Cable Organisers and Protectors

Small things that make a cable last

Most charging cables do not wear out along their length. They fail at the neck, the short stretch where the wires meet the plug, from being bent and pulled there every day. The rest of the damage is done on the floor and in bags: cables trodden on, trapped in doors, caught under furniture or wrapped tightly round a charger. Cable organisers and protectors deal with both. They keep cables tidy, in one place and out of harm, and they take the strain off the neck.

The kinds of organiser and protector

• Spiral covers and protectors wrap round the cable just behind the plug, stiffening the neck so it cannot bend sharply.
• Cable clips stick to a desk, a bedside table or a wall and hold the end of a cable where you can reach it, so it does not slide down behind the furniture every time the phone is unplugged.
• Cable ties and straps, usually hook-and-loop or silicone, hold a coiled cable together in a bag or a drawer without kinking it.

Where they help most

At the bedside, where a cable is bent at the plug every night as the phone is picked up to check the time. At a desk, where several cables meet and tangle. In the car, where a loose cable can loop across the gear lever or catch your feet. And in a bag, where a cable wrapped tightly round its charger kinks at the plug. A tidy cable is also easier to check: fraying or a split jacket near the plug is easy to spot on a cable you can see.

Habits that help any cable

Pull a cable out by the plug, not the cable. Do not wrap it tightly round the charger. Do not bend it sharply at the plug while you use the phone. Run long cables along walls rather than across the floor. A cable with a woven jacket resists kinks and fraying better than a plain one; see braided cables. And a cable that is already damaged is past saving. Samsung's advice is to stop using a cable with cracks or exposed wires at once, and a protector should never be used to cover up damage. The guide to choosing a safe phone charger says why a damaged cable matters.

Questions people ask about cable protectors

Will a protector fit my cable?

Spiral protectors wrap round most phone cables. Check the listing for the cable size each one suits.

Can I fix a frayed cable with one?

No. Replace a cable that is split, frayed or showing wire. A protector is for keeping a sound cable sound.

Do I need one on a new cable?

It is worth it where a cable is bent hard every day, at a bedside or in a car holder. On a desk where the cable rarely moves, a clip to keep it in reach does more.

How long does delivery take?

Delivery is included in every price and tracked to your door. Each product page says when it usually arrives.

More to look at

• Braided cables
• Long cables
• Charging cables
• Retractable cables
• Travel kits
• Dust plugs
• Guide: Which charging cable does my phone need?
• Guide: Choosing a safe phone charger in the UK