What to Look For in a Surge Protector

How well a surge protector shields connected devices depends on many factors, chief among them being the design. Most options on the market use efficient and cost-effective Metal Oxide Varistors (MOVs), which receive and divert excess voltage from your equipment. But this causes them to take the brunt of the surge, making them degrade over time—they're essentially sacrificial components.

However, some more expensive options use newer systems that ditch sacrificial parts for components that block excess voltage instead. This model shields both your devices and the surge protector, allowing the latter to last longer on average than its MOV counterparts.

Another factor to consider when buying a surge protector is the joule rating. It's more important for MOV-based systems and is an indicator of the amount of energy and the number of surges a protector can take before it fails—so the higher the rating, the better.

There's also a clamping value that measures how much voltage is let through to your appliances in a single spike, with most surge protectors ranging from 333 to 500 volts—but the lower the number, the better. Meanwhile, many surge suppressors include a circuit breaker that trips if a high enough voltage manages to get through, adding an extra layer of protection.

Just as important as the protection mechanism is what happens when the device becomes compromised. Most quality surge protectors have a built-in kill switch that makes them inoperable if they can no longer provide protection. Others continue to work as ordinary power strips without any protective benefits. This defeats the purpose of having a protector in the first place and puts your devices at risk. All the units on our list either have an emergency stop system or LEDs notifying you once components inside are degraded.

Finally, a warranty is worth considering should a surge suppressor fail to act as it should. Many companies promise long-term warranties that cover failures. But make sure you note down all the details if it does, or it may be difficult to collect.

Our list comprises some of the best surge protectors available, so keep reading to find the one that's right for you.

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Best Surge Protector Overall: Tripp Lite Surge Protector

If you’re worried about lightning, surges, and spikes damaging your expensive electronics, the Tripp Lite TLP1208 SAT is the product you want. It's easily one of the best surge protectors currently available and ticks all the essential boxes, including up to 2,880 Joules of guaranteed surge protection against electrical damage.

The TLP1208 SAT is UL-listed with a verified clamping voltage of approximately 182.2V, making it one of the safest and most trusted options on the market. Additionally, its powerful automatic shutoff feature automatically cuts the power supply to your equipment when the unit has been compromised, offering excellent protection for your devices.

With 12 well-spaced outlets, you can conveniently connect and protect your electronic devices. It also has dual Type F coaxial gold connectors and 1-line telephone, modem, or Ethernet cable input. The Tripp Lite TLP1208 SAT also has diagnostic LED indicators and audible alarms that let you know your protection status easily.

The TLP1208 SAT surge suppressor features a low-profile design and lays flat with keyhole options for wall mounting. It comes with an 8ft AC power cord that allows you to reach distant wall outlets. The manufacturer even promises $250,000 equipment protection insurance and a limited lifetime warranty for damages from a power surge.

Best Wall Surge Protector: Qinlianf Wall-Mount Surge Protector

The Qinlianf Wall-Mount Surge Protector is one of the most discreet wall surge protectors. It sits flush against the wall, yet the outlets are angled and spaced apart in such a way that gives each cable room to breathe.

Having five AC outlets is more than enough to cover the two wall outlets, but the one special aspect of the Qinlianf Wall-Mount Surge Protector is that it’s multi-functional. There are four USB ports above the center outlet, one of which is USB-C, and the rest are USB-A.

Every outlet can deliver 5V/2.4A, though the USB-C port can reach 5V/3A and will automatically adjust to suit the device. Altogether, the Qinlianf Wall-Mount Surge Protector can handle as much as 1680 joules of energy, thanks to a combination of TVS, MOV, and GDT.

Best Surge Protector for Gaming PCs: Belkin SRA007 12-Outlet Surge Protector

PC gaming soaks up so much power, just from the tower alone. Then there’s your monitor (or rather monitors) and a good set of speakers. The Belkin SRA007 12-Outlet Surge Protector is designed to handle it all and protect against as much as 3,480 joules of power.

The trick is in the Belkin SRA007’s 10-point protection system, which includes 3-line AC, clapping, overloading, and short-circuiting, among others. It’s ready to protect you even before you plug anything in by having an indicator that tells you if you’re grounded and is made of fire-resistant material.

As a bonus, the Belkin SRA007 12-Outlet Surge Protector also has three USB ports—two USB-A and one USB-C. This really comes in handy, not just for charging your other devices, but for PC peripherals that are also USB-powered, like a pair of budget speakers. That way you aren't wasting USB ports at the back of your tower, especially if you have a streamer setup.

Best Surge Protector for Home Theaters: Monster 5007 Heavy Duty Surge Protector

If anything can top PC gaming in the power department, it’s a tricked-out home theater. At the minimum, you have your TV, a pair of great speakers and a subwoofer (this is non-negotiable), an amplifier, and your source, like a Blu-ray player or gaming console. That’s a big ask for a surge protector, but the Monster 5007 Heavy Duty Surge Protector does its name justice.

For starters, the Monster 5007 comes with twelve 120V outlets plus two USB ports. It also has an indicator that lets you know when your devices are protected and grounded. When grounded, it can withstand as much as 4050 joules, which is plenty for a home theater.

The Monster 5007 Heavy Duty Surge Protector doesn’t stop at power—it features coax and Ethernet, too. They’re both susceptible to power surges, and this not only keeps your modem from taking a bad hit, but cleans up the signal as well.

Best Portable Surge Protector: Belkin BST300bg

While you’re traveling, plugging in your possibly expensive equipment into random outlets isn’t always safe. Rather than lug an unwieldy surge protector with more outlets than you need, the Belkin BST300bg is both small and features a couple of AC outlets.

For starters, the Belkin BST300bg has 918 joules of protection, which is plenty for, say, a laptop. When the surge protector is plugged in, you’ll even be notified when you’re protected via a green indicator light. More importantly, it’ll turn red if you aren’t grounded. And if you go

What’s particularly nice about the Belkin BST300bg is that it considers most people's smartphone use. You’ll find two USB-A 2.1 ports along the side, and since you can swivel the surge protector 360 degrees around, cables won’t get tangled.

Best Battery Backup Surge Protector: APC UPS Battery Backup Surge Protector

If you want a surge protector that doubles as a UPS to keep your PC running during a power outage, the APC UPS Battery Backup Surge Protector is one of the best options available. It has a rating of 1,500VA/865W that can last from a few minutes to several hours, depending on whether you have your TV, PC, and other large gadgets or just some routers plugged in. The device has ten outlets, all of which are surge protected; however, only five can tap from the battery power.

The system has an automatic voltage regulator that instantly corrects voltage fluctuations without draining the battery. Unfortunately, it also has a beeping sound characteristic of UPSs, but you can silence it with a front panel soft key.

If you're one to monitor your battery, there's a small LCD with plenty of information at a glance. But if you want to see all the nitty-gritty, the bundled Windows PC power-management software will give you just that.

You can also get an extra battery backup if you have more devices or want to power your appliances for longer. And once you've used the surge protector for a while and the battery health begins to deteriorate, you can easily swap out the battery cell with a replacement.

FAQ

What is a good joules rating for a surge protector?

In general, the higher joule rating, the better, because the higher the joule rating, the longer the surge protector will last.

Can you plug a surge protector into a surge protector?

You should not plug one surge protector into another. Daisy-chaining surge protectors and adding more devices runs the risk of overloading the first surge protector in the chain, which is dangerous.

Can you plug an extension cord into a surge protector?

For the same reason you shouldn't plug a surge protector into a surge protector, you should not plug an extension cord into a surge protector. If the extension cord only has one outlet, though, plugging it into the surge protector should be fine---but you should plug it directly into an outlet if possible.

What's the difference between a surge protector and a power strip?

Power strips and surge protectors are extremely similar, wherein you can plug multiple devices into them. However, surge protectors provide your devices with extra protection, while power strips do not.

When should I replace my surge protector?

A surge protector's lifespan is measured in joules, which is the amount of energy the protector can absorb. While it's not easy to tell how many joules a surge protector has absorbed, if your protector is on the older side, it's a good idea to replace it.

Do you need a surge protector when charging your phone?

A power surge can fry your phone. It's best to plug your phone into a surge protector to protect it. While it's not required, it's recommended.