Electrical power surges can fry your devices’ internal components in the blink of an eye. To protect yourself, you need a surge protector for your TV, a surge protector for computer, and a surge protector for some of your kitchen appliances.
Want to learn more? Here are the best surge protectors you can buy today.
Why Are Electrical Surges Bad?
Electrical surges happen when too many volts flow through your wiring. Devices aren’t designed to deal with the increased voltage, so excess heat is generated inside your gadgets. The heat can kill circuitry, warp metal components, and even melt plastic parts. Anything with a microprocessor—computers, home appliances, TVs, etc.—is especially vulnerable.
Any number of things can cause a surge. Turning on a high-powered device like a hairdryer could cause your lights to flicker briefly. At the other end of the scale, a lightning strike on nearby transformer could send thousands of extra volts rippling through an entire neighborhood, causing widespread blackouts.
Learn more about why you really need a surge protector.
1. Most Powerful Surge Protector:
Belkin 12-Outlet Pivot-Plug Power Strip Surge Protector
Belkin 12-Outlet Pivot-Plug Power Strip Surge Protector Belkin 12-Outlet Pivot-Plug Power Strip Surge Protector Buy Now On Amazon $35.09
If you’re buying a surge protector, you don’t want to end up with something that’s not robust enough to protect all your appliances. With the Belkin 12-Outlet Pivot-Plug Power Strip Surge Protector, you can be confident it won’t be an issue.
A surge protector’s defense is measured in joules. The greater the number of joules, the greater the level of surge it can protect you from. You can find protection ranging from 50 joules up to thousands of joules. This Belkin model offers the greatest amount of protection out of the five surge protectors on our list, with a rating of 4,320 joules.
Other features include a $300,000 warranty for any equipment connected to the plug and an eight-foot cord. The device is also available in a six- and eight-outlet version.
2. Best Surge Protector for a Home Office:
Tripp Lite 12-Outlet Surge Protector
Tripp Lite 12 Outlet Surge Protector Tripp Lite 12 Outlet Surge Protector Buy Now On Amazon $40.41
If you have a home office, the Tripp Lite 12-Outlet Surge Protector is a great product. It’s ideal for protecting computers, printers, scanners, routers, phones, faxes, and modems. It’s also one of the best surge protectors for TVs and monitors.
The device has a 2,880-joule surge protection rating, EMI/RFI noise filtering, and a resettable circuit breaker. It comes with an eight-foot cord.
But what makes the Tripp Lite 12-Outlet Surge Protector so good for home offices? It has a few features which help it stand out:
- AC Sockets: If you have a home office, you’ll probably have a lot of devices you need to plug in. The 12 sockets mean nothing will be vulnerable.
- Transformer Outlets: Some of the sockets have been designed to accommodate large AC adaptors.
- Data Protection: The power strip has an RJ11 and coaxial jacks to protect phone, fax, satellite, and cable lines.
Lastly, the Tripp Lite 12-Outlet Surge Protector will automatically kill the power if it degrades to a point where it can no longer protect your devices. It will prevent you from having a false sense of security.
3. Best Budget Surge Protector:
Amazon Basics 6-Outlet Surge Protector
Not everyone needs a power strip with loads of sockets and support for different types of plugs and cables. If you’d rather pick up a more basic surge protector (and save some money at the same time), you don’t need to look any further than the Amazon Basics 6-Outlet Surge Protector.
It only has a protection rating of 200 joules, so it’s not the best surge protector for your 4K TV. It is, however, more than adequate for protecting devices such as phones, lamps, and other small appliances around your home. The Amazon Basics 6-Outlet Surge Protector is also lightweight, weighing just 1.1 pounds.
If you live in an area that’s prone to power surges and you need something you can frequently throw in a bag, it’s an ideal solution. The Amazon Basics 6-Outlet Surge Protector is available in black or white.
4. Best Surge Protector for a TV and Home Theaters:
Echogear Low Profile Surge Protector
Echogear Low Profile Surge Protector Echogear Low Profile Surge Protector Buy Now On Amazon $24.99
One of the most expensive pieces of equipment in your home is probably your television. So, what’s the best surge protector for a 4K TV? We recommend the Echogear Low Profile Surge Protector. As the name suggests, the device is one of the thinnest on the market at just 1.9 inches tall. Therefore—unlike bulkier options— it’ll comfortably slide underneath TV stands and sideboards.
Of course, it’s also reliable from a protection standpoint. It has surge protection of 3,420 joules and comes with eight sockets. So, you can protect your streaming box, satellite receiver, and other home theater gadgets at the same time.
There are also three sockets with more space for larger adaptors, a five-year $25,000 warranty for all your protected equipment, a six-foot power lead, and a built-in circuit breaker switch. This surge protector is even wall-mountable.
5. Best Surge Protector for a Computer:
Furman Power Conditioner
Furman Power Conditioner Furman Power Conditioner Buy Now On Amazon $137.97
The Furman Power Conditioner does more than merely protect your equipment against power surges; it also conditions the power from your wall socket. In practice, that means the device reduces ground contamination and AC line noise to provide a purer quality of power to your devices. In the long-term, it will enhance the lifespan of their circuitry and improve their audio and video output.
As you’d expect, the extra power conditioning features come at a cost. The Furman Power Conditioner is the most expensive item on our list. However, if you have a high-spec desktop computer that you want to protect, the extra outlay is definitely worth the benefits. Other features include cable, satellite, and telecoms ports, six regular outputs, and two sockets for AC adaptors.
Which Is the Best Surge Protector?
So, which of the five products we’ve recommended is the best overall surge protector for your equipment? Much depends on where you plan to use the power strip and which devices you want to connect. However, the Tripp Lite 12-Outlet Surge Protector provides one of the best balances between price, features, and protection.
To learn more about power supply and your electronics, you may want to check out the things you need to know before buying a power supply unit.
Read the full article: The 5 Best Surge Protectors in 2019
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