Is the PowerSquid Surge Protector Worth It?

When I first feasted my eyes on this strange looking product, I thought, “This is all gimmick, no substance.” After all, the PowerSquid by Flexity is nothing but an industrial designer’s fantasmogasmic vision of an already established and cost-effective product. Who cares that it took the standard number of plugs from a power strip and installed them as tentacle ends? What possible purpose could that serve? And why should I spend more (models range from $49.95 to $79.95) for the Power Squid when I can get a power strip pretty much anywhere for $10?

The answer is protection and design. The protection it provides to your equipment is superior and well worth the cost of this product. The unique tentacle-like design allows you to use every outlet instead of traditional powerstrips where large transformers block unused outlets. Currently in my office I need outlets to power 12 items: 3 printers, 2 computers, a TV, a DVD player, a fax machine, a PS2, a router, an external hard drive, and a phone. What currently take 3 powerstrips (due to huge transformers) would only require 2 PowerSquids. And with it’s unique design, you won’t feel compelled to shove it under the desk like you currently do for your powerstrips. The cephalopod design takes a garbled mess of electrical cords and turns it into a work of art.

Although this is a product geared specifically towards specialty and niche markets, people are taking notice. The PowerSquid recently won the Scientific American Innovations People’s Choice Award at the 2006 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES®).

This “evolved powerstrip” is a premium surge protector boasting an impressive list of standard features:

• High capacity joule ratings (1080 to 3240) for long life and maximum protection
• Exclusive next generation Ultra-MOV™ technology for better surge protection
• Constructed with 100% 130V Ultra-MOVs™ with 330V clamping, wired in parallel
• Purestream™ Hi Frequency Capacitor Filters for EMI/RFI noise reduction with ratings up to 58dB
• Tripwire™ fail-safe circuit physically severs the electrical circuit in the event of a catastrophic event
• 15-amp circuit breaker
• Phone protection with integral line-splitter using ultra-reliable Sidactors
• Shielded gas tube Coax protection for cable modem lines with gold plated connectors for no signal loss
• 14 gauge, 3-conductor wire cords
• And don’t forget the rubber skid feet

If you understand what all that means, then you know this is a premium product well worth the price. If you have only an inclination of what that means, let me break it down for you.

This product will protect your equipment from basically every possible type of catastrophic electrical occurrence. This includes transient surges (ex. lightning strikes) and over-voltages(ex. faulty equipment or overloading powerstrips). If you are like me, with thousands of dollars of equipment plugged in at one location, there is nothing more important than this type of protection. That’s why the PowerSquid also boasts a high-dollar, connected equipment warrantee for peace-of-mind (up to $500,000).

In summary, my most prized equipment represents my business and therefore my livelihood. I could not imagine losing any of it through an electrical accident. If you are in the same boat, get this product.

Flexity PowerSquid™ Surge Protector