Belkin Mini Surge 3 Outlet Wall Mount with USB Charger by Belkin Components
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Digital camera reviews of Belkin Mini Surge 3 Outlet Wall Mount with USB Charger
Digital camera Review: Nice idea, works well but bulky
Summary: 4 Stars
I travel every week for work and usually have to scout out the few available outlets in the airports. This is handy because it gives you 3 outlets while leaving one of the wall outlets still available for another weary, electricity craving traveler to use. The USB ports are a great idea. I use it for my iPod, GPS and bluetooth headset, and it work just fine for all of those and saves me from carrying extra adapters. The fact that the plug rotates is a great feature, so it can fit many more places and not cover the other outlet. The only drawback is that it's quite chunky, and the prongs stick out even farther to make a big bulge in your computer bag. Foldable prongs would make this perfect. Well worth the twenty or so dollars I paid-but where did the alleged over a hundred dollar list price come from?Digital camera Review: Nice portable higher quality surge protector
Summary: 4 Stars
o 918 Joules maximum of surge protection (good for product of this size and price)
o Maximum Spike Current of 30,000A
o Response Time <1 nanosecond
o Dimensions = 2"H x 5"W x 1 1/2"D
o Manufacturer's $75,000 connected equipment warranty
o Manufacturer's lifetime limited warranty
o Features mini-USB cable to charge virtually any USB device
o EMI/RFI Noise Filtration 150kHz~100MHz up to 40dB reduction
o Clamping Voltage (or "let-through voltage") - 800v; not bad, but not great
Given size, I would recommend rotating the 360 degree rotating plug to a horizontal position. It should be noted that other reviews are absolutely spot-on that the rotating function of plug is VERY stiff and difficult to use (definite negative for a product of this quality).
Although the surge suppressor is a bit bigger than other "mini" surge protectors it also has a fairly high 918 Joule rating, so before you listen to anyone "trashing" the product for its size, make sure you are comparing "apples to apples" with respect to surge suppression. Also as a guideline, you want a surge protector to offer at least 200 - 400 joules of protection and over 600 joules is considerd very good.
On top of the competency of the surge protector and its lifetime warranty and protection guarantee, the two USB chargers mounted on top of surge protector are the big "draw." Many stand-alone USB chargers are over $10 by themselves, so when you consider that and the warranty (which you generally don't get with the USB chargers), then that makes this unit a fairly good deal.
Digital camera Review: Nice!
Summary: 5 Stars
I use it on travel as well as at home to charge my GPS, iPod and cell phone through the USB ports (two at a time, obviously). Rotating feature and the extra AC outlets a definite plus when on travel.Digital camera Review: Nifty travel must-have
Summary: 4 Stars
Love this thing, I bring it whenever I travel and I travel a lot. I'd give it 5 stars but it could be a little smaller. It can handle my iPhone and all my camera chargers at the same time and it charges quickly. It's nice to have the ability to rotate the plug 360 degrees to best fit those random tucked in outlets in hotels. Word of warning, the button to rotate the plug can be tricky, you need to push it in with a fair amount of pressure, I've had to use the ends of pens/pencils to turn them for the first few times.Digital camera Review: No Switch and the Prongs Don't Retract
Summary: 4 Stars
First of all, the Belkin Mini Surge Protector does not have a switch. You plug it in, and all the outlets and USB charging ports are on. You have to unplug it to turn it off.
I use it to charge the batteries for my Logitech G7 laser mouse. The batteries charge via a USB charging cradle, but I don't want to keep my computer on all the time just to charge the batteries. With this device, I can just plug the charging cradle to the wall and keep the batteries fully charged.
Other reviews have said that the Belkin Mini Surge Protector is too bulky for travel. I don't think you can slip it into a notebook computer bag, but it's still smaller than most surge protectors since it doesn't have a cord.
I'm more concerned that the outlet prongs don't retract or fold when not in use. The prongs look like they could poke through a bag. You can put a cap on the prongs, but then you just end up with an "L" shaped device. It would have been better if there was a way to fold the prongs so that they're flush with the surface and you end up with a brick with flat sides.
If you have a bulky AC adapter, adding a Power Strip Liberator Plus to the Belkin might let you plug in the AC adapter without blocking the other outlets. Or you could bring along a Socket Sense SS1650W-06 expanding surger protector, but you'll be adding more weight to your luggage.
The Belkin only has 2 USB charging ports, while the Lenmar ACUSB4 AC Travel Adapter has 4 ports. However, the Lenmar does not have outlets for regular electronics. If you only need to charge USB devices, the Lenmar might be a good alternative.
Overall, the Belkin Mini Surge Protector is a step in the right direction, but there's definite room for improvement.