Additionally, weve asked Lee Johnsonan electrical engineer with more than 15 years of experience designing and testing electronicsto put our picks and new contenders to the test in six separate rounds of testing since 2016. Its two outlets take the place of standard wall sockets and stop damage from electrical power surges. Most estimates put the average lifespan of a surge protector at three to five years. Fortunately, you can spend a very reasonable amount of money to put an almost literal firewall between your expensive (and cheap) electronics and the electrical coming in from a wall socket. Even though our tests showed that common equipment like computer displays can survive surges when protected by our less-expensive picks, spending more for added protection may be worthwhile in some casessay, if your home theater, recording studio, or office workstation budget is in the five figures. What's Included Insignia 2-Outlet In-Wall Surge Protector White outlet cover Wall plate screws Quick setup guide Product Features 1080-joule rating Absorbs a high amount of energy to adequately protect your equipment and prolong the life of the unit. (Theres a much more expensive type of surge protector designed for high-end audio and very expensive electronics. TheTripp LiteTLP1008TELis another good choice, but it doesnt have the USB charging ports and it has two fewer outlets.
It provides a new source of entertainment but can serve as a major upgrade from your previous TV.
Amazon Basics Rotating 6-Outlet Surge Protector Wall Mount - 1080 Joules, USB Power Strip Surge Protector Wall Outlet with Long Extension Cord, 3 Outlets 2 USB Ports 2.4A, Wall Mountable Power Strip for Home Office, 1250W/10A, SGS Listed (1 Pack 6 FT, White), Rotating Wall Charger Station Power Strip Shelf 6 Outlets 3 USB 3.4A Surge Protector - KF Multi-Plug Outlet Extender Sockets 15A 1875W 540J with Built-in Shelf for Home Office Travel Hotel, Power Strip Surge Protector, KF 12 Outlets Flat Plug Wall Mounted Power Strip with 4 USB Ports 4.8A, 6 FT Rotatable Long Extension Cord, 15A, 125V, 1875W, 2700J (Black), AmazonCommercial 6-Pack Wall Tap Surge Protector, AmazonCommercial White,4-pack Wall Tap Surge Protector, Sleek Socket Ultra-Thin Outlet Concealer with Cord Concealer Kit, 3 Outlet, 3-Foot Cord, Universal Size (Ideal for Kitchens & Bathrooms). It has fewer outlets and ports than the 12-outlet Tripp Lite TLP1208TELTV, but if you need the extra cord length, its your best bet. Joules measure how much energy is expended; the more joules, the more energy. Please try again. Plus, it has two USB ports with a combined 2.4 ampsupgraded from 2.1 amps in an older model, the Accell Powramidso it gives you slightly faster charging speeds for most smartphones and tablets. Even though our other picks have lifetime warranties, the five-year warranty on the Power Air is appropriate considering thats about as long as you should keep a surge protector anyway, since most protection circuits will wear out in three to five years. Certification from Underwriters Laboratories (UL) provides assurance that the product has been independently tested. Will be returning for a refund and sticking with regular outlet protection. Thats because for safety and power load, you must plug your surge protector directly into a wall socket, not into another surge protector, power strip, or uninterruptible power supply. With a cord measuring 25 feet, the Tripp Lite Protect It 8-Outlet Surge Protector TLP825 has the longest cord of any of our picks, making it the ideal choice for a garage, a basement, or any room where wall outlets are few and far between. We tested the Belkin PivotPlug 6-Outlet Surge Protector BP106000 and the six-outlet Belkin SurgePlus USB Wall Mount in previous years, but we think wall-mounted surge protectors with more than four outlets are less safe than corded models. You can use one of those clever 3-to-2 adapters that I know too well as the owner of an old house, in which only about half the outlets were ever upgraded to modern standards. Unlike our nightstand and light-use picks, this Tripp Lite 12-outlet model doesnt have any USB ports. Like the other Tripp Lite models weve tested, this one is backed by a lifetime warranty. If the Tripp Lite SK30USB is unavailable, get the APC Essential SurgeArrest PE3WU3. The Charg 3in1 is an exception to the rule that no surge protector will last forever: It has a replacement surge-protection module.
Charg puts nearly every charging and protection feature in a single power strip: Replaceable surge protection, USB charging, a long cord, and cable management. If you find your house isnt grounded, call an electrician immediately; its a hazard. In an area with erratic voltage, your surge protector might wear out in months or a few years; on other electrical systems, it might last indefinitely. We tested the Furman PST-2+6, P3 Kill-A-Watt PS-10, SurgeX SA-15, Tripp Lite Isobar HT10DBS, and ZeroSurge 2R15W in previous years, but they didnt offer the same combination of surge protection, cord length, and number of outlets as the Furman PST-8.
So, don't ;-) ! The former has one fewer outlet than our top pick while the latter has a shorter cord, and in our surge tests they both let through more volts than our top pick (309.2 and 268.6, respectively, compared with 206.8), but they should still provide plenty of protection for most household devices if you can overlook those drawbacks. Its layout leaves something to be desired, too, with just two AC outlets properly spaced to accommodate large plugs. The 12-outlet APC Performance SurgeArrest P12U2 used to be a runner-up pick in this guide, and it actually blocked more volts (all but 205.2) than our top pick did in surge testing. Many homes, especially older ones, dont have a ton of outletsand you should never plug a surge protector into an extension cord. Weve spent hundreds of hours researching and testing office-organizing gear to help keep your workspace clutter-free. The item works as described, Reviewed in the United States on November 23, 2019, Reviewed in the United States on October 19, 2018, have my tv conected to it n so far so good, Reviewed in the United States on October 5, 2018, Reviewed in the United States on February 28, 2021. After viewing product detail pages, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in. (Furman says these units are often used by touring musicians and therefore subject to more wear and tear than household surge protectors, hence the comparatively short warranty.). Although surge protectors cant do much to protect your property against direct lightning strikeswhich are pretty rare, anywaythey can help with the much more common surges that originate inside your home or building. MOVs dont degrade in a perfect linear fashion, and not all MOVs are of the same quality. We tested leading UPS models and found that the CyberPower CP900AVR is the best option to keep essential gear running for up to four hours during a blackout. It also feels pretty lightweight and flimsy. One last detail: a long power cordat least 8 feetis a must with a surge protector. Your recently viewed items and featured recommendations, Select the department you want to search in.
Fortunately, it can be cheap to fix unless the house was badly wired. Weve added information on two types of surge protectors were interested in testingones with replaceable components and ones that prevent trickle chargingto the What to look forward to section. It would have been nice if some of the outlets had been located on a different face of the body, or if the unit had rotating outlets like Belkins 12-outlet PivotPlug does.
The USB ports put out a combined 2.4 amps, enough to charge one smartphone or tablet at a high speed or two devices at low speeds. Given how effective the setup was at swallowing our test surges, we have every reason to believe that the PST-8 will provide more protection for longer than standard surge protectors in the under-$50 price range. The Power Air performed almost as well as our top pick against individual surges, though it might not hold up to as many surges over its lifetime given its lower joule rating (which describes roughly how much energy it can absorb before it diesthe company estimates itll withstand about 1,080 joules of use, whereas many larger models are built to handle more than 2,000 joules). Its 6-foot cord is 2 feet shorter than that of the Tripp Lite 12-outlet model but should still be plenty long for most people. Dont know if your outlet is properly grounded? Also, whole-house surge protectors are typically rated for a much higher let-through voltage than our picks, clamping at 600 to 1,200 volts rather than 400 volts or less. I will for sure not buy any more Insignia products and will not recommend buying their products to others.
You can find surge protectors with more than 12 outlets (Tripp Lite, for example, makes one with 24 outlets), but theyre generally too big for around-the-house use, and they tend to lack peripheral ports like USB, telephone, and coaxial connectors. 1 star is the worst and 5 stars is the best. If you have pricier-than-average gear, though, these trade-offs make sense. Now i cant watch tv and going to cost me over $200 for the part to fix it. Alternating current (AC) voltage centers around 120V, but it cycles or alternates from -170V through 0V to +170V and back again; 120V is the rough average. Updated July 18, 2022 to add a link to our Meross Smart Wi-Fi Surge Protector review. The Tripp Lite Protect It 12-Outlet Surge Protector TLP128TTUSBB failed to measure up to our top pick during testing, letting more than twice as many volts slip through. Were also interested in testing advanced power strips, such as those from TrickleStar or Bits Limited, which are designed to automatically cut off power to nonessential devices when theyre not in use. How easy is it to plug in both regular 2-prong and 3-prong cables intermingled with various kinds of USB adapters and wall warts? Its 6-foot cord is thick, flexible, and durable, and its outlets are spaced generously around the top of the unit, giving you full access to all of them.
Plus, our maximum-protection pick from Furman, which is a hybrid model that costs less than true series mode options, produced similar results in our testing. On surge protectors like that, the only indication of whether protection remains active is a protection light. We like the look and feel of the Anker PowerPort Strip PD 6, and the fact that it offers a fast-charging USB-C PD port in addition to two USB-A ports and six AC outlets. Yep, thats right: Surge protectors dont last forever. Plus, its extendable USB hub feature is hard to maneuver and not all that useful (it seems like a gimmick). We liked the TLP1008TEL a lot better when it was selling for much less than APCs product. When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. It also safely stops all power once the protection wears out, and it has 12 AC outlets plus coaxial and phone ports.
With a three-wire outlet, which is required for surge protectors, those are line, neutral, and ground. Unlike most surge protectors, which continue to power electronics even after the protection is gone, our pick is safe and trustworthy because you know that if its still providing power, it still has some protection left.
Finally, if you want to protect equipment that could be damaged by a sudden loss of power, a hard disk drive thats susceptible to data corruption, or critical gear that cant ever go down (such as a CPAP machine to treat sleep apnea), you shouldnt be looking at a surge protector at all. It offers two USB ports and six AC outlets in a round package thats smaller than a dinner plate. If you place tremendous value in industrial design, the Austere VII Series surge protector is the most attractive device in this category. APCs SurgeArrest Performance P12U2 is our new favorite surge protector that automatically cuts power when protection ends. Unlike with your run-of-the-mill power strips (or even the Hyper Tough surge protector we considered in a previous round of testing), its veneer seems built to stand up to most minor scratches and scuffs. The Furman Power Station 8 (PST-8) offers the strongest surge protection of the dozens of models weve tested, besting even high-end series mode surge protectors that cost hundreds more. Bringing home a new Insignia TV is a real treat. There are three USB charging ports here, too. It costs about ten times as much and it effectively never burns out.).
You also must plug a surgeprotector into a properly grounded 3-prong outlet. So although such a unit should be able to prevent damage to kitchen appliances, table lamps, and other electronics that are less sensitive to surges, youd probably still want to use a plug-in surge protector for high-end computers and AV equipment. But you should replace these subpar options as soon as possible and be thankful that they didnt catch fire or damage your electronics (PDF). The same is true of TP-Links smaller Kasa Smart model KP303. Any power strip will work in a pinch to add a few extra outlets to a room, but its important to find one that wont let harmful power surges fry your electronic devices or start a house fire. Theres little reason for anyone to leave their office, den, or home theater unprotected, or to hang on to old, worn-out surge protectors. When that time comes with almost any other surge protector, youll need to toss it in the garbage. Even though Insignia goes through rigorous testing to ensure that their TVs are great for your home, they still give a warranty. Even though it juts out about an inch from the wall when plugged in, it blends into the background fairly seamlessly. And you dont have to wonder whether its still doing its job, because once its protection has worn out, it safely cuts the power so you know its time to get a replacement. It wont be extended if you choose to register your Insignia TV at a later date than purchase.
But if you dont mind those drawbacks, it has all the key features our picks offer (UL certification, an auto-shutoff mechanism, and a lifetime warranty) and four USB-A ports, which is more than weve found on any other small, portable model weve tested.
The low-profile shape (about 7 inches in diameter and 2 inches high) is more practical than most for sliding it under nightstands or end tables where space is at a premium. In our surge testing, the Tripp Lite TLP825 blocked all but 216.4 of the 5,000 volts we pumped into it. But since this type of surge protector commonly sits out of reach (behind a couch, desk, or TV stand) and is designed for more heavy-duty usage, we dont think USB ports are all that important.
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