Best UPS Battery Backup & Surge Protectors
Power can often be unpredictable and if you want to make sure that your electronic devices, especially your computers, are safe and sound from any power surge or power blackout, you need to consider purchasing a UPS (uninterruptible power supply) battery backup for your home or office.
You might not feel like this is so important, but you need to remember that a strong power surge can cause harm and serious damage to most electronic devices you use at your home or at your workplace.
Before I walk you through the process on how to choose a battery backup or surge protector, here is the full list of products we recommend:
| Product Name | Battery Power | Product Price | |
|---|---|---|---|
  | 1.APC BACK-UPS 600VA (BE600M1) | 600VA / 330W | |
  | 2. APC Power-Saving Back-UPS Pro 1500VA (BR1500G) | 1500VA / 865W | |
  | 3. CyberPower CP1500AVRLCD | 1500VA / 900W | |
  | 4. CyberPower CP1500PFCLCD | 1500VA / 900W | |
  | 5. Tripp Lite Tripp Lite 1500VA (SMART1500LCD) | 1500VA / 900W | |
  | 6. APC Smart-UPS 1500VA (SMT1500C) | 1500VA / 1000W | |
  | 7. CyberPower Intelligent LCD CP600LCD | 600VA / 340W | |
  | 8. CyberPower EC650LCD Ecologic | 650VA /390W | |
  | 9. Tripp Lite 550VA (INTERNET550U) | 550VA / 300W | |
  | 10. APC Back-UPS 850VA (BE850M2) | 850VA / 450W |
1. APC BACK-UPS 600VA (BE600M1)
One of the safest choices on the market, this battery backup device offers instant battery power for all your crucial electronic devices in the case of the power blackout.
Compared to his predecessor, BE550G, this device is lighter and smaller which makes it more convenient when you try to find a place to put it. One of the biggest advantages this device has is its long-lasting runtime, which goes to 4 hours.
BE600M1 has seven outlets in total, two of them are surge only outlets, while others provide battery backup. It also has one USB charging port that allows you to charge your mobile devices like smartphones, tablets, laptops and even portable gaming consoles.
Thanks to PowerChute software that this device uses, you can rest assured that your system will be shut down safely, which is very important because it can save important data and prevent data loss or corruption.
This battery backup device also serves as a surge protector, which means that it offers a guaranteed protection from any power spikes and surges, regardless of their cause.
Whether a power surge is caused by lighting, storm, or power cycling, you don’t have to worry that your electronic devices will end up damage.
This is confirmed by the lifetime connected equipment protection policy in the maximum amount of $75,000, which means that APC will cover all expenses for repairing any devices that were damaged while properly connected to BE600M1. This device also has a limited warranty that lasts for three years.
This device comes with an USB cable, PowerChute Personal Edition software and a very useful user manual that is crucial if you are not sure how to properly connect your devices to this battery backup and surge protector.
2. APC Power-Saving Back-UPS Pro 1500VA (BR1500G)
This UPS battery backup device provides the best possible performance if you are looking for power protection for workplace computers or other electronic devices.
As soon as the power goes out BR1500G will give you battery power to keep your most important devices working.
That way, you will be able to decrease the chances of damaging your most vital devices, especially thanks to the surge and lightning protection this device also provides.
Don’t forget that this device will also provide power for your networking system so you can stay connected during the blackout. This is important because it allows you to keep on working on critical things and avoid losing your data.
In addition to these basic features, there is a simple and user-friendly LCD screen. Also, Automatic Voltage Regulation (AVR) is another trait that makes this amazing device perfect for bigger systems that require higher performances.
This is all accompanied by PowerChute Personal Edition software that allows you to manage your settings and options, shut your system down safely and monitor how much energy you use, which can help you save some money.
You only need to connect your UPS backup with your computer via USB cable to safely and easily use this software
There are ten outlets on this UPS battery backup device. Five of these outlets serve as battery backup, while other five are only for surge protection. You can also purchase another, external battery pack that is sold separately, if you want to increase your runtime when a power outage happens.
However, you should take the runtime of this device into account before you choose to buy this additional battery pack. This UPS battery backup has an average runtime of 8 minutes to a 450-watt draw, so you might not even need the additional battery.
3. CyberPower CP1500AVRLCD
This battery backup is one of the finest on the market and it is also in the very top when it comes to design since it has a very elegant and attractive design. In fact, it is completely different and innovative.
It has a slim and rounded look, which is a nice contrast to usual box-shaped units. Another significant advantage comes with the weight of this UPS battery backup because it is much lighter than the majority of UPS devices, weighing only 25 lbs.
This device comes with preconnected batteries, which means that you can use it straight out of the box. This is actually a great benefit because it saves you a lot of time, especially if you are not really tech savvy.
CP1500AVRLCD uses GreenPower energy saving technology which can help you save on your electricity bills. In fact, it can help you save around $70 every year! Also, this device uses AVR technology which stabilizes the inconsistent power you might receive in some cases.
This can help increase your battery life to around 6 years. However, when your battery runs out, you can easily change it with any HR1234W battery.
One of the drawbacks of this UPS battery backup lies in the fact that it only has 4 battery backup outlets. In addition to this, there are another 4 that are surge protection only outlets. It comes with an integrated LCD display that shows all important information about the status of your UPS device.
Max capacity on this device is impressive 900 Watts / 1500 VA, which makes it a great UPS unit for strong, high-performance computers.
Of course, you can connect other devices to it as well. This device comes with the PowerPanel Management software and a USB cable that allow you to easily control your UPS from your computer.
4. CyberPower CP1500PFCLCD
This is one of the smallest and lightest UPS units that you can find on the market. However, don’t let that fool you. This is still a powerful device that can help you deal with power problems in the safest possible way.
It actually has a really solid capacity of 1500VA/900Watts that will provide you with enough runtime to safely shut down your systems and even save any work in progress before you turn everything off.
This battery backup device has a total of 10 output connections – five outlets are battery backup outlets, other five are surge protection outlets.
This model is one of the rare ones that have not completely replaced step-wave circuitry with pure sine-wave circuitry because it actually runs on modified triangular wave that CyberPower named adaptive sine wave.
Also, it has AVR feature that allows it to clean the original power that comes from the main grid and instead send stable sinewave power to your connected devices.
In addition to all this, GreenPower feature that is also part of this amazing device helps you save on your energy bills by helping your UPS battery backup device consume up to 75% less electricity than other similar class devices.
This device has a big LCD screen that allows you to easily control and configure your UPS unit on it. That might give you another excuse to avoid installing the included software for managing your device from your PC, PowerPanel Personal Edition software.
It also makes it a great solution for battery backup for other systems, like home theater system. However, if you prefer to control your UPS device from your computer, then you have that option as well.
This device comes with telephone, TV and USB cables, as well as a very useful and reliable manual and previously mentioned management software installation disk.
5. Tripp Lite Tripp Lite 1500VA (SMART1500LCD)
This battery backup unit is a very smart choice if you’re looking for a 1500VA battery backup.
The SMART1500LCD might be a lot for an economy PC but this quality UPS is the ideal fit for anyone with a higher performance computer, a workplace or small server, or even a media center computer system.
The biggest advantage of this device when you compare it with other similar 1500VA units, is its rackmount and tower configurations. That can save you a lot of space since it uses only 2U in a rack and doesn’t take much of desktop space if you configure it as a tower.
You might not think that this is that important, but some devices are actually extremely tough to fit and configure.
This UPS unit also uses Automatic Voltage Regulator (AVR). This feature keeps your devices safe from inconsistent surges of electricity and changes in voltage.
This UPS battery backup comes with 10 outlets, but only half of them serve as battery backup, while other half serves as surge protection only.
However, this is enough for most users and their needs because you can connect multiple devices that are crucial to you and that you want to make sure that they will keep on working for a while in the case of a power outage, especially since this device has a great runtime during a complete blackout.
For example, if you use around 25% of maximum output will give you around 30 minutes of runtime.
This device has an LCD screen that shows power conditions and offers an easy and simple access to settings, which can come in very handy if you don’t want to control your UPS battery backup from your computer.
However, if you do want to control it from a PC, you can download the free PowerAlert software from the manufacturer’s website as well.
6. APC Smart-UPS 1500VA (SMT1500C)
If you are looking for an affordable UPS battery backup that supports pure sine wave output, then SMT1500C is one of the best choices you can make.
Thanks to this type of output, this device is able to offer the highest levels of compatibility for sensitive electric devices and power factor corrected (PFC) servers.
This device has 8 battery backup and surge protector outlets, which is more than enough for the majority of users who want their electronics protected in the case of power blackout.
This UPS battery backup has a very simple and user-friendly LCD display that shows all the important status parameter to users. It also has a very high online effectiveness, which can help you decrease your utility bills. In addition to this, it also generates less heat which can have a great effect on the longevity of the device.
Thanks to the Green mode that this device has it is able to bypass unused electrical parts that are in stable and reliable power condition in order to manage extremely high working efficiency without losing anything when it comes to protection.
It also uses AVR feature to increase low input voltage and decrease high output voltage, which can really protect your electronics from inconsistent voltage changes that can damage them.
SMT1500C also comes with a cold-start cable that gives you a temporary battery power when the main power source goes out. Battery life is longer when compared with many other UPS devices because this battery backup uses battery charging that is compensated by temperature, which means that it can control the charge voltage using the temperature of the battery.
However, one of the main drawbacks that this unit has is the weight. It is one of the heaviest UPS battery backups on the market.
7. CyberPower Intelligent LCD CP600LCD
This is a very compact UPS that uses simulated sine wave output to provide battery backup, but it also offers surge protection for your PC, home entertainment systems, workplace systems and other networking devices. The CP600LCD has a three-year warranty and a $175,000 Connected Equipment Guarantee.
This battery backup device provides enough power for you to turn your electronic devices properly when the power outage occurs, preventing any damage or even data loss.
In addition to this, you will also get reliable surge protection because this UPS will divert any overflowing voltage away from your sensitive electronics, keeping your devices safe and sound. It also stops power surges that go through your phone and Ethernet lines to harm your electronics in any way.
Another thing that makes this UPS unit a smart choice is the standby topology that makes sure that any incoming power that drops below or rises above secure voltage levels is switched to DC battery power before it gets made into AC power to keep your devices working.
Thanks to the LCD display it has, this unit can show you current information about your battery and power state in detail. That way you will be able to spot any potential issues before they can harm your equipment. All this comes in a very elegant design that also provides no excessive and irritating noises.
PowerPanel Personal Edition Software that comes with this unit gives you an opportunity to manage and monitor your UPS using your PC. Another important thing you should know is that this unit is an ENERGY STAR certified Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) system.
That means that you can trust this UPS and rest assured that your device follows the best eco-friendly practices that help you not only protect the environment, but also save money because it is a very power-efficient model.
8. CyberPower EC650LCD Ecologic
This UPS model is ideal for users that want to make sure that they are doing everything in their power to protect the environment.
This compact device that uses standby topology is also a very energy-efficient model that has the GreenPower feature that allows you to decrease your power consumption.
This is achieved by using a compact charger that also inverts power and produces an extremely efficient backup system that can be used in both personal and business environment. Thanks to the ECO mode that this unit supports, you can rest assured that you are using a very energy-efficient UPS.
That means that when your PC is turned off or it is in sleep mode, this device will automatically stop powering the outlying parts of your computer if they are connected to ECO mode outlets in this unit. The EC650LCD comes with a three-year warranty and a $100,000 Connected Equipment Guarantee.
This 650VA/390 Watts ecologic UPS provides battery backup with simulated sine wave output during power, but it is also a great device that offers surge protection for your electronics.
It has a total of 8 outlets, 4 for battery backup, 4 for surge protection. It also offers a data line protection, which means that any power surge in your telephone lines will be prevented from damaging your devices.
It has LED status lights that display the power status and tell you whether ECO mode is turned on or off. However, this is not all, because this unit also has an LCD panel that shows detailed information on the condition of your UPS battery, as well as power conditions.
Thanks to the PowerPanel Personal Edition Software which you can download for free, you can keep tabs on your UPS device at all times from your computer, but you can also control it that way.
9. Tripp Lite 550VA (INTERNET550U)
There are many things that can cause power problems and outages in your home and having a reliable UPS battery backup and surge protection is very important.
One of the most popular UPS devices on the market today is Tripp Lite 550VA because this model can help you prevent any data loss and downtime when the power issues arise.
This device also has a built-in surge protection, as well as noise filtering, that keep your electronics safe from hazardous unstable voltages and any electromagnetic line noise.
That means that this UPS model will offer backup power if the AC line voltage rises or drops too much so it can harm your equipment and it will power your devices until the power conditions become normal again.
To keep all your electronics safe from damage and data loss, this UPS system can support the half of its maximum load, which is 150W, for as long as 6 minutes.
That means that if you have only your PC and monitor connected to it, which is around 100W load, you will have around 10 minutes to save all your work in progress and safely turn off your computer.
This device has 4 outlets that support both battery backup and surge and noise protection, while the other 4 only support surge and noise protection. To control and monitor your UPS unit, you can either use the USB interface that includes power management features, or you can use the interface with PowerAlert software, which you can download for free from the Tripp Lite official website.
Tripp Lite 550VA has ENERGY STAR certification, which means that is an extremely energy-efficient unit. That is a great thing because it allows you to save money in the long run on your utility bills, but it also helps you protect the environment.
10. APC Back-UPS 850VA (BE850M2)
This is one of the best UPS devices available for people that require a lot of power to keep their multiple electronic devices running during a power outage.
This device is created to allow you to have as much time as you need to safely turn off your devices, but it is also designed to provide low power loads for hours if you want to keep some of your devices running during the some of the extended power blackouts.
The BE850M2 has a total of 9 power outlets. While all of them provide surge protection, only 6 of them provide battery backup. In addition to this, you can also use this unit to charge your mobile devices using a couple of USB charging ports that are also included.
With maximum output power capacity of 450Watts / 850VA, you will be able to have a great runtime during power outage emergencies. Expected battery life is 3-5 years, while the usual recharge time for this unit’s battery is 8 hours. Usual transfer time is 6ms, while the maximum is 10ms.
APC PowerChute Personal Edition software allows you to control and manage your UPS from your computer. It also ensures that you will not lose or damage any data because it automatically saves files and turns your system off if the power outage lasts for a longer time period.
Another important thing about this software is the fact that it can help you save some money because it controls and reduces energy usage. All you need to do is connect the USB cable you get with your UPS to your PC to use this simple and straightforward software, for free.
How to Choose a Battery Backup or Surge Protector?
However, buying a UPS battery backup and surge protector requires some serious thinking. You need to consider many factors so you can choose the best UPS for you and you need to make sure that you have made an informed decision.
I mean, the UPS you buy needs to keep your electric devices going through a blackout and for this reason you need to make sure that your UPS is strong enough to withhold these situations.
So, we shall now take a look at some of the most important factors that can help you decide what is the best UPS for your needs, and later we will talk in detail about some of the best UPS battery backups and surge protectors in the market.
Number of Outlets
The first thing you need to consider about your future UPS is the number of outlets that you need. To come up with an idea or even exact number, you need to think about all the devices you have plugged in, but you also need to carefully decide what do you consider to be really crucial and has to be powered up by the UPS.
My advice is to always add a few more outlets to the number you come up because you never know what you might need in the future and you should have some flexibility.
Some usual minimum for UPS devices is eight plugs, but you need to make sure that all of them are indeed powered by the battery. In some cases, cheaper options will have a few additional outlets that stay unpowered and you know whether that is the case before you buy your UPS battery backup if you want to avoid an unpleasant surprise when you actually need to use your UPS.
Power Consumption
Another thing you need to consider that is as important as the number of outlets is the power consumption that you generate in your home. You need to make sure that the UPS you are considering to buy can generate enough power for all those devices that you want to plug in.
Remember, if your electronics require more power than your UPS can generate then they will go dead, even if your battery has enough charge.
Running Time
After you have made sure that the wattage of your devices is in order, you need to ask yourself how long do you want your electronics to run. You might want a UPS so you can simply turn off your devices properly, so you need just a few minutes to do this. Or, you might want a UPS that can help you work through the entire blackout, which can last for an hour or two.
If you are not sure how you can calculate the running time of your UPS, you need to add all the wattage together from devices you will power and then take a look at the product’s runtime/load graph which is commonly found on the side of the package, or in the description if you are purchasing online.
Features
There are many features that even the basic UPS units offer, so it isn’t as simple as you probably thought. For example, there are disconnecting battery notifications, a software suite that is used to control the settings fine tuning using your computer, USB connectivity and much more.
And that’s only the beginning. Other, more advanced and expensive options provide features like hot-swappable batteries and LED screen that tells you what is the remaining charge in your battery, etc.
These are the most important factors you need to include in your decision when you buy an UPS battery backup and surge protection. Now that you know how to choose one, let’s take a look at some of the best UPS units on the market.
Conclusion
Power outage and power spikes and surges can cause a lot of damage to your electronic devices and they can also lead to losing your work in progress and important data. For these reasons, UPS battery backup and surge protector sounds like a smart investment, the one that will surely pay off in the long run.
However, before you make your purchase, you need to make sure that you know and understand all important factors that come into account when you buy an UPS unit.
Some of these factors include the number of outlets, power consumption, running time, power managing software that comes with the unit, and many other important features.
We hope that our article has helped you make an informed decision and we hope that our list of best UPS battery backup and surge protectors helped you save some time in search for your ideal UPS device.
