The Best Surge Protectors For Keeping All Your Devices Safe

Safeguard your electronics with our handpicked selection of surge protectors in the form of an extension lead, tower or standalone plug.
Tried & Tested: See Our Testing ↓
Written & Tested By: Richard Morgan | Updated:
Best Surge Protector UK
Richard Morgan/DIY Works
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Day or night, your electronic devices are vulnerable to the silent threat of power surges and without proper protection from a surge protector, they can succumb to damage and faults.

The amount of protection that an extension lead, tower or plug can provide is measured in Joules. In short, a higher Joules rating results in a higher level of protection. However, if the connected device doesn’t consume too much power, you won’t need to spend a fortune for a surge-protected device that provides thousands of Joules of protection.

To assist you in selecting the right surge protector for all your electronic devices, our handpicked selection lists top-performing models, chosen based on our first-hand experience using multiple different types. Our testing and up-to-date research further ensure the quality of our recommendations.

Belkin BSV804 Surge Protected Extension Lead
Best Extension Lead: Belkin BSV804 Surge Protected Extension Lead
Masterplug Heavy Duty Surge Protected Extension Lead
Best Heavy Duty: Masterplug Surge Protector Extension Lead
BESTEK Individually Switched Surge Protector
Best Individually Switched: BESTEK Power Strip Extension Lead
Duronic ST10B Surge Protected Tower
Best Extension Tower: Duronic ST10B Surge Protected Tower
DoubleYI Surge Protector Tower
Best Tower Runner-Up: DoubleYI Surge Protector Tower
Belkin BSV102AF Surge Protector Plug
Best Plug: Belkin BSV102AF Surge Protector Plug

How The DIY Works Team Tests & Rates The Surge Protectors

Even though we don’t use surge protectors for basic electronic equipment, we certainly do with any expensive or sensitive devices. These devices include our gaming PC (as well as other computers in the house or office), games console, TV and refrigerator.

Although many people may take the risk of surges in voltage, the fact that these electronic devices cost thousands, we feel that it’s a worthwhile investment that provides us with complete peace of mind.

best extension lead

Richard Morgan/DIY Works

As you’ve seen in our roundup, surge protectors are available as leads, towers, plugs and many other types. Therefore, we’ve been testing each type under “real world” conditions to base our recommendations on.

To keep up our commitment to reviewing and testing the latest surge protectors (for this article), we are continually testing the latest offerings from reputable brands in the UK. As shown in the photos below, we recently put our best-rated surge protector (the Belkin BSV804) to the test and it offered everything we needed from an extension lead. Not only did it provide an indication of the devices being surge protected but the selection of outlets and USB ports was a great bonus.

best surge protected extension lead

Richard Morgan/DIY Works
best surge protection extension lead

Richard Morgan/DIY Works

As well as our experience of using and testing a range of surge protectors, we also based our recommendations upon the latest research and several factors. Some of the factors we considered included the level of protection, number of outlets and USB ports, additional safety features, construction quality, warranty and value for money.

The Best Surge Protectors

At DIY Works, our content is 100% independent and we would never recommend a product that we wouldn't use ourselves (read our editorial standards and how we test products).

1. Best Extension Lead: Belkin BSV804 Surge Protected Extension Lead

(How We Review →)

Belkin is a highly reputable brand in the UK that’s well-known for many of their electronic devices. Their surge protected extension lead is one of the most popular devices they offer and it’s available as a 1, 4, 6 or 8-way construction. As an added bonus, this particular model has two integrated 2.4A USB ports that offer fast charging.

For complete peace of mind, the brand offers a connected equipment warranty for any devices that are damaged by an electrical charge. This means that they’ll repair or replace devices up to a value of £60,000.

Pros
  • Rated at 900 Joules
  • Choice of 1, 4, 6 or 8 AC outlets
  • Two integrated 2.4A USB ports
  • LED indicators
  • Sliding safety covers
  • 2 meter long cord
  • Connected equipment warranty
Cons
  • Quite bulky and can't be affixed to a wall

To conclude, the Belkin BSV804 is by far the best surge protected extension lead in the UK and it won’t disappoint. It has a high quality construction and it’s also developed by the reputable Belkin brand for complete peace of mind.

2. Best Heavy Duty: Masterplug Surge Protector Extension Lead

(How We Review →)

The Masterplug is another popular surge protected extension lead but unlike the Belkin alternative above, it has a heavy duty construction. In terms of its usability, the extension lead has six sockets and two USB ports for charging devices.

Compared to similarly priced alternatives, the brand offers a £10,000 connected equipment three year warranty for complete peace of mind when using this surge protector.

Pros
  • Six sockets and two USB ports
  • Safety thermal cut out indicator
  • Heavy duty construction
  • Available in a black or white design
  • Three year connected equipment warranty
Cons
  • Cable length is quite short (only 1 metre long)

Overall, if you require a heavy duty surge protector for use in areas where it may get knocked, the Masterplug is an excellent option. The only drawback is that the cable length is slightly short, which means that you’ll want to check the distance from the device to the mains power supply before purchasing it.

3. Best Individually Switched: BESTEK Power Strip Extension Lead

(How We Review →)

By far the most expensive surge protector within this article is the individually switched BESTEK extension lead. For the extra cost, there is a total of four smart USB charging points and six standard UK AC outlets.

A standout feature of this surge protector is that it uses an intelligent recognition function that detects the USB device that’s plugged in. This allows it to provide a faster charge for certain smartphones, tablets and other devices.

Pros
  • 900 Joules of protection
  • 6 standard UK outlets and 4 smart USB ports
  • 18 month warranty
  • Short circuit, overload and over temperature
  • Built-in safety door for child protection
Cons
  • Most expensive surge protected extension lead within our roundup

Although expensive, the individually switched extension lead by BESTEK is a highly rated option that’s built to the highest of standards. It has been designed specifically for home or office use and it offers far more functionality and safety than any other extension lead.

4. Best Extension Tower: Duronic ST10B Surge Protected Tower

(How We Review →)

One of the most popular extension towers in the UK is by the Duronic brand and it’s available as a 10 or 12 way socket construction. Due to the tower design, the brand state that it’s ideal for entertainment setups or desks where power is distributed in several directions.

Pros
  • Green surge protected indicator
  • Choice of 10 or 12 way sockets
  • Lightweight yet durable design
  • Includes a two year warranty
  • Available in black or white
Cons
  • Construction quality could be improved when compared to other towers

To conclude, the Duronic extension tower is a popular and versatile option that has been engineered for maximum surge protection. Compared to similar-sized extensions, it also offers the best value for the money too.

5. Best Tower Runner-Up: DoubleYI Surge Protector Tower

(How We Review →)

The DoubleYI is another extension tower that includes 12 surge protected sockets that are rated to 1,000 Joules. Also integrated into the construction are 5 USB ports that are distributed vertically down the tower. As well as providing surge protection, this extension tower also protects against overload, over current, over temperature and short circuits.

Pros
  • Rated to 1,000 Joules
  • 12 sockets and 5 USB ports
  • Built-in safety doors
  • Multiple forms of protection
  • Anti-fire and ABS construction
  • Two year warranty
Cons
  • Relatively expensive when compared to other surge protected extension towers

Overall, the DoubleYI extension tower is an excellent all-round surge protector that provides maximum safety and a two year warranty for peace of mind. If you require up to 12 sockets that are all surge protected, there is no better extension tower. The only drawback is the expensive price tag when compared to the Duronic alternative.

6. Best Plug: Belkin BSV102AF Surge Protector Plug

(How We Review →)

Another surge protector by the reputable Belkin brand is the BSV102AF plug and it’s ideal for protecting single electronic devices. In terms of surge protection, this model will protect against surges up to 306 Joules.

Depending upon where you wish to place the plug, the brand provides the option of a standard surge protector plug or a more expensive option with two USB ports.

Pros
  • 306 Joules of surge protection
  • Robust housing that protects against fire, impact and rust
  • Sliding safety covers to protect children
  • Connected equipment warranty
  • Surge protection LED indicator
  • Option to choose a plug with or without a USB port
  • Modern white design with rounded edges
Cons
  • Quite bulky when plugged into a dual socket (other socket will have limited space)

Compared to other surge protected plugs, the Belkin BSV102AF is built to a much higher standard and even includes a LED indicator and sliding safety covers. For complete peace of mind, Belkin also provides a guarantee to repair or replace any damages caused to plugged in devices up to £10,000 in value too.

Conclusion

All of our recommendations above are suitable for a range of budgets and cover extension leads, towers and standalone plugs. However, to avoid disappointment, we advise that you purchase your surge protector from a trusted brand.

If you require further information regarding any of our surge protector recommendations, feel free to get in touch and we will try to provide our assistance where possible.

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