Power & Cables

Smart plugs are one of those things that seem unnecessary until you have one, and then you find yourself buying three more. A lamp that turns on automatically when your morning alarm goes off. A monitor that powers down completely when you leave. A space heater that shuts off if no one’s been in the room for an hour. The use cases are many, but the execution varies wildly — some smart plugs drop their Wi-Fi connection twice a week, others hum audibly, and a few run so hot you worry about leaving them plugged in while you’re away. ...

A cheap power strip looks the same as a good one until lightning hits your block or your neighbor’s contractor taps into the wrong line. Then the cheap one either does nothing or sacrifices itself dramatically, and you find out whether your computer’s power supply can handle the surge or whether you’re buying a new PC. I tested seven surge protectors and UPS units. Basic surge protectors for lamps and peripherals. Workstation protectors for computer setups. Full UPS units that keep you running through a power outage. Some cost less than a trip to the electronics store but protect thousands of dollars of equipment. A few are dangerously overpriced. ...