• 2 min read
Kokuyo’s slot-style power strip cleans up desk clutter
Kokuyo’s Energy Line swaps standard outlets for one continuous slot, supports up to five devices, and starts at about 7,000 Yen.
Image: TechRadar
Kokuyo is taking aim at one of the least elegant parts of a modern desk setup: the power strip. Its Energy Line replaces separate sockets with a single continuous slot that lets users plug in up to five two-prong devices anywhere along the strip.
The Japanese furniture company says the product was shaped by its HOWS DESIGN inclusive-design program, and it picked up a 2025 Good Design Award for its mix of accessibility, styling, and detail work. Kokuyo, which is known in Japan for workplace furniture and interior design, also runs a public “live office” where people can test products in a real office setting.
The pitch is straightforward. Instead of leaving a bulky power bar on top of the desk, the Energy Line mounts with a minimalist clamp and hides its wiring under the table, making it easier to keep the work surface clean.
Kokuyo also built the strip around one-handed operation, with the company showing its use by people with upper limb disabilities during an inclusive design workshop at its HOWS PARK diversity office.
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It sells for about 7,000 Yen (around $50) and comes in black and white. But the design has clear tradeoffs: a 1500W ceiling, a five-device limit, no surge protector, no grounding support, and support only for 2-prong electronics. TechRadar notes there is also no support for 230V power cables or sockets, and there are currently no plans to add that.
That leaves the Energy Line looking like a tidy, thoughtfully designed option for lighter desk setups, especially in its intended market, rather than a universal answer for power-hungry workstations.
Computing Editor
Tomas lives in the terminal. He covers chips, laptops, and operating systems with a focus on performance and efficiency. He reads kernel changelogs the way other people read fiction, and he's always on the hunt for the perfect mechanical keyboard switch. If it processes data, Tomas has an opinion on it.
via TechRadar
