Offices and bedrooms in many homes and workplaces don't usually have enough convenient outlets. And if users are using expensive electronics in areas with power that's not always reliable, they may also feel the need for a surge protector rather than a simple power cord. I tend to think of power cords and surge protectors as pretty mundane, but I've found many—beyond just the Quirky Pivot Power which we've written about before—with interesting features.

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The STACK surge protector from OneAdaptr allows the end user to configure the strip to have the number and type of outlets needed. The smallest unit has four basic AC outlets—three in a single piece and one more which fits at the end of the strip. In between, additional modules can be added—more AC outlets, a dual USB charging module, etc. The on/off switch is the first block next to the cord. I'm wondering if my 18-pound cat could easily turn that off if he happened to walk on it.

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Each type of module has a different color—gray for the basic unit, red for AC extension modules, etc. The cord is one meter (3.28 feet) long, which will be a bit short for some spaces. And the surge protection is only 525 joules, so it won't last as long as others with higher rating.

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The Tripp Lite TLP1008TEL is as boring looking as the STACK is cool, but it has a number of thoughtful features. One key feature for those seriously concerned about surge protection: "Automatic shutoff cuts power to outlets when the protection circuit has been compromised." Some other surge protectors just indicate when they are no longer providing protection via light indicators and continue to serve as power cords. But a large number of end users will probably never look at those lights and may think they have protection when they don't. And some surge protectors don't even have those indicator lights.

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The TLP1008TEL has an 8-foot cord; some end users will appreciate that, some will be annoyed with the longish cord, and some will want the cord to be even longer (no design decision here will please everyone). The cord has a right-angle plug, so it can fit in places that some other cords can't. Four of the outlets are spaced to accommodate transformers, which will be enough for most end users. There are four keyhole mounting slots on the back, so it can be wall-mounted if the end user so desires. And it has a 2395 joule surge suppression rating. 

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Like the Tripp Lite surge protector, the Accell Powramid also "stops conducting power once the absorption has reached capacity." It's somewhat less robust than the Tripp Lite item, with a surge suppression rating of 1080 joules and a four-foot cord. It has rubber feet to protect furniture from getting scratched, since this is a unit that often sits on a desk or nightstand rather than the floor.

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But with the Powramid, all six outlets can accommodate adapters. The button on the top is the on/off switch, which wasn't obvious to at least one purchaser. If this were to be used in a bedroom, end users who want a totally dark room would be annoyed by the power button's light.

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The Kensington SmartSockets adapters provide different amounts of surge protection, but they all use the color-coded rings and matching cord labels. End users who have fretted about whether or not they were unplugging the right item will appreciate this.

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The Socket Sense surge protector from Ideative expands as needed to accommodate adapters, but doesn't take up unnecessary space if there aren't many adapters to worry about.

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The Smart Strips from BITS Limited will appeal to energy-conscious end users. Something like a computer or a TV gets plugged into the blue control outlet; when that item is shut down, all the items in the green power-saver outlets get "electronically unplugged," automatically. For example, I don't need my scanner or my external monitor to be plugged in (and drawing power) when my laptop is off. The red always-on outlets work for things like DVRs, routers and fax machines (which, yes, some businesses still use) that the end user does want to keep powered up. 

There's some debate among purchasers as to just how much electricity this surge protector actually saves, though. Furthermore, the end user needs to use the sensitivity adjustment dial to get things working right, which some will find annoying. And, of course, the end user could just follow Gina Trapani's suggestion and plug all always-on items into one power strip (or surge protector) and the other items into another, which then gets turned off along with the computer. But using the Smart Strip means one less step, and sometimes that's what matters.

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Another power-saving design is the Isolé IDP-3050 power strip from Legrand. This one works in conjunction with an occupancy sensor that controls eight of the ten outlets. The motion detector can be set for times ranging from 30 seconds to 30 minutes, which seems like a good range. However, using the Isolé involves some set-up to get the sensor positioned correctly; that will deter some end users from ever installing it. And, of course, those of us using this in a home with pets may find things don't power down as often as we might expect. 

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The PowerPod from Coalesse, designed by Scott Wilson of Minimal, is an odd item. A desktop organizer sits on top of the power "strip," hiding it when it's not in use. I'm trying to think of an end user who would want to hide the PowerPod base under an organizer that just needs to get removed when PowerPod is used for charging—I can't think of anyone. But it does look like an attractive item for those who want their power outlets on the desktop rather than hidden away on the floor or elsewhere. 

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End users who have power strips or surge protectors that are perfectly fine except for not having proper spacing for those big bulky adapters can address their problems with the Power Liberators from Ziotek. Sometimes a simple design can be a real problem solver.