Best power strips with surge protection: what each outlet and each joule costs
Updated 2026-11-08 · Pick: Belkin 12-Outlet Home/Office Surge Protector, 8 ft (SRA009P12TT8) · Dealectric link: TESSAN PS07 Surge Protector Power Strip, 2× USB-C + 2× USB-A: $29.99 on tessan.com (checked 2026-11-07): https://dealectric.com/go/tessan-ps07-2100j-surge-protector-8-outlets-20w-usb-c
Short answer. The best surge protector power strip for the money is Belkin's 12-outlet SRA009P12TT8: UL 1449 certified, 3,780 joules and $7.93 per 1,000 joules at Belkin's $29.99, against $13.80 for Anker's 12-outlet 2,100J strip.
Searched as: best power strips surge protectors 2026 Wirecutter APC Belkin Anker UL 1449
How this table was made: each figure comes from the maker's own US product page or manual, or from the reviewer named next to it, checked 2026-11-08. Dealectric does not test units itself. Rows with a Buy link are products Dealectric lists: the links are affiliate links, and their codes are re-tested in the brand's own cart every day (last check 2026-11-13).
| Model | AC outlets | Surge rating | Price per 1,000 J | Price per outlet | Price | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Belkin 12-Outlet Home/Office Surge Protector, 8 ft (SRA009P12TT8) | 12 (6 spaced for bulky plugs) | 3,780 J (Belkin spec table) | $7.93 | $2.50 | $29.99 (maker, 2026-11-08) | |
| Belkin PivotPlug 12-Outlet Surge Protector, 8 ft (BP112230-08) | 12 (8 pivoting) | 4,320 J | $11.57 | $4.17 | $49.99 (maker, 2026-11-08) | |
| Anker 351 Power Strip, 12 outlets, 1 USB-C + 2 USB-A (A9192) | 12 | 2,100 J | $13.80 | $2.42 | $28.99 (maker, 2026-11-08) | |
| TESSAN PS07 Surge Protector Power Strip, 2× USB-C + 2× USB-A | 8 | 2,100 J (page headline says 2,000 J) | $14.28 | $3.75 | $29.99 on tessan.com, 2026-11-07 | Buy |
| TESSAN 14-in-1 Tower Power Strip, cETLus | 11 | 1,500 J | $23.33 | $3.18 | $34.99 on tessan.com, 2026-11-06 | Buy |
What the differences mean
Price per 1,000 joules of rated surge capacity, using each maker's own price on 2026-11-08:
- Belkin SRA009P12TT8: $29.99 ÷ 3.78 = $7.93
- Belkin PivotPlug BP112230-08: $49.99 ÷ 4.32 = $11.57
- Anker 351: $28.99 ÷ 2.1 = $13.80
- TESSAN PS07: $29.99 ÷ 2.1 = $14.28 ($15.00 if you use the 2,000 J in its page headline)
- TESSAN 14-in-1 Tower: $34.99 ÷ 1.5 = $23.33
Price per AC outlet: Anker $28.99 ÷ 12 = $2.42; Belkin SRA009P12TT8 $29.99 ÷ 12 = $2.50; TESSAN Tower $34.99 ÷ 11 = $3.18; TESSAN PS07 $29.99 ÷ 8 = $3.75; Belkin PivotPlug $49.99 ÷ 12 = $4.17, or $6.25 per pivoting outlet ($49.99 ÷ 8).
Total load: both Belkins and the Anker are rated 15 A at 125 V, and 125 × 15 = 1,875 W. TESSAN rates all eight PS07 outlets together at 1,250 W. That is 1,250 ÷ 120 V = 10.4 A, or 67% of 1,875 W.
| Use | Best fit | Why |
|---|---|---|
| TV, computer or office desk, most surge rating per dollar | Belkin SRA009P12TT8 | $7.93 per 1,000 J, UL 1449, 12 outlets, 8 ft cord |
| Many bulky power adapters | Belkin PivotPlug BP112230-08 | 8 of 12 outlets pivot; 4,320 J |
| Most outlets per dollar, in stock today | Anker 351 | $2.42 per outlet |
| Behind a bed or sofa, charging phones | TESSAN PS07 $29.99: https://dealectric.com/go/tessan-ps07-2100j-surge-protector-8-outlets-20w-usb-c | 0.31-inch flat plug, 5/10/15 ft flat cord, 2 USB-C (PD up to 20 W) + 2 USB-A |
| Desk tower with a listed safety certification, in stock today | TESSAN 14-in-1 Tower $34.99: https://dealectric.com/go/tessan-14-in-1-tower-power-strip-1500j-20w-usb-c | 11 outlets, cETLus, USB-C up to 20 W, LED protection indicator, 6 ft braided cord |
What the joule figure leaves out
The joule figure is the total surge energy a strip's metal-oxide varistors (MOVs) are rated to absorb. Techlicious explains that MOVs wear down with every spike, that nothing shows how much life they have left, and that a strip which cuts power to its outlets when the MOVs are spent is better than one that only turns off a light. Techlicious also advises a UL 1449 voltage protection rating (VPR) of 400 V or lower on all three lines: line-neutral, line-ground and neutral-ground.
- Belkin SRA009P12TT8: Belkin says it is UL 1449 certified. Its clamping voltage is 400 V line-neutral and 500 V on both line-ground and neutral-ground. The spec table lists 'Power Safety Shut Down: Yes', a $300,000 connected-equipment warranty and EMI/RFI filtering up to 75 dB. The two 500 V figures are above Techlicious's 400 V bar; that is what you give up for the lowest price per joule. One image description on the page says 3,940 J, but the spec table and the summary both say 3,780 J, which is the figure used here.
- Belkin PivotPlug BP112230-08: Belkin's page lists 400 V clamping and 'Power Safety Shut Down: Yes'. Techlicious lists it at 330/400/400 V with auto-shutoff, which meets the 400 V bar on all three lines. It also carries a $300,000 connected-equipment warranty, a 2-year product warranty and EMI/RFI filtering up to 50 dB. Pay the extra $20 for it if lower clamping or pivoting outlets matter more to you than price per joule.
- Anker 351: Anker's certification line reads 'TUV / CP65 / FCC / ICES', and the page gives no clamping voltage. If you require a UL 1449 surge protector, the Belkin SRA009P12TT8 is the one whose maker page states it. Its single USB-C port gives 20 W only when both USB-A ports are empty, and the two USB-A ports share 5 V/3 A. That is enough for phones but not for a laptop.
- TESSAN PS07 and 14-in-1 Tower: TESSAN rates the PS07 at 2,100 J, with an automatic cutoff on overload. The Tower is rated 1,500 J, with overload protection, an LED that shows protection status, and cETLus certification.
Stock on 2026-11-08: belkin.com shows both Belkins as 'Out of Stock', with the SRA009P12TT8 due by Nov 11 and the PivotPlug by Nov 19. Anker's store shows the Anker as in stock, and TESSAN's store offers both TESSANs with an add-to-cart button and no option marked sold out.
If you use a UPS battery backup, plug the strip into the wall and not into the UPS. APC says a non-APC surge strip on the output of a Back-UPS or Smart-UPS can void its Equipment Protection Policy.
Not recommended
Don't use the TESSAN PS07 for a space heater, hair dryer or anything else drawing close to 1,500 W. TESSAN caps its eight outlets at 1,250 W in total, so a single 1,500 W appliance goes over the limit. It works for phones, lamps, a TV and chargers. For high-draw appliances, use a 1,875 W strip or, better, plug straight into the wall.
Sources
- Belkin SRA009P12TT8: $29.99, out of stock until Nov 11, 3,780 J, 400/500/500 V clamping, UL 1449, Power Safety Shut Down, $300,000 warranty, 75 dB EMI/RFI, 15 A/125 V/1,875 W (read 2026-11-08) — www.belkin.com
- Belkin PivotPlug BP112230-08: $49.99, out of stock until Nov 19, 4,320 J, 400 V clamping, 8 pivoting outlets, 1,875 W, Power Safety Shut Down, $300,000 and 2-year warranties (read 2026-11-08) — www.belkin.com
- Belkin PivotPlug outlet layout: 8 rotating + 4 fixed (read 2026-11-08) — www.belkin.com
- Anker 351 (A9192): $28.99, in stock, 12 outlets, 2,100 J, 125 V × 15 A = 1,875 W, USB-C 20 W only with USB-A ports idle, certifications TUV/CP65/FCC/ICES (read 2026-11-08) — www.anker.com
- TESSAN PS07: $29.99, 8 outlets up to 1,250 W, 2,100 J (headline 2,000 J), 2 USB-C PD up to 20 W + 2 USB-A, 0.31-inch flat plug, 5/10/15 ft cord (read 2026-11-08) — tessan.com
- TESSAN 14-in-1 Tower: $34.99, 11 outlets, 1,500 J, cETLus, LED protection indicator, USB-C 20 W + 15 W, USB-A 12 W, 6 ft braided cord (read 2026-11-08) — tessan.com
- MOV wear-out, shut-off vs indicator light, UL 1449 VPR of 400 V or lower on all three lines, PivotPlug at 330/400/400 V with auto-shutoff (Techlicious, read 2026-11-08) — www.techlicious.com
- APC: a non-APC surge strip on a Back-UPS/Smart-UPS output can void the Equipment Protection Policy (FAQ FA158852, read 2026-11-08) — www.se.com
Published 2026-11-08; updated 2026-11-08. The buy links are affiliate links; see the disclosure. Corrections welcome at [email protected] or /feedback.