Socket Sun compares products from the figures that brands and stores publish, then does the math. This page sets out where the data comes from, how products are picked, and what we do not do.
What we compare
17 products from 6 brands, read from 6 stores: Anker SOLIX UK, City Plumbing, EcoFlow UK, Jackery UK, Octopus Energy, Zendure UK, on November 14, 2026. The list is not exhaustive: it covers what these stores listed on that date, not the whole market.
Criteria
Our picks are not scores. Each pick is explained next to it, from these published figures:
- Type
- Panels
- Inverter
- Connection
- Battery
- Availability
- the price shown by the store, with the date it was read
Calculations
Our tools run in your browser from the figures above; results marked [calc] or [calculation] are our own arithmetic, and the assumptions are written on each tool page.
What we do not do
- We do not test products. We never write "tested" or describe a hands-on experience we did not have.
- No star ratings, no scores and no customer reviews written or imported by us.
- No discount percentage computed by us: a struck-through price only appears when the store shows it.
- No fake urgency or stock counters.
How we are paid
Some links may earn us a commission if you buy, at no extra cost to you. A commission may exist for the products we list; it is not part of the selection rules above. Details: Affiliate disclosure.
How often
Prices are not updated live: the date each price was read is shown next to it, and each page shows the date it was last updated.
Who writes
Pages are written and checked by the Socket Sun editorial team. Spotted an error? Tell us through the contact details on the disclosure page.
Generation data
Generation figures come from PVGIS, the European Commission Joint Research Centre's solar calculator, read through its API version 5.3 on 14 November 2026: PVGIS-SARAH3 radiation and ERA5 weather, monthly averages 2005 to 2023, horizon from terrain data, for 33 UK town centres, six directions (south, south-east, south-west, east, west, north) and three positions (vertical 90°, tilted 35°, almost flat 10°), for 1 kWp of crystalline silicon panels with 14% system losses, scaled to each kit. The 800 W output cap is applied from PVGIS hourly series for 2021 to 2023.
Savings
Savings use the Ofgem price cap unit rate for electricity paid by Direct Debit, average for England, Scotland and Wales, 1 October to 31 December 2026: 26.32p per kWh (read on ofgem.gov.uk on 14 November 2026). The share of solar used at home is an assumption you can change; our table of shares comes from the same hourly series against a constant household baseload.
What counts as plug-in
A kit is listed as plug-in only when the seller's page says it connects with a 3-pin or 13A plug into a socket. Systems whose sellers say they must be hardwired are listed separately. The rules are read from SI 2026/848, the DESNZ Interim Product Specification v2.0 (July 2026), the government response (July 2026) and Ofgem's G98 decision (11 August 2026).