Power strips are a convenient way to expand the number of outlets you have, but they aren’t all-powerful. Plugging the wrong devices into them can lead to serious hazards, including electrical fires and damaged electronics. To keep your home or office safe, here are the items you should never plug into a power strip.
1. High-Power Appliances
Appliances that generate heat or have a powerful motor draw a significant amount of electricity. These are often labeled with a high wattage. Power strips are not designed to handle this kind of load and can overheat, melt, or even catch fire.
● Space heaters: These are one of the most common causes of electrical fires. Their high power consumption can easily overload a power strip.
● Microwave ovens, toasters, and toaster ovens: These kitchen appliances use a lot of energy to cook food quickly. They should always be plugged directly into a wall outlet.
● Refrigerators and freezers: The compressor in these appliances requires a lot of power, especially when it first turns on.
● Air conditioners: Both window units and portable air conditioners should have their own dedicated wall outlet.
● Hair dryers, curling irons, and straighteners: These heat-generating styling tools are high-wattage devices.
2. Other Power Strips or Surge Protectors
This is known as “daisy-chaining” and it’s a major safety risk. Plugging one power strip into another can cause a dangerous overload, as the first strip has to handle the combined electrical load of everything plugged into both. This can lead to overheating and a fire. Always use one power strip per wall outlet.
3. Medical Equipment
Life-sustaining or sensitive medical devices should always be plugged directly into a wall outlet. A power strip can fail or be accidentally turned off, which could have critical consequences. Most medical equipment manufacturers also specify this in their instructions.
4. Extensions Cords
Similar to daisy-chaining power strips, plugging an extension cord into a power strip is not a good idea. This can create a fire hazard by overloading the circuit. Extension cords are only meant for temporary use and should be unplugged when not in use.
Why Is This Important?
Using a power strip incorrectly can cause it to draw more current than it can handle, leading to an overload. This generates heat, which can damage the internal components of the power strip and create a fire risk. A power strip’s circuit breaker is designed to prevent this, but it’s always safer to avoid the situation entirely.
Always check the wattage rating on your power strip and compare it to the devices you intend to plug in. For high-power appliances, it’s best to use a direct wall outlet to ensure the safety of your home and everyone in it.
Post time: Aug-02-2025