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The Best Travel Power Strips and Surge Protectors With USB Charging

By Sarah Witman
Updated
Our pick for best portable power strip and surge protector with USB charging.
Photo: Rozette Rago

Wall outlets are in short supply on planes, trains, and buses—and in many airports and hotels—so packing a portable power strip is a must for frequent travelers.

Everything we recommend

Our pick

This compact strip gives you three AC outlets and two USB power ports but doesn’t take up much space in a bag or weigh you down. We don’t recommend it for international travel.

Buying Options

Also great

This is the only portable option we tested with reliable surge protection. The 18-inch cord adds a little extra bulk but gives you more flexibility than models that plug directly into an outlet.

Also great

With four international plugs and a protection rating of 100 to 250 volts, this charger is a convenient option for overseas travel.

After researching dozens of models and testing the top contenders, we’ve concluded that the best power strip for North American travel is the Tripp Lite Protect It 3-Outlet Surge Protector.

It has three outlets and two USB-A charging ports with adequate spacing for bulkier plugs, and it’s smaller and lighter than any other travel model we’ve tested.

Our pick

This compact strip gives you three AC outlets and two USB power ports but doesn’t take up much space in a bag or weigh you down. We don’t recommend it for international travel.

Buying Options

This travel power strip has been our top pick every year since 2015. Although other companies use a similar design in their models, we've found that the Tripp Lite Protect It 3-Outlet Surge Protector offers the best capabilities at a price that’s usually lower than that of the competition.

Also great

This is the only portable option we tested with reliable surge protection. The 18-inch cord adds a little extra bulk but gives you more flexibility than models that plug directly into an outlet.

If you prefer a power strip with robust surge protection and a cord, Tripp Lite’s Protect It 3-Outlet Travel-Size Surge Protector is the best choice.

It’s the only portable model we tested that clamps down on harmful power surges as effectively as full-size surge protectors. Other portable models we tested let more than twice as much surge voltage through, which could potentially damage anything plugged into them.

The third AC outlet on the back of this unit helps reduce plug clutter, and its right-angle plug lets it easily fit into tight spots.

Also great

With four international plugs and a protection rating of 100 to 250 volts, this charger is a convenient option for overseas travel.

If you travel outside of North America, we recommend the Allocacoc PowerCube ReWirable USB.

Two features make this model ideal for international travel: It’s rated for 100 to 250 volts, so it doesn’t need an additional voltage converter, and it comes with four interchangeable plugs to fit a wide variety of international wall outlets.

Plus, it has two USB-A ports like our other picks, and it provides four AC outlets instead of three.

Senior staff writer Sarah Witman has been a science writer for nearly a decade, covering a wide variety of topics from particle physics to satellite remote sensing. Since joining Wirecutter in 2017, she has reported on portable power stations, household surge protectors, and more.

Consulting engineer Lee Johnson, who has more than 10 years of experience designing and testing electrical components, performed our surge tests.

When you’re traveling, a portable power strip can be a lifesaver in places like airports and hotels, where wall outlets are often few and far between. A power strip that easily fits into a carry-on bag can mean the difference between enjoying fully charged devices en route or trying to stretch the last 10% of your battery over an hours-long flight.

Generally, a power strip is a device that merely adds extra outlets, whereas a surge protector is designed to absorb the voltage from commonplace power surges and keep them from frying your electronic devices. Surge protection is especially important if you’re traveling in places with an unstable power grid.

Most portable versions are surge protectors in name only and don’t provide a level of protection that we would trust, especially long-term. We’ve highlighted any models that have surge protection similar to what you can expect from a full-size surge protector.

If you aren’t worried about surges—and the damage they can cause to unprotected devices—and need only to charge USB-powered devices such as a phone, laptop, or handheld gaming console, you might prefer a multiport USB wall charger instead. Or you can skip wall outlets entirely and pack a high-capacity power bank.

Our four picks for best portable power strips and surge protectors with USB charging.
Photo: Rozette Rago

For every round of testing, we scour the websites of popular retailers and brands, cultivating a list of contenders based on the following criteria:

  • Size and weight: When you’re traveling, the most important factors to consider when you pack are size and weight. A power strip won’t serve you well on the road if it’s too bulky or too heavy to stick in a backpack or suitcase. So we give preference to lighter, more compact models, which in most cases eliminates models with more than three AC outlets and two USB ports.
  • Outlet placement: We seek out models that maximize the number of devices you can plug in—even if those devices have big, blocky power bricks—and dismiss models with tightly spaced AC outlets.
  • Plug design: We give preference to power strips with a plug that can retract or fold into the body of the unit, which makes the power strip easier to pack into small spaces and helps prevent the plug from snagging on surrounding items and damaging them. We also prefer models with grounded (three-prong) plugs, which reduce the risk of electric shock.
A close up of a person holding our top pick for best portable power strip with USB charging.
Our top pick, from Tripp Lite, has a folding plug to make it easier to store in overcrowded luggage. Photo: Rozette Rago
  • Surge protection: Most portable power strips are too small to include meaningful surge protection. The joule rating on the box gives you some indication of how long a model will take cumulative surges, but not how much power could hit the gear you have plugged in. What really matters is how much voltage from a surge makes it through the outlets. In other testing, we’ve found that many electronics can survive a 400-volt hit—the amount that most home surge protectors let through when struck by a 5,000-volt surge. Most portable models, though, let through more than 1,000 volts. We call out models that can serve as true surge protectors, but if that’s your main concern, you need to invest in a larger option.
  • USB charging: Since many devices and accessories charge via USB, we limit our search to power strips with USB ports, which helps reduce the number of wall warts you have to pack. We prefer that each port be rated for at least 2.4 amps—which is what most phones and tablets require to charge at full speed—but such ports are relatively rare. Most of the units we’ve tested split this current over two ports, which means that if you plug in two devices, they’ll each charge at less than half their maximum speed.

To test each model, we insert plugs of various shapes and sizes into the power strips, trying different combinations to see which outlet layouts can accommodate the most devices. We also take into account whether each model can be plugged into a two-outlet wall plate without obstructing the second outlet, and we assess its overall appearance.

Next, we test the charging capabilities of each USB port by plugging in a PortaPow USB Power Monitor along with an iPad Air 2, noting the monitor’s amperage reading. We then connect a second iPad to measure the total output while charging two devices.

Our consulting electrical engineer, Lee Johnson, tests each model with a 5,000-volt surge generator, which is capable of creating voltage surges 40 times the standard AC power in the US. He starts with a series of surges from 160 volts all the way up to 5,000 volts, recording the voltage at the outlet where you would normally plug in your devices. Then he subjects each contender to a series of five 5,000-volt surges and averages the outlet measurements to get the protected output voltage. These tests show that our picks can protect most devices in the face of common power surges—and even in rare surge events up to thousands of volts.

Our pick for best portable surge protector with USB charging, the Tripp Lite Protect It 3-Outlet Surge Protector, plugged into a wall outlet.
Photo: Rozette Rago

Our pick

This compact strip gives you three AC outlets and two USB power ports but doesn’t take up much space in a bag or weigh you down. We don’t recommend it for international travel.

Buying Options

With three outlets, two USB ports, and a handy fold-up plug, the pocket-sized Tripp Lite Protect It 3-Outlet Surge Protector is the best and most portable power strip to pack for a trip.

It has lots of room for plugs. This power strip’s unusual design keeps all three outlets easily accessible, as they’re located on different faces—the front and either side. As a result, it can accommodate an impressive variety of plug shapes and sizes.

It’s small and light. At 4.5 inches long, 2.5 inches wide, and just under 1.5 inches deep, this power strip is one of the smallest of those we’ve tested.

It’s easy to fit into the pocket of a backpack or a carry-on suitcase, and the plug prongs fold away neatly when it’s not in use. You’ll barely notice the 5-ounce weight (which is about as heavy as a roll of pennies) in your bag.

It’s sturdily built. In our testing, this power strip stayed firmly in the wall outlet with minimal wobbling, even with three bulky plugs and adapters plugged into it.

Not only does its stability help keep your devices charging at full power, but it’s also safer; a plug pulled partly out of an outlet can damage your electronics or start a fire.

It has a pair of USB ports, letting you charge two devices without an adapter. This power strip worked as advertised in our USB speed tests: Our first iPad drew up to 2.1 amps from a single port, and plugging a second iPad into the other port halved the current flowing to each device.

This means that your phone or tablet might charge more slowly than it would with its own charger or one of our favorite multiport USB chargers, especially if both ports are occupied. That isn’t optimal, but it is par for the course for this type of device.

It’ll likely last for years. Over the past five years, three Wirecutter editors have taken the Tripp Lite Protect It 3-Outlet Surge Protector on dozens of trips. After extensive use, the foldable plug of one unit got stuck in the “out” position, but otherwise the power strip has been trouble-free.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

  • Because this power strip is rated for only 110-volt outlets, we don’t recommend using it internationally. Even if plugged into an international adapter, it is not a safe option, because most countries have 220-volt electrical grids.
  • The manufacturer might call this device a surge protector, but we don’t—according to our tests, the included protection isn’t likely to save your gear. When we sent a 5,000-volt surge through this power strip, it let nearly 1,000 volts slip through to our attached devices. That’s far more than most electronics can handle without dropping dead. Also, its 540-joule rating is on the lower end, which means its surge protection is likely to wear off sooner than that of models with a higher rating, such as our pick with a cord or our home surge protector picks.
An also great pick for best portable power strip with USB charging, the Tripp Lite Protect It 3-Outlet Travel-Size Surge Protector.
Photo: Rozette Rago

Also great

This is the only portable option we tested with reliable surge protection. The 18-inch cord adds a little extra bulk but gives you more flexibility than models that plug directly into an outlet.

If you want robust surge protection on the go, or if you prefer a power strip with a cord instead of one that sits flush against a wall outlet, the Tripp Lite Protect It 3-Outlet Travel-Size Surge Protector is the model to get.

Its surge protection is far better than that of most units of this size. When we hit this model with repeated 5,000-volt surges, it let only an average of 447 volts through to the outlets. That’s close to the performance of our favorite home surge protectors, which let between 368 and 444 volts through in the same test.

Its protection is designed to last. Not only does this model provide better protection for each individual surge, but it also should handle more surges before wearing out. The protection circuitry inside is rated to take a cumulative 1,050 joules, or about twice the rating of our top pick.

It has a cord. Since this power strip has an 18-inch cord, it’s easy to plug into a standard wall plate without blocking the second outlet as other units typically do.

And because it has a right-angle wall plug, it can easily fit behind furniture—a bonus if you’re often plugging into obstructed outlets in hotel rooms, hostels, or short-term rentals.

It has three adequately spaced outlets. With two outlets on the front face and a third on the back, this model allows you to plug in at least one large power brick without blocking the other outlets.

A close up of the Tripp Lite Travel-Size surge protector with its power cord wrapped up for storage.
The 18-inch power cord on the Tripp Lite Protect It 3-Outlet Travel-Size Surge Protector wraps neatly around the sides and is just the right length to plug into the rear outlet for storage. Photo: Rozette Rago

It has two USB ports, but they’re not as powerful as we’d like. Similar to our other picks, this model includes two USB ports that supply up to 2.1 amps, and you can use each of them to charge a single device at full power or share them between two devices.

Most modern phones and tablets can fast-charge at more than 2 amps, so if you’re charging multiple devices simultaneously, you’re better off with a dedicated USB charger.

Our pick for portable power strip with USB charging that can be used abroad, the PowerCube ReWirable USB, plugged into a wall outlet.
Photo: Rozette Rago

Also great

With four international plugs and a protection rating of 100 to 250 volts, this charger is a convenient option for overseas travel.

If you’re traveling outside of North America, get the Allocacoc PowerCube ReWirable USB: It works with 100 to 250 volts, so it can be safely plugged in pretty much anywhere in the world, and it has the most outlets among our picks.

It’s small and light. This model is a 2.5-inch cube that weighs just a little more than 7 ounces. It has one outlet on each of its four outside faces, plus two USB ports on the face opposite its own AC plug. This design ensures full access to each outlet for almost any size plug, without any of those plugs blocking the other outlets.

It can charge more devices at full power. Unlike most travel plug adapters, which often have just one outlet, this Allocacoc model’s four outlets are convenient for charging up to four devices as fast as possible (with a sufficiently powerful wall charger). For instance, while working remotely on a two-month trip abroad, I found it invaluable to be able to charge a laptop, phone, power bank, and wireless headphones at the same time—and still have two USB ports to spare.

The USB ports share the available 2.1 amps, much as on our other picks.

The PowerCube sitting on the floor next to four international plugs.
There’s no good way to store them, but the PowerCube ReWirable USB comes with international plugs that you can easily swap in when you travel abroad. Photo: Rozette Rago

It’s perfect for international travel. The PowerCube ReWirable USB includes four interchangeable AC plugs to fit Australian, European, UK, and North American (including the US, Canada, and Mexico) outlets.

There are a lot of pieces to keep track of. The plugs are easy to swap in and out as needed, and because they push the cube away from the wall, the wall plate’s second outlet remains accessible for most plugs and power bricks. However, the extra plugs are easy to misplace, so we recommend getting a designated bag organizer to keep track of them.

Don’t count on this model to provide surge protection. The PowerCube ReWirable USB is not advertised to provide any surge protection, but we tested it in that respect anyway, and it knocked 5,000-volt surges down to the same 900- to 1,000-volt range as our top pick. (That is to say, the surge protection is minimal, and we wouldn’t rely on it for that purpose.)

If you want lots of outlets and ports, plus a long cord: Get the Anker 331 Power Strip A9166. It has more outlets (six) and USB ports (three) than any of our picks. Its 5-foot cord is as long as that of any corded power strip we tested, and an included hook-and-loop cable tie helps keep it neatly coiled in your luggage.

It’s also the heaviest model we tested, weighing just shy of a pound (15.7 ounces), but it’s still about as sleek and compact as any of our picks.

Its surge protection is lackluster but no worse than that of our picks—we wouldn’t make any of them a permanent fixture at home.

Anker’s 18-month warranty falls short of the lifetime and two-year warranties that cover our picks, but it should still give you plenty of time to confirm that your unit is working properly.

This is not a comprehensive list of models we’ve tested. We have removed discontinued models and those that no longer meet our criteria.

Belkin’s BZ103050-TVL and BST300bg are seemingly identical models with a swiveling plug that you can rotate out of the way of a wall plate’s second outlet. This design is convenient in theory, but we found that the mechanism frequently gets stuck. Both models are also significantly larger and heavier than our top pick.

The CyberPower P405UC has four outlets, two USB-A ports, and (unlike any of our picks) a fast-charging USB-C port. Its 5-foot, fabric-sheathed cord is longer than that of our corded pick, but it has a shorter warranty and is heavier and clunkier.

The Mogics Power Bagel (MPB-AB) has more outlets than our pick for international travel, and it has a retractable cord as well as an innovative design that allows you to pack up the international adapters inside the body of the unit. However, it typically costs more than our international pick, and in our testing it didn’t provide any surge protection at all.

The RND Power Solutions Wall Power Station is bulkier than our top pick, and its outlets are too close together.

The GE 33654 has a longer cord (3 feet) and one more outlet (four) than our pick with a cord, and it weighs about the same as that model. However, it provides less surge protection, and its blocky shape makes it less convenient to stow in a suitcase.

The Ceptics World Travel Adapter Kit and the Tripp Lite Safe-It International Universal Wall Travel Charger each weigh less than the Allocacoc PowerCube ReWirable USB, and the Tripp Lite model has a longer warranty (lifetime as opposed to two years). But they have just two outlets apiece, and both models performed abysmally in our surge tests.

This article was edited by Ben Keough and Erica Ogg.

Meet your guide

Sarah Witman

Sarah Witman is a senior staff writer who reports on powering and charging technology for Wirecutter. She previously worked as a writer, editor, and fact checker for several science magazines. Though she researches and tests chargers for a living, her phone battery is usually low.

Further reading

  • Seven of the surge protectors we tested, all different sizes and shapes, shown next to each other.

    The Best Surge Protector

    by Sarah Witman

    Tripp Lite’s Protect It 12-Outlet Surge Protector TLP1208SAT absorbs thousands of volts so they won’t fry your gear, and it helpfully lets you know when its protection wears out.

  • The LapGear Designer holding up a laptop

    The Best Lap Desk

    by Sarah Witman

    The LapGear Designer Lap Desk is comfy, stylish, sturdy, and roomy. Plus, there’s extra storage for your phone and other supplies.

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