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Around The Home

Slide Socket relocates hidden electrical outlets

By Ben Coxworth
March 08, 2021
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The Slide Socket, pictured here plugged into an outlet blocked by a bed
Slide Socket
The Slide Socket is presently on Indiegogo
Slide Socket
Even in its telescoped-down state, the Slide Socket's head is located 20 inches (508 mm) from the wall outlet
Slide Socket
The Slide Socket, pictured here plugged into an outlet blocked by a bed
Slide Socket
View gallery - 3 images

Chances are that somewhere in your home, you've got at least one electrical outlet that's hidden behind a couch, desk or other piece of furniture. The Slide Socket is designed to make those outlets accessible again, by telescoping out from them.

In a nutshell, the Slide Socket is a device with a three-prong plug at the bottom, a telescoping neck in the middle, and a four-outlet head on top. Although most photos currently show a version with just two three-hole outlets, plans call for the final model to also include two USB 3.0 ports.

Users start by plugging the Slide Socket into any North American-style 120-volt wall outlet. They can then can swivel the device's polycarbonate/ABS resin body 360 degrees relative to that outlet – its pivoting plug makes this possible.

The Slide Socket is presently on Indiegogo
Slide Socket

Even in its telescoped-down state, the Slide Socket's head is located 20 inches (508 mm) from the wall outlet. It can pulled out an additional 12 inches (309 mm), however, bringing its total reach up to 32 in (813 mm). Electrical appliances can then be plugged into it, just as they would with an extension cord or power bar.

In order to hold the device at its current length and angle, users can clip on an included Magic Stand, which has a reusable adhesive pad on the back. That pad is pressed up against the wall to make it stick.

Should you be interested, the Slide Socket is currently the subject of an Indiegogo campaign. Assuming it reaches production, a pledge of US$30 will get you one – the planned retail price is $40.

Source: Indiegogo

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Around The HomeOutletsHome ExtensionPlug-InIndiegogoExtender
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Ben Coxworth
Based out of Edmonton, Canada, Ben Coxworth has been writing for New Atlas since 2009 and is presently Managing Editor for North America. An experienced freelance writer, he previously obtained an English BA from the University of Saskatchewan, then spent over 20 years working in various markets as a television reporter, producer and news videographer. Ben is particularly interested in scientific innovation, human-powered transportation, and the marine environment.
8 comments
vince
Sorry their engineers blew it. 32 inches isnt long enough. For example, a king sized bed is 78 inches wide and if a wall plug is in the middle...thats 39 inches to edge of bed and you need 4 more at least to clear the outlet heads so their device should expand to at least 44 inches or more. Stupid is ad stupid does
Lamar Havard
Solved that problem years ago by mounting an outlet in the side of my night stand, with a 3 ft. piece of 12/3 Romex under the bed. Outlet and box - $2.75, heavy-duty plug - $2.00, scrap Romex from a construction site - $0.00. I'm a bachelor, so no ol' lady looking at me funny.
Eddy
In AUS we just use an extension power block on the end of a flexible 1m cord. You can get them with 4 or more outlets, individually switched or not and usually with 2 USB charging points and probably cheaper to produce than this contraption. Ours only has to pass half the current as we are on 240V.
Aross
The problem I see with this is that you could easily double the load in the existing socket, which is probably rated at 15 amps, by having 2 of these to cover both sides of a bed. In addition to being longer or telescopic the end that plugs into the wall socket should plug into both sockets. As Eddy said, a power bar, which is what I use is a better and more cost effective option.
Catweazle
Alternatively, you could use a simple extension lead and some double-sided sticky tape...
Surge-protected ones are available for well under 10 GBP.
wolf0579
Nothing a cheap extension coed wouldn't fix. Nice try, though.
Marco McClean
I think it's cute, peeking out from behind the bed like that. "Hi, there!" it seems to chirp from its two surprised and dismayed little fat man faces. It could have other devices built into it too. Night light, USB charger, internet appliance camera and microphone, smoke alarm (!), sleep-learning speaker for math or languages or anger management, front-door intercom. I've always been fascinated with things that telescope: a reversible drinking cup of my grandfather's, motorized car radio antennae, farm animals (and plants), actual telescopes, and of course toy light sabers, all of which, except the radio antennae, can also tilt left and right to adapt to furniture or weather or danger or opportunity, and peek out from behind things.
Mark Sandorf
Me: “Alex, I’ll take “Expensive solutions for a problem already solved” for $500 please.”
Alex Trebek : “Slide Socket”
Me: “What is an over priced extension cord?”
Alex Trebek : “Correct, for $500 !”
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