Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

If you are considering the Accell Powramid “AIR” model, READ THIS FIRST. The Air model is missing a critical feature. The manufacturer’s info on this Amazon page is NOT CLEAR about this. It may be describing the larger Powramid products, instead of the compact Air version. I only learned about this missing feature when I read the Air user manual at home. The critical missing feature is a Failsafe Surge Protector mode. (This feature won’t be important to everyone. If you don’t need it, ignore my review.) Here’s a quick summary of the problem: All surge suppressors in this price range eventually fail. They can block only a certain amount of excess electricity. Once they wear out, they provide no surge protection at all. At that point, one of these things will happen – 1. Power continues to flow, with no notification that your gadgets are unprotected. Your surge suppressor is just a fancy extension cord. The next surge goes right into your electronic devices, and may destroy them. This is very bad. Note: all Powramid products are better than this. 2. Power continues to flow, and the suppressor turns on a special light to get your attention. Your devices will keep running, but are at risk of being damaged by the next surge. It’s up to you to unplug your devices and replace the exhausted (and useless) suppressor. This is how the Powramid Air works. It is PERFECTLY FINE for many jobs. If your plug-in devices are sturdy or cheap or easily replaceable, this will work for you. I kept my Air, but I moved it to another room where it only powers lights, adapters and phone chargers. I like the way the Air looks, and don’t much care if those little devices get hit by a surge. 3. Power shuts OFF the moment the suppressor can no longer protect your devices. That’s exactly what I want. The bulkier Powramid suppressors function this way, BUT THE AIR MODEL DOES NOT. I need this feature to protect part of a TV sound system. It’s hidden away, so I am not likely to see the special “unprotected” light on the Powramid Air — but I will certainly notice that the subwoofer has stopped working. I would MUCH rather have the expensive speaker shut off than burned out. If you are protecting expensive gear, you want a Failsafe Mode. The bigger Powramid provides that. But the Air does not. I hope the manufacturer will update this product page to make the difference clear. But as of September 2019, when you land on this Air page, you will see a product description that applies to the older non-Air models, without specifically saying so. (One of my attached photos is a screenshot from this Air page on Amazon, highlighting the claim that power will shut off when surge protection is exhausted. The other photo is from the user manual that comes with the Air, warning that power WILL continue to flow unfiltered. My low star rating reflects only this discrepancy. I may revise the rating if this issue is fixed.)