This £14 gadget completely changed how I use my smart speaker

A lot of smart home gadgets already make our lives easier, so when you find an accessory that makes them even better, it’s always a bit exciting. Now, I’m not talking about something basic like an LED charging cable or a decorative sticker for your best smart light – what I’ve found is so much more useful.

If you’re anything like me and use your smart speaker in the kitchen (especially for recipes and cooking timers), you’ll know it’s not ideal having it sat on the countertop alongside food prep and general mess. I wanted a cleaner, more practical setup, so I had a bit of a search and came across something called a double socket shelf.

It’s pretty much exactly what it sounds like – a small shelf that sits above your plug socket, giving you a neat platform to place your smart speaker (or any other device) off the worktop and out of the way.

I went for the Allicaver Double Socket Shelf, which is only an incredible £13.99 on Amazon. Installation was also super simple, and involved removing the front plate of your socket, positioning the shelf supports behind it, and screwing everything back into place. The whole thing actually took me less than five minutes.

The shelf also has a textured surface so you're device isn't going to slip off, and there are holes at the back so you can feed cables through. If you want something a bit more compact depending on your device, there's also a Allicaver Double Socket Speaker Shelf for £10.99, so check that one out too.

Buy the Allicaver Double Socket Shelf on Amazon for £13.99