Fried Worms? Great book. Fried Green Tomatoes? Great movie. Fried electronics and appliances? Ugh, the worst. But whenever there’s a storm or something else that causes power surges, just about anything plugged into an AC outlet is at risk. I speak from experience: A couple years back, a lightning storm caused the lights to flicker on and off repeatedly — and fried a soundbar and my refrigerator!
Needless to say, I have since deployed surge protectors just about everywhere. These devices promise to “diffuse unwanted voltage,” a fancy way of saying they absorb any excess power (which can happen during storms, brown-outs, etc.) and drive it to the ground wire, effectively keeping your appliances and electronics safe.
Okay, but how much do you have to spend for effective surge protection? (Not much, thankfully.) And what are the best surge protectors for your refrigerator, computer, TV and the like? (One size doesn’t fit all.) Find my picks below.
A word about testing: Because it’s not possible for me to create storms on-demand (I’m not Thor), I can’t say with 100% certainty that these products are bulletproof (make that lightning-proof). Instead I’m relying on a combination of personal knowledge, brand reputation, product specifications and user ratings. That said, there are countless good products out there beyond my list here. The best surge protector is the one you actually have, versus not having any protection at all.
Lvetek
Great for places like offices, kitchens and bedrooms, this inexpensive option turns two AC outlets into five and adds four protected USB ports to the mix — three Type-A, one USB-C. That makes this a smart choice for wherever you routinely plug in your phone, Kindle and other small electronics.
I especially like that it has a center screw, meaning you can secure it to your outlet (assuming it, too, has a center screw — some do, some don’t). I’ve used outlet extenders that don’t have screws; they often come loose when you unplug something.
Also nice: The four side outlets are angled outward instead of perpendicular to the wall. That just makes them easier to access.
Particularly telling are the nearly 17,000 user ratings that average out to 4.7 stars. Seems like everyone who buys this surge protector likes this surge protector.
- Low price
- Includes four USB ports
- Screws into outlets for added stability
- Requires an inch of clearance on either side of the outlet
Bseed
Following the aforementioned storm that zapped my fridge, I bought a surge protector very similar to this one. And it has proven its mettle at least a few times since. Just plug it into an outlet, then plug in your appliance. (Weirdly, Bseed’s instructions are in Spanish, but there’s not much to know beyond what I just described.)
Bseed’s protector guards against both low and high voltage. And if either one triggers it, there’s a 3-minute time delay before it restores power to the appliance — the better to protect against the kind of rapid, repeat surges that can cause damage.
Take note, however, that it sticks out from the wall a little over two inches, which may result in your appliance sticking out the same amount. If that won’t work for your setup, check out the next product from Ortis; it has a flat plug and an outlet extender.
- Protects against low and high voltage
- Suitable for large appliances like refrigerators and TVs
- Time-delayed power restoration to better protect devices
- Spanish-language instructions
- Protrudes from the outlet by over two inches
Ortis
Whether you have a pair of appliances side-by-side (think: washer and electric dryer) or you need a surge protector with a little more installation flexibility, check out this double-outlet job from Ortis. It has a flat plug to help your appliance(s) stay close to the wall, two protected outlets (instead of just one) and an 18-inch cord. The outlets are designed to be wall-mounted to give you more installation options.
Although this particular version has just a couple user ratings, there’s a standard-plug version with over a thousand — and a 4.5-star average. They appear identical except for the plug, so you can rest assured this is a top-rated item.
The only potential downside is that 18-inch cord, which might not afford enough distance between your current outlet and where you want the protected outlets to go.
- Flat plug
- Easy to wall-mount
Belkin
Belkin’s been in the surge-protector business a long time, and it shows in this 12-outlet power strip. For starters, it has a flat plug, great if you’re parking this behind a piece of furniture that needs to sit close to the wall. And the power cord spans eight feed instead of the usual six.
It also manages to squeeze in a whopping dozen outlets, six of them up the middle, the others spread out along the sides — and widely spaced in case you have a lot of those chunky “wall wart” plugs. All the plugs employ a safety-slide mechanism to keep little fingers out (and block dust and debris as well).
There’s even a cable-management clip at one end, helpful for reducing cord clutter.
And in case you want to take this with you to the 1990s, Belkin provides both coaxial-cable and telephone-line jacks — all of them surge-protected as well.
The icing on the cake: Belkin’s lifetime product warranty and $300,000 (!) connected equipment warranty. Not bad for a power strip priced under $30.
- Smart outlet arrangement
- Child-protected outlets
- Helps manage cords
- Excellent warranty
APC
If you work from a home office, it might be a good idea to pair surge protection with a battery backup. That way, even if there’s a power outage, you can keep your PC, monitor, modem, phone and other smaller electronics running — at least long enough to safely shut down and preserve your work.
APC’s uninterruptible power supply (UPS) includes seven protected outlets (five of them battery-backed) and a Type-A USB port, the latter also battery-backed so you can charge your phone or the like during an outage. It’ll beep if there’s a power failure, though thankfully there’s a button you can push to silence that alarm.
It’s worth noting that this product has been on the market for around eight years, and in that time has amassed a 4.6-star average rating from over 36,000 buyers.
- 7 total outlets, 5 with battery backup
- User-replaceable battery
- Can be wall-mounted
- Requires 24-hour initial charge
- Only one USB port
Olivia Martin celebrates the art of living well in her lifestyle articles. She explores topics ranging from travel and fashion to home decor and culinary delights, offering inspiration for readers seeking a balanced and enjoyable lifestyle.
