Surge protectors often look just like power strips, but not all power strips are surge protectors. Only surge protections actually help protect your gadgets against power surges. Many power strips are just glorified extension cords without any protection.
But you can tell whether a strip provides surge protection with just a few seconds of examination.Not Every Power Strip Provides Surge Protection
A power strip plugs into a wall outlet and offers outlets for multiple devices. But that’s all a simple power strip does. It’s essentially an extension cord with multiple outlets and no fancy features, although it might have a switch to quickly cut power to all connected devices. Connecting a device to a power strip is just like connecting it to a wall outlet, at least in terms of safety.
A surge protector (sometimes called a “surge suppressor” instead) often comes in the shape of a power strip. Like power strips, most surge protectors plug into a wall outlet and offer outlets for multiple devices. But, surge protectors also have electronics built in that help prevent power surges from damaging connected devices. Connecting a device to a surge protector provides more protection than simply connecting it to a wall outlet.
While common power strips and surge protectors look similar, not all power strips are surge protectors. Surge protectors are a bit more expensive. For example, you might pay $20 for a surge protector, while a similar-looking power strip costs only $10.
When it comes to expensive electronics devices like your TV and home theater system, or your computer and other fancy electronics, using a surge protector is a good idea. But, when you’re just plugging in a coffee maker or toaster, a simple power strip is just fine.
While surge protectors often come in power strip shape, they don’t always. For example, you can get a single-outlet surge protector that allows you to plug a single device into a single wall outlet, but with surge protection. The power strip design is just more common.
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