A surge protector is probably one of the most boring but incredibly useful accessories you can bring on your travels. It’s one of those things, like toilet paper, you only realize you desperately need when you need it most but can’t get to it. So before the next time you have to duck walk away from that hotel room wall with only one lonely electrical outlet, pick up this Belkin 3 outlet mini charger.
Why You Need It
First of all, the Belkin surge protector turns a single wall socket into five outlets – three for electric plugs and two USB ports for charging. The electric outlets are all surge protected as well to keep your electronics safe from power spikes; which can be hazardously common in many parts of the world.
Why It’s So Great
Belkin has put a little bit of thought into designing this power strip for travelers. The plug itself rotates 360 degrees so you can adjust the power strip for all kinds of pesky outlets that might be placed in wall corners. (A handy feature I can’t repeat how many times you’ll end up using.) The Belkin is also a light 263 grams (half a pound) and made out of a durable plastic that it is very scratch resistant, for all of you electronic OCD types.
Belkin 3-Outlet Mini Travel Swivel Charger Surge Protector
You can of course use the Belkin surge protector with a number of universal outlet converters, like this Fosom Universal Adapter Kit.
Trust Me, You’ll Use It All The Time
By now I might have begun to sound like I work for Belkin or am getting paid by them – I’m not – but have found this power strip an essential item to pack and sure you will too. Your laptop, phone, tablet, camera battery often can’t get charged at once. The last thing you want is to have to wait by a wall outlet for your gear to charge or zap your iPhone charger because of lazy hostel wiring.
The Belkin power strip comes in a few varieties, there’s a 6 outlet version as well as one that acts as a travel battery as well, but the 3 outlet mini should meet most people’s needs. On sale for around $20 on Amazon, routinely discounted for less, the first time you use it, you’ll wonder how you traveled without this surge protector at all.
Are you sure about international use for this? From what I have read this is for 110V only.
Yes, I’ve used it around the world and haven’t had any problems.
So it fits African, European, and US outlets for sure?
With an adapter, yes.
It does not look like a transformer. Outside of the US most electrical service is 230-240 volts DC. It has to be converted before American electrical appliances can be used. I would not trust this at all for foreign travel. 240 volts if not stepped down, will fry most American electronics.
How much is it?
Less than $20 USD.