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- The wirecutter surge protector full#
- The wirecutter surge protector portable#
- The wirecutter surge protector professional#
Size and weight: When traveling, the most important factors to consider for whatever you'll be packing are size and weight.
The wirecutter surge protector professional#
We didn't find many useful professional reviews of travel power strips, so we started from scratch with our own criteria.
The wirecutter surge protector portable#
Most portable versions are surge protectors in name only, and don't provide a level of protection that we would trust long-term. Generally, a power strip is a device that merely adds extra outlets a surge protector also adds protection against-you guessed it-power surges. In many older houses and apartments that don't have a lot of wall outlets, a small power strip can be helpful to gain a couple of extra outlets, particularly in rooms where you may not have the space for a full-size surge protector (such as the kitchen, bathroom, or bedroom), or where it can be handy to have USB outlets to plug in your phone or other small electronics. A power strip that you can easily pack into a carry-on or bag can mean the difference between enjoying fully charged devices on the plane or trying to stretch the last 10 percent of your battery over an hours-long flight. Having additional outlets can be a (battery) lifesaver in airports and hotels, where wall outlets can be few and far between. Who should get thisĪ portable power strip is great to have while you're traveling. Both sell for $20 or less, have three outlets and two USB-charging ports, and are smaller and lighter than any other travel model we tested, but still fit bulky power adapters without blocking other outlets. They're functionally identical, so just pick the one that's cheaper when it's time to order.
The wirecutter surge protector full#
Read the full article here.Īfter researching dozens of models and extensively testing the eight best-specified and -designed, we think the best power strip for travel in North America is one that's sold under two different brands-as either the Accell Home or Away Surge Protector or Tripp Lite Protect It 3-Outlet Surge Protector.
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When readers choose to buy Wirecutter's independently chosen editorial picks, it may earn affiliate commissions that support its work. Some smart plugs even allow you to monitor the relative electricity that different devices suck in.This post was done in partnership with Wirecutter.
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Smart devices also connect with Amazon Alexa or Google home for audio control, and offer the added benefit of allowing you to turn on or off lights or devices when you’re out of the house. Smart scheduling: The best picks make it easy to set timers that do the work of “unplugging” devices for you.Surge protection: Use a surge protector to gain the added benefit of protecting devices from harmful power surges, preventing internal degradation and extending their lifetimes.Run key offenders through a power strip or plug that does two key things: One of the best tools to keep idle devices from sucking up energy is the humble power strip. The truth is: it isn't easy to remember to unplug your devices. Automate it with a smart plug or power strip With their “standby” consumption, these devices can use energy equal to running a 75 or 100 watt light bulb continuously. Some of the most notorious energy sinks are large devices like refrigerators, ACs, TVs, cable boxes, stereos and speakers, gaming consoles, computers, printers, and routers. An average American could improve their carbon footprint by 2% annually (an impact equal to 18 trees) and save $165 per household just by unplugging devices that are not in use (Source: NRDC). These idle devices use up to 23% of total home energy, costing Americans up to $19 billion per year. “Vampire devices” are electronics that use small amounts of power all day, even when you’re not using them.