x smart power strip |
| Brand | meross |
| Model number | MSS425F |
| Manufacturer part number | MSS425FHK-UK |
| Country of origin | China |
| ASIN | B08JG232D8 |
What buyers actually say
Quoted from customer reviews on Amazon
Verified purchaseAwsome Product
“I used this with my Apple Home and it worked great! It is a good quality product that is easy to install.”
Verified purchaseAbsolute gamechanger
“It's easy to set up, operate and link to my Alexa and sets routines.”
What it is up against
The rivals it was ranked against in Best Smart Plug 2026: 10 Ranked, and Why 13 Amps Means Three Different Wattages.
Rank #1
Tapo P110 Smart Plug with Energy Monitoring, Max 13A, 2-Pack
£15.97
Rank #2
Tapo TP11 Compact Smart Plug with Energy Monitoring, 4-Pack
£31.96
Rank #3
Meross MSS305 Mini Smart Plug with Energy Monitoring, 13A 3120W, 2-Pack
£16.99
Rank #4
EIGHTREE 5GHz Smart Plug with Energy Monitoring, Max 13A, 4-Pack
£34.99
Questions people ask
How is the MSS425 different from the plugs in this ranking?
It is an extension lead, not a single plug. You get four UK sockets that each switch on their own by app or voice, plus four USB-A ports, in one unit that wall-mounts. That suits a cluster of devices behind one piece of furniture better than four separate plugs would.
Why is it rated lower than the plugs above it?
At 4.2 stars it has the weakest average on the page, and its breakdown carries the highest one-star share in the ranking at ten per cent. A lead with four sockets, four USB ports and Wi-Fi has more parts to go wrong than a plain plug, and the reviews reflect that.
Do the USB ports charge fast?
Not especially. The four USB-A ports share a single 20 watt output between them and switch as a group, not individually, so they suit phones and tablets rather than a laptop. The listing points to other Meross models for USB-C or fast charging.
How many watts can it handle?
The table gives 13 amps at 230 volts, which is 2,990 watts, the ceiling of any 13-amp lead, set by the fuse in its plug. Spread across four sockets, a single high-draw appliance like a heater will use most of that on its own.
Why does the table show two plug types?
"Power Plug Type" reads Type G, the British three-pin, which is correct. "Plug Type" two rows down reads Type C, the European two-pin, which is a catalogue field filled in wrongly; nothing in the box has a Type C plug. The lead plugs into a normal UK socket.
What does the 545 unit count mean?
Nothing about what you receive. "Box Contents" reads "1 x smart power strip", so you get one lead. The 545 in the unit-count field is a stray catalogue value, the same kind of error as the configuration sitting in the colour field.
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