American Power Conversion Corporation or APC by Schneider Electric is a flagship brand of Schneider Electric. Interestingly enough, APC began in a garage in 1981–much like Apple and Microsoft. Because of years of innovation, APC surge protector products are known to be the industry leaders in protecting physical infrastructure and home devices.
Is APC a good surge protector?
If you do not want to negotiate on guaranteed uptime or want maximum availability then their products are the best. And the built-in battery backup and data protection technology help in keeping your home business equipment and applications safe from risks.
Benefits of the different APC Surge Protector Series
SurgeArrest Performance Series
SurgeArrest Performance Series surge protectors from APC provide the highest level of protection for your computers, high-end electronics, and other sensitive equipment from power surges. The surge protectors from this category have high joule ratings and a large number of outlets. The surge protectors of this series offer the most elite line of premium surge protectors. These surge protectors have USB outlets, cord management, and overload indicators. The surge protectors from this category are best suited for refrigerators, televisions, sound systems, and refrigerators.
SurgeArrest Home/Office Series
These series provide professional-grade electrical surge protections for all of your electrical equipment. SurgeArrest Home/Office series surge protectors are designed to keep your electrical equipment safe from large power surges/strikes. This series of surge protectors consist of phone line spitters that protect your communication lines and USB outlets. It also features transformer block spacing that allows you to plug your equipment without blocking outlets. These surge protectors are best suited for professional computers, gaming console, and printers.
SurgeArrest Essential Series
The surge protectors of this category are entry-level surge protectors that are the perfect choice for your household equipment. The key features of the surge protectors of this series include USB outlets for charging your mobile devices and LED indicators for status identifications. Usually, these surge protectors are designed to suit PCs, home networks, cable boxes, streaming media players, routers, and modems
ProtectNet Series
The majority of surge-induced damage occurs because surges and spikes travel in unprotected data lines. These surges may come from different sources which include lightning strikes and static charge buildup. If your data lines are unprotected, then it will make network cards, A/V components, modems, and other networks vulnerable to surge-induced damages. Well, ProtectNet Series of surge protectors keep your data lines such as coax cables, network lines, and telephone lines, etc. safe from surge attacks. If you insert the surge protectors of this category in the data line and connect it to the earth’s ground, it saves your productivity from back-door surges.
Top 3 Best APC Surge Protectors
1. APC Performance SurgeArrest 11 Outlets with 2 USB charging ports (5V, 2.4A in total), 120V (Model: P11U2)
Features:
P11U2 Surge Protector from APC provides guaranteed surge protection. Using this APC surge protector you can charge your mobile phones and plug 11 of your electrical equipment in this surge protector. Moreover, this surge protector from APC comes with 2880 joules surge energy rating and is equipped with a 6-foot long power cord.
- NEMA 5-15P input connections
- Feature a nominal input voltage of 120V
- Features 11 outlets
- Has an input frequency of 50/60Hz
- Comes with 2880 Joules surge energy rating
Pros:
- Reasonable price
- Easy to clean
- Excellent design
Cons:
- The protection cover pops out
- USB ports do not work properly
2. APC Performance SurgeArrest 12 Outlet with 2 Port 2.4 A USB Charger 120V (Model: P12U2)
Features:
This 12-outlet APC surge protector comes with an auto-shutoff feature which makes it the most unique surge protector in the market. This auto-shutoff feature works only when three wiring sections of this fail. Well, your connected equipment may become slightly unprotected if two sections fail first. Moreover, this APC surge protector also comprises LEDs that indicate wiring problems. This APC surge protector comes with 12-outlets. Moreover, it clamps down on power surges as hard as the Tripp Lite 12-Outlet surge protector. The joule rating of this surge protector is 30% higher, this means that it is designed to be long-lasting. This surge protector is not equipped with any kind of telephone and coaxial ports but still, it has 2 USB ports that help you charge your smartphones, tablets, and other rechargeable devices. The only drawback of this surge protector is that you will face difficulty in reaching distant outlets.
- Has an auto-shutoff feature
- Features LEDs for indicating wiring problems
- Comes with 2 USB ports
- Features 12 AC outlets
- 6-foot long cord
- NEMA 5-15P input connections
Pros:
- Spacing between the outlets is generous
- You can connect equipment with any kind of plug
- Sturdy case
Cons:
- The power cord is short
- Power
3. APC Performance SurgeArrest 11 Outlet with Phone (Splitter) and Coax Protection, 120V
If you are looking for a high-end surge protector with multiple ports then this 11-Outlet APC surge protector is amazing. This APC surge protector has 3020 joules surge energy rating and comprises of 11 outlets. This surge protector also consists of ports for telephones, DSL lines, and coax cables. The 180-degree rotation and side-mounted plugs allow you to easily plug in your devices. This APC surge protector also comes with a $100,000 equipment protection policy.
Features:
- Features 11 outlets
- Has 8 feet long power cord
- Have 3020 joules surge energy rating
- Includes protected indicator light
Pros:
- Does not make any noise
- Space-saving
- Provides plenty of space for multiple plugs
Cons:
- Cord connection swivels 180 degrees either up or sideways
- Network protection is not good
Conclusion
APC is amongst the most popular manufacturers of surge protectors. All of their surge protectors are well-constructed and have a high surge energy rating. So whichever model of surge protector you choose from APC, it will be amazing.
As a side note, I would also recommend that you check out these other high quality APC Surge Protectors:
Priced Under $35
as of 10/20/2020 10:41:35 am
APC Surge Protector Power Strip with USB Ports, P10U2, 4320 Joule, 10 Outlet Surge Protector
Priced Under $15
as of 10/20/2020 10:41:35 am
APC Wall Outlet Multi Plug Extender, P6W, (6) AC Multi Plug Outlet, 1080 Joule Surge Protector
Priced Under $30
as of 10/20/2020 10:41:35 am
APC Desk Mount Power Station PE6U4, U-Shaped Surge Protector with USB Ports (4), Desk Clamp, 6 Outlet, 1080 Joules
Priced Under $20
as of 10/20/2020 10:41:35 am
APC 3-Outlet Surge Protector 1080 Joule with 3 USB Charging Ports, SurgeArrest Essential (P3U3)
Priced Under $15
as of 10/20/2020 10:41:35 am
APC 6-Outlet Surge Protector 840 Joules, SurgeArrest (P6B)
Priced Under $25
as of 10/20/2020 10:41:35 am
APC Wall Outlet Surge Protector with USB Ports, PE4WRU3, (4) Rotating Multi Plug Outlet, 1080 Joule Surge Protection
Priced Under $50
as of 10/20/2020 10:41:35 am
APC Surge Protector with Phone, Network Ethernet and Coaxial Protection, P11VNT3, 3020 Joules, 11 Outlet Surge Protector Power Strip
Priced Under $15
as of 10/20/2020 10:41:35 am
APC Wall Outlet Surge Protector with USB Ports, PE3WU3, (3) AC Multi Plug Outlet, 540 Joule Surge Protection
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