The 7 Best Surge Protectors of 2021

Keep your electronic devices safe from power spikes

by
Patrick Hyde
Writer
Patrick Hyde has 4+ years' experience writing about consumer technology and electronics. His work has appeared in Los Angeles Review of Books, Reactual, and more.
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Patrick Hyde
Updated on August 13, 2020

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The Rundown
Best Backup Battery:
APC Back-UPS Surge Protector at Amazon
"It acts as a lifeline for your most important devices."
Best Value:
APC 8-Outlet Surge Protector 2630 at Amazon
"Protect up to eight different electronic devices and two USB-powered phones."
Runner-Up, Best Backup Battery:
CyberPower EC850LCD at Amazon
"With a total of 12 outlets, half of them provide both battery backup and surge protection while the other six protect only against surges."
Best Budget:
BESTEK 6-Outlet Surge Protector at Amazon
"This cone-shaped unit works well in offices where cords are coming from multiple desks."
Runner-Up, Best Budget:
AmazonBasics Surge Protector at Amazon
"As simple and cost-effective of an option as you can find."
Best Design:
Lanshion 8-Outlet 4-USB Surge Protector at Amazon
"The vertical tower format is ideal for cord maintenance."
Best Splurge:
CyberPower CP1500PFCLCD at Amazon
"If you have lots of electronic devices to keep safe and want some backup power too, this Cyberpower surge protector will do the job."

The best surge protectors should protect your devices from power spikes, have plenty of outlets to handle all your electronics, and have multiple types of connections like USB and Ethernet. Some surge protectors even take it a step beyond, combining surge protection with battery backup so you can safely power down sensitive electronic equipment like game consoles and PCs. Our top pick for the category is the APC Back-UPS Pro 1500VA on Amazon. It combines surge protection and battery backup, has enough juice to keep a Wi-Fi network running without power, and has a total of 10 outlets, five with backup and five with surge protection.

If you want something more robust than surge protection, you should also take a look at our full list of the best uninterruptible power supplies (UPS). For everyone else, read on to see our overview of the best surge protectors below.

Best Backup Battery: APC Back-UPS Pro 1500VA Battery Backup & Surge Protector

5
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Keep critical equipment running even through storms and power outages with this high-performance power source. The APC Pro BR1500G acts as a lifeline for your most important devices. It has 10 outlets in all: five for battery backup and five for surge protection with automatic voltage regulations to maintain best voltage conditions without wasting battery power.

You can also set up custom voltage transfer points to let you customize settings for equipment protection and battery life. You can even monitor battery life with PowerChute, a system that monitors energy management and the battery's remaining life, so you don’t suffer an unexpected shutdown when it runs out of power.

Best Value: APC 8-Outlet Surge Protector 2630

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Protect up to eight different electronic devices and two USB-powered phones with this surge protector power strip from APC. Unlike regular strips, this strip is wider and has four regular and four transformer-spaced outlets that can accommodate oversized plugs, guaranteeing that you will be able to utilize all eight outlets. It is built with a 6” cord that has a convenient 180-degree rotation right-angle plug that can be adjusted for devices in different angles. It has 2630 joules of power protection and an EMI/RFI noise filter that can better protect your equipment. Your devices are insured up to $100,000.

Runner-Up, Best Backup Battery: CyberPower EC850LCD

CyberPower EC850LCD
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Keeping your technology safe during power outages is often of the utmost importance. The CyberPower EC850LCD Ecologic UPS system is a fantastic solution to a problem you never want to have. With a total of 12 outlets, half of them provide both battery backup and surge protection while the other six protect only against surges. No matter which outlet you choose, there’s peace of mind in knowing you have some level of protection.

During a power loss, battery backup kicks in immediately. At no point should any device lose power as long as they are connected to the battery and surge outlet. The EC850LCD can provide up to 120 minutes of battery life depending on the devices you have connected. That is more than enough time to save open files and shut down without risking data loss.

Along with surge protection, CyberPower offers ECO mode which maximizes energy efficiency. When the unit detects a laptop in sleep mode, it automatically turns off power to any peripheral connected to ECO mode outlets. The result is less power usage and lower energy costs.

Best Budget: BESTEK 6-Outlet Surge Protector

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Another surge protector with a unique design, this cone-shaped unit works well in offices where cords are coming from multiple desks. It includes six outlets at 740 joules and two USB charging ports that will deliver the optimal amperage to charge your device, thanks to an automatic detection system. The built-in, power-stop technology prevents power transmission if the surge protection is compromised, guaranteeing your equipment remains safe. It has a six-foot cord and a UL-listed 15-amp circuit-breaker that keeps appliances safe, as well as an EMI noise filter that eliminates annoying buzzing from electronics caused by dirty power.

Runner-Up, Best Budget: AmazonBasics 6-Outlet Surge Protector

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This six outlet surge protector power strip from Amazon is as simple and cost effective of an option as you can find. It has a six-foot long AWG power cord that gives you lots of flexibility if you are far from devices. The strip has a 790-joule, three-line surge protection rating that guarantees your smaller devices (think smartphones and lamps) will not fry. There is a red LED light that signifies whether or not your devices are protected. This cost-effective surge protector is a great option for your house.

Best Design: Lanshion 8-Outlet 4-USB Surge Protector

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If you have a whole host of devices you need protected from sudden surges, then this Lanshion power strip is perfect. It supports 8 outlets and four USBs for simultaneously powering an office or entertainment center. But the vertical tower format is ideal for cord maintenance, directing your cords out through four sides so they don’t all tangle together. The 100V-2450V surge protector provides standard current and quality is guaranteed by the fireproof ABS plastic and PVC copper cable to help with overload protection.

Best Splurge: CyberPower CP1500PFCLCD

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The Cyberpower CP1500PFCLCD is a UPS and surge protector that might seem like overkill, but if you have a lot of valuable electronics like a computer, gaming console, Wi-Fi router, and other devices to protect, this surge protector will give you the time to safely shut those devices down in case of a power outage. It can protect up to 1000W of electronic devices and even keep you Wi-Fi network running during a storm when the power devices. It supports 12 surge protected power outlets and 6 come with battery backup. There's even a color LCD panel to show you information like battery capacity and load level so you can monitor your network.

Final Verdict

The best surge protector to get is the reputable APC Back-UPS Pro 1500VA UPS (view on Amazon). It has everything you want in a surge protector with a total of 10 ports (five with battery backup, five with surge protection), voltage regulation to smooth out power spikes, and the ability to keep your devices and Wi-Fi network running during a power outage. For a more traditional surge protector, we also like the 8-outlet 2630 from APC (view on Amazon). It has 8 AC ports, plus two USB ports for charging phones.

What to Look for in a Surge Protector

Type of protection - When most surge protectors fail to protect your devices, they continue to provide power. There might be a warning light to show that your devices are no longer protected, or there might not be. If you’re really worried about surges, look for a surge protector that totally cuts off power when protection is no longer available.

Rotating and angled outlets - Basic surge protectors have outlets that are all oriented in the same direction in a straight line, which can make it difficult to plug in power adapters and chargers. If you have a lot of these, look for a surge protector that allows you to rotate or change the angle of some or all of the outlets.

USB, coaxial, and Ethernet - In addition to electrical outlets, some surge protectors come with additional connections. Coaxial and Ethernet connections aren't recommended, because they can introduce noise and lower your data speeds, but a surge protector that includes high-speed USB charging ports can come in handy.

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