If you have expensive electronics that may get damaged due to a sudden power surge, you might want to look into something like a surge protector. Surge protectors can go a long way in preventing your electronics from getting deep fried by a power surge. Let’s take a look at one such surge protector, the ECHOGEAR Power Strip Surge Protector.
ECHOGEAR Power Strip Surge Protector
Today we are here to review the ECHOGEAR Power Strip Surge Protector, which is a very affordable and fairly basic surge protector power strip. This is the kind of surge protector that won’t cost you a fortune, but still helps provide a decent amount of protection for your expensive and sensitive electronics.
Who is this product for?
The ECHOGEAR Power Strip Surge Protector is designed for people who need a relatively small, space-saving, and affordable power strip with a good deal of surge protection. It’s not a huge surge protector, and it doesn’t cost too much, but it definitely works for average power surges. Simply put, this unit is designed for people who would rather not see their expensive electronics severely damaged by a power surge.
What’s included?
When you purchase the ECHOGEAR Power Strip Surge Protector, this is exactly what you get — an 8 plug surge protector (6 rotating plugs), and 8 foot power cord, and roughly 2,200 joules’ worth of protection. You also get a 5-year, 25k connected equipment warranty, just in case the unit happens to fail to protect your electronic equipment.
Overview of features
Even though the ECHOGEAR Power Strip Surge Protector is very affordable, it still has some good features worth talking about. First off, this power strip surge protector comes complete with 8 outlets, so you should be able to connect all of your important electronics, such as a home theater system, including a TV, speakers, and more. Of those 8 outlets, 6 of them are rotating outlets, which means that it is easier to insert large and oddly shaped plugs, something which a normal outlet with all stationary outlets cannot do.
The ECHOGEAR Power Strip Surge Protector features nearly 2,200 joules of protective power, which is much more than the recommended minimum. Sure, there are surge protectors which offer more protection than this, but that said, for just over $30, 2,200 joules is a good level of protection.
The ECHOGEAR Power Strip Surge Protector comes with a 5-year warranty, and even better is that it also comes with a $25,000 connected warranty. So, in the event that this unit fails to protect your electronics, at least you will be covered up to 25K.
If the ECHOGEAR Power Strip Surge Protector does activate, it comes with a circuit breaker switch so you can reset the bar and turn it back on if need be. This unit also comes with an 8-foot power cord, which means that you don’t have to place it right beside a wall outlet.
What’s also nice about the ECHOGEAR Power Strip Surge Protector is that it comes with EMI/RFI noise filtering to cut back on some of that buzzing and humming that power strips often produce. The cable management system which keeps cables from getting too messy, is also a nice addition.
Tutorial
In case you are not 100% sure about what a surge protector is, what it is used for, or how to use one, it is worth educating yourself. Below we have some videos which will provide you with all of the info you need to know about power strip surge protectors.
Pros
- Great price
- Offers adequate protection
- Space saving
- Rotating plugs for convenience
- Decent connected warranty for the price
- Cable management system
- Noise reduction technology
Cons
- Limited durability and impact resistance
Alternatives
Belkin 12-Outlet Pivot-Plug Power Strip Surge Protector
The ECHOGEAR Power Strip Surge Protector doesn’t have the highest protection rating of all surge protectors out there. In case you want a model that has nearly twice the maximum protection power as the ECHOGEAR, the Belkin 12-Outlet Pivot-Plug Power Strip Surge Protector is a good option to go with.
APC Smart Plug Surge Protector Power Strip
On the other hand, if you want a unit that can be controlled with your phone or tablet (via Alexa Assistant), something like the APC Smart Plug Surge Protector Power Strip might be a good option for you.
Conclusion
The bottom line is that it is definitely worth it to spend a few extra dollars to protect potentially thousands of dollars’ worth of electronics.
The ECHOGEAR Power Strip Surge Protector is a pretty decent surge protector power strip to keep in mind, not the biggest, fanciest, most high tech, nor most expensive, but it definitely gets the job done and is better than not having any kind of surge protection at all.