UPS or (Uninterruptible Power Supply) are smart investments if your area suffers from frequent power outages. These devices provide an uninterrupted experience of using your PC by switching to battery power. However, not all inverters are built equally, and some may be overkill (or underwhelming) for your needs.
We've compiled a list of the best UPSs for home offices. But before that,
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1. APC BE600M1 Backup Battery
- Power : 600VA/330W | Electrical outlets : 7
APC BE600M1 Backup Battery
The APC BE600M1 is a UPS suitable for small home offices with fewer power-hungry devices. It has a multitude of outlets and includes five surge protected outlets to filter out voltage surges and spikes. However, the main hero of this inverter is the switching of the power supply. When the main power is cut off, the UPS kicks in and goes into battery backup mode.
It is a well designed device. All outlets on the top are spaced enough for you to easily plug in your devices. It also contains a USB-A port with 1.5A power delivery.
The APC BE600M1 is a low power UPS and delivers approximately 330W of power. That's enough to run small devices like routers, modems, printers, and monitors during short power outages. But, if you want to connect it to a PC, things can be a bit limiting. For example, the UPS is not enough to power a high-end PC. But if you have an undemanding PC, it will have just enough time to save all your work and shut it down.
This small inverter is a good choice if your area suffers from frequent outages or power spikes. But, it's barebones at best. For example, it doesn't have an LCD screen to see details like how long it takes to fully charge or how much charge is left.
2. CyberPower SL700U Standby UPS System
- Power : 700VA/370W | Electrical outlets : 8
CyberPower SL700U Backup UPS System
The CyberPower SL700U is another compact UPS capable of running internet equipment such as modems and routers. It is a 700VA inverter and can safely run low power devices on battery power for a considerable amount of time. It can power 100W of equipment for about 20 minutes, so you can comfortably turn off those devices during power outages.
It comes with a decent number of outlets. For now, you get a total of 8 outlets and come with a mix of battery-connected and surge-protected outlets (5 + 3). Compared to the one above, you get an additional USB-A port.
The only problem is that the ports have minimal spacing between sockets. So if you have a big power outlet, you might find it a bit difficult to fit it in the middle.
That said, it has a few good things going for it. For example, it allows you to configure the UPS through macOS and Windows laptops for alarms, configure liquidation times, etc. If your home office has a limited number of devices, or if the majority of them consume less power, the CyberPower SL700U is a good choice to guide you through the squirrel blackouts.
3. CyberPower EC850LCD Eco-Friendly Backup Battery
- Power : 850VA/510W | Electrical outlets : 12
Eco-Friendly CyberPower EC850LCD Backup Battery
Another great UPS for a home office is the CyberPower EC850LCD. It ticks all the right boxes. Firstly, this UPS comes with an LCD screen to show details like remaining charge, power conditions, etc. Second, it packs a heavy battery to keep your systems running for a considerable amount of time or until you can shut them down properly.
Interestingly, this inverter comes with a few outlets in Eco mode. When connected to these outlets, the UPS will automatically cut off power when it detects the device in off or standby mode. Naturally, this saves energy in critical moments.
Like the one above, it comes with 13 power outlets, which is a big plus. It includes 3 surge protected outlets, 3 surge protected outlets with Eco mode and 6 surge protected outlets connected to the battery. Naturally, you have the option to choose the connection according to the priority of the device. The outlets are well spaced and allow devices to be plugged in regardless of the size of the power outlet.
This one has a runtime of around 6 minutes in full mode, giving you plenty of time to save your work and shut down. This is especially important if you have a PC connected to it. If you must know, an average computer consumes around 200W of power.
4. Tripp Lite AVR750U
- Power : 750VA/450W | Electrical outlets : 8
Tripp Lite AVR750U
The Tripp Lite AVR750U has an interesting design. Unlike most UPSs, the AVR750U sits flat on tables and desks. While this gives you a better way to plug in your gear, it ends up taking up more space than necessary. More importantly, this 750VA/450W inverter has enough power to run small appliances for over an hour.
Besides that, it has a total of 12 outlets (6 battery + 6 surge outlets) and gives you enough flexibility to plug in your devices.
As stated earlier, the battery packs a respectable weight. If we talk about numbers, it can last about 40 minutes under 60W load. Apart from that, Automatic Voltage Regulation (AVR) ensures that the inverter will compensate for under-voltage or over-voltage so that appliances connected get a constant voltage. The AVR was praised by several users, especially at this price point.
5. APC UPS 1500VA sine wave inverter
- Power : 1500VA | Electrical outlets : 8
APC UPS 1500VA Sine Wave UPS
If you're looking for a UPS that can power devices for a longer period of time, you can't go wrong with the APC BR1500MS2. It is a bit expensive compared to the UPS above. However, if you're looking to plug in sensitive equipment or a power-hungry device, this one will do just fine.
This 1500 VA inverter can provide up to 847 W of power. The Wirecutter folks found it lasted around 4 hours on a 20W load and 21 minutes on a 300W load. a power outage. On the other hand, if you have low-end devices like modems and routers, it can last around 4 hours. Cool, right?
Most importantly, the built-in sine wave inverter makes this inverter safe for sensitive machines such as CPAP. It has 10 outlets and includes a USB-C port and a USB-A connector.
Bridging the gap
The UPS above is the ideal solution if you are tired of small power outages or voltage spikes. They are not expensive and save you a considerable amount of time rebooting devices such as streaming boxes, consoles or modems.
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