Do you think you can even count the number of things in your home right now that are plugged into a wall outlet or surge protector? The answer is likely in the dozens, but we often forget how important it is to get high-quality surge protectors to safeguard our electronics. The expert product reviewers at BGR have spent a whopping 100+ hours testing surge protectors of all shapes and sizes, and we found the best options depending on your preferences.
Our top picks
- Best overall: Belkin 12-outlet Surge Protector Power Strip
- Runner-up: Anker 351 Power Strip
- Best smart surge protector: Kasa HS300 Smart Plug Power Strip
- Best heavy-duty option: Monster Workshop Heavy-Duty Power Strip
- Best outdoor surge protector: EIGSO Outdoor Power Strip
You absolutely can’t go wrong with any of those popular surge protectors. If you want to learn more about each model, you’ll find our review overviews down below.
1. Best overall: Belkin 12-outlet Surge Protector Power Strip
Pros: Great design, $300,000 connected equipment warranty, reliable, good build quality, inexpensive
Cons: None
Look, we’re going to make this very easy for you. If you just want the best surge protector out there and you don’t really want to think about anything else, just get the Belkin 12-outlet Surge Protector Power Strip.
This Belkin surge protector has a fantastic 12-outlet design with the perfect combination of vertically oriented outlets and horizontally oriented outlets. It can accommodate six straight plugs down the center, and then there are six outward-facing outlets that are spread out a bit more on the sides. That way, products with big power adapters can all fit easily.
We love the design of this model, but it also features solid build quality — especially for a surge protector that costs under $30. Plus, there’s a $300,000 CEW (connected equipment warranty). That way, if the surge protector fails and your connected devices are damaged, Belkin will repair or replace them up to a value of $300,000. So many people forget about the CEW, but it’s a hugely important selling point that you should definitely keep in mind.
There are no cons with this Belkin model. Just get one, and you’ll be very happy you did.
2. Runner-up: Anker 351 Power Strip
Pros: $200,000 connected equipment warranty, reliable, good build quality, USB ports, inexpensive
Cons: None
The Anker 351 Power Strip is our runner-up pick. It’s very close to being on par with our top pick (Belkin 12-outlet Surge Protector Power Strip), but there are a few minor differences that pushed it back to the #2 slot.
First of all, anyone who knows Anker knows that it’s one of the best brands on the planet when it comes to anything related to charging, batteries, or electricity in general. That means you can rest assured that this surge protector is a high-quality model that’s not going to let you down. If something does fail, however, Anker offers a $200,000 CEW for connected devices that are damaged.
The Anker 351 is a bit thicker than the Belkin model we recommended as our top pick, and the outlet layout is a bit different. It has four tightly packed outlets in the center for straight plugs, and then four outward-facing outlets on each side. We should note that the outward-facing outlets are a little closer together on this surge protector, so huge power adapters might end up blocking the outlet next to them.
Another feature we love about this model is that there are three USB ports in addition to the 12 standard power outlets. You get two USB-A ports as well as one USB-C port.
Once again, there are really no downsides with this Anker power strip.
3. Best smart surge protector: Kasa HS300 Smart Plug Power Strip
Pros: App control, voice control, good design & quality, no hub needed, easy to set up & use
Cons: No CEW, expensive when it’s not discounted
There are tons of smart surge protectors out there, but the Kasa HS300 Smart Plug Power Strip is by far the best one we tested.
People love smart plugs because they let you control any “dumb” device from your smartphone, tablet, or with your voice. This Kasa smart surge protector is just like a smart plug, but it has six smart outlets instead of just one. And yes, the outlets can be controlled individually, so it’s not as if you have to turn all six devices on and off at the same time.
It’s also nice to have three USB ports in addition to the six standard power outlets. They’re not “smart” ports, but why would they be? They’re really only for charging smartphones and other small electronics, so they don’t need to be smart.
The Kasa app is terrific, making it super simple to set up and control your devices. You can also create schedules, timers, and even connect with popular smart home platforms like SmartThings, which is the one we use. Plus, Kasa integrates with Amazon Alexa and Google Home, so you can use voice commands to control your connected gear.
As for downsides, Kasa makes no mention of a CEW for this model. Also, it’s quite expensive at $79.99, but you can often find it on sale for much less than that.
4. Best heavy-duty option: Monster Workshop Heavy-Duty Power Strip
Pros: Heavy-duty build quality, durable, mountable, USB ports, $250,000 CEW
Cons: Outlet spacing is tight for power adapters
Of all the heavy-duty surge protectors we tested, the Monster Workshop Heavy-Duty Power Strip was definitely the best.
This model has a terrific heavy-duty design that can withstand everything that comes along with being in a workshop or garage. It can take a licking and keep on ticking, plus you don’t have to worry about dust and debris causing problems.
We love that this Monster surge protector is mountable, so you can put it on your wall or workbench with ease. Plus, it’s great that it has a pair of USB ports so you can charge your phone while you work.
As for a connected equipment warranty, Monster offers a $250,000 CEW with this model. We have personally made use of Monster’s CEW in the past, and it was very easy to get reimbursed for a TV that was fried due to a surge.
The only real downside with this model is that the outlet spacing is a bit tight for power adapters. That being said, this is a heavy-duty surge protector that’s designed for a workshop or garage, and most power tools use standard plugs as opposed to oversized power adapters.
5. Best outdoor surge protector: EIGSO Outdoor Power Strip
Pros: IPX6 rated, weatherproof, good outlet spacing, covered USB ports, inexpensive
Cons: Not a well-known brand, quality control is hit or miss, no CEW
We definitely don’t recommend using ANY surge protector in the rain or while it’s wet. If you really need a weatherproof model to use outdoors, however, our top pick is the EIGSO Outdoor Power Strip.
On the plus side, this power strip is one of the few options out there where the manufacturer claims it has an IPX6 rating. We tested it with a few splashes, and it actually held up fine. But we need to note that there’s a big caveat.
Because the outlet holes are sealed when not in use, you have to apply a lot of pressure to insert plugs. That is to be expected, of course. If you don’t push your plugs all the way in, however, the exposed metal from the prongs will trip the surge protector if they get wet.
We liked that this model has good spacing between outlets and that it’s very inexpensive. There are also three USB charging ports under a rubber weatherproof cap, which is a nice touch.
Importantly, this surge protector is not made by a well-known brand. When it comes to electricity, we prefer to stick to the big companies with long histories. Needless to say, however, none of the big brands will ever recommend using a surge protector outdoors.
Another downside of this model is that quality control seems to be hit or miss. We had no issues with the three surge protectors we tested, but user reviews note that some people received broken or malfunctioning units out of the box.
Finally, it should go without saying that there is no connected equipment warranty with this model.
This EIGSO outdoor power strip is a good surge protector to use outdoors, and it seems okay if it gets a little bit of moisture on it. We absolutely do not recommend using it in the rain, though, or anywhere with a lot of water around.
