Raise your hand if at some point during this pandemic, you realized that you needed to buy or replace a power strip or two. Yeah, so did I. The Aukey 8-Outlet USB-C Power Strip with 18W PD is a pretty sweet choice with plenty of well-spaced outlets; it even has two Type-A ports and one Type-C PD port.
Made of molded matte black plastic, the power strip measures 11.75″ long by 3.75″ wide by 1.5″ thick, and it has a thick 5′ long cable. There is a power button by the cable’s start; assuming you’ve properly shut down your electronics first, you can use that button to turn everything that is plugged in on or off at once. The power symbol in the button will glow orange when the power strip is plugging in and turned on.
There are eight outlets on top; two of them are set apart so that they will be able to accommodate at least one of those oversized block plugs. There are also two 2.4A Type-A USB ports with an 18W USB Type-C PD port. If you have a lot of oddly sized plugs or those obnoxious sideways plugs, it may seem at first that they won’t all fit in this power strip’s spacing, but a bit of Tetris-like arranging should make it work.
You can lay the power strip on the floor or mount it next to your desk by using the two notched holes on the back.
The Amazon page for this Aukey power strip states that it has “built-in safeguards [to] protect your devices against excessive current, overheating, and overcharging.” The most important feature, though, isn’t immediately apparent. When I first read its product description, I thought that this was simply a power strip and that it didn’t offer any surge protection. A bit of sleuthing revealed that this strip is rated as having 1,200 Joules of surge protection, so you can feel secure when plugging in your computer or any other personal electronics you’d like to protect from power spikes.
If you’re struggling to find wall outlets for all of your work from home gear, the AUKEY 8-Outlet USB-C Power Strip with 18W PD can help you get things squared away. It offers plenty of outlets and ports for your gear, and it protects everything with 1,200 Joules of surge protection. Keep in mind that surge protectors aren’t meant to last forever; power spikes, brownouts, and blackouts chip away at available Joules every time they occur. If you haven’t replaced your surge protected power strips in the last couple of years, it might be time. This Aukey power strip is an affordable and practical choice.
The AUKEY 8-Outlet USB-C Power Strip with 18W PD retails for $23.99, and it is available on Amazon [affiliate link].
Source: Manufacturer supplied review sample
What I Like: Eight power outlets, two USB Type-A outlets, and an 18W Type-C PD port; Two of the power outlets are set apart to accommodate larger block chargers; 1,200 Joules surge protection
What Needs Improvement: Nothing
