The $12 surge protector I bought at Walmart started a small fire last Tuesday

I noticed this thing getting warm for a few weeks but figured it was fine since it was just a power strip. Turns out plugging my space heater, monitor, and laptop charger into one cheap strip is a dumb idea. The plastic started melting around 3 PM and I smelled it before I saw the smoke. Has anyone else had a near miss with bargain bin electronics in their workspace?

3 comments

3 Comments

sandragrant2d ago

Oh my goodness, that is a scary story. I used to be one of those people who just grabbed the cheapest power strip without a second thought. But after reading your account, I have completely changed my mind about saving a few dollars on something like this. It is just not worth the risk of a fire, especially with high-wattage things like space heaters. Thanks for sharing this, it really opened my eyes.

lisas782d ago

Oh totally, I used to think the same way. But actually @webb.hannah has a point too - it's not always about the price tag alone. The real issue is that even expensive power strips can fail if they're overloaded or faulty. I had a $30 one that melted after a space heater ran on it for just a week. The key is checking the rating on the strip itself, like look for a "15 amp" or "1875 watt" sticker on the back. Some cheap ones are legit if they have those numbers and a good circuit breaker built in. But if the package doesn't list any specs at all, definitely skip it.

webb.hannah2d ago

My $7 cheap strip is still working fine after three winters with a space heater, actually.