In this brief guide, we’re going to talk about EMF radiation emissions from power strips and surge protectors.
I know that usually when you think of the dangers of EMF radiation, you typically think about things like cell phones, cell towers, tablets, laptops, smart meters, etc. While all of these do emit more radiation, and are a greater danger in general, it’s important to evaluate the other appliances and accessories in our life that do emit EMF radiation
So first let’s just talk a little bit about my own findings are far as EMF radiation emissions from power strips, and then we’ll talk about what kind of power strips I personally recommend.
How Much EMF Radiation Do Power Strips Emit?
Since there is not very much information online about this topic, I went ahead and measured three different power strips myself to see how much EMF radiation each one emitted at varying distances. I won’t mention the specific brands for liability reasons, so I’ll just label them generically.
For each power strips, I tested it with nothing plugged in, and I tested it for both magnetic and electric field radiation at 0 inches, 1 inch, and 3 inches.
For these tests I used my Trifield TF2 (that I love).
- Power Strip 1:
- 0 Inches: Magnetic: 5 mG Electric: 400 v/M
- 1 Inch: Magnetic 5 mG Electric 60 v/M
- 3 Inches: Magnetic 4.6 mG Electric 11 V/M
Power Strip 2:
- 0 Inches: Magnetic: 13 mG Electric: 511 v/M
- 1 Inch: Magnetic 4 mG Electric 73 v/M
- 3 Inches: Magnetic 3.9 mG Electric 21 V/M
Power Strip 3:
- 0 Inches: Magnetic: 4 mG Electric: 319 v/M
- 1 Inch: Magnetic 4 mG Electric 42 v/M
- 3 Inches: Magnetic 4.1 mG Electric 9 V/M
Now, if this all doesn’t mean anything to you, I’d encourage you to check out this article I wrote on “What is a high EMF Reading? That article will teach you about the different measurements for EMF radiation, and what you should be looking out for. It’s a must read once you’ve picked up your first EMF meter.
There are a few things I want to point out though. First of all, the magnetic field radiation readings were all quite low. Especially at a close distance, nearly all of the EMF radiation coming from the power strips was electric field radiation.
Now, if you were to measure a power strip with things plugged into it, especially those black boxes (power converters) you will certainly get some magnetic field readings.
Another important thing to note though is that the radiation falls off quite quickly when you gain a little bit of distance. This is due to something called the inverse square law of physics. Essentially this law states that as we double our distance from a source of radiation, we quarter our exposure to it, allowing for exponentially less exposure.So, this leads us to the primary question, are power strips dangerous?
Well, for the most part, probably not. They do emit a fair bit of EMF radiation, but only when you are in very close proximity. Since most power strips are usually on the floor, behind a desk, or a tv stand, or somewhere else, we usually aren’t close enough to be exposed to any radiation hardly at all.
The most important thing about power strips is to just not have them right next to your body. So if a power strip or surge protector is on your desk right next to your arm or body, just try to put it on the floor and keep it at least 3 feet away from your body.
Alright, now that we’ve talked a little bit about the radiation that power strips emit, let’s talk about some of the low-EMF power strips that I recommend.
Best Low-EMF Power Strips
Now, since no one specifically produces a zero-EMF power strip (because it isn’t really possible), the power strips on this list are the simple ones, that from my own testing, and through my research and review, emit less EMF radiation than most. If you were going to purchase some power strips, these are the ones that I would tell you to buy.
There are certainly a few things you want to avoid if you are trying to find the lowest EMF power strip or surge protector:
- USB ports
- Lithium Batteries
- More than 6 ports
Alright, let’s get started:
1. AmazonBasics Power Strip
Check the price on Amazon.
Starting off with, we’re going with the Amazonbasics power strip. From my own testing and research, this is one of the lowest EMF power strips on the market.
The primary reason for this is just the simple design with no frills.
There are no USB ports, no lithium batteries contained, and only 6 ports, which is what we’re looking for.
The 2 foot cord gives us plenty of space to position it away from our body.
This is really all we’re looking for, no need for anything extra.
2. GE Power Strip
Check the price on Amazon.
Next up we have another really simple power strip from GE.
It has 6 grounded outlets with flat plugs that work great for just about anything.
My favorite part about this power strip is that it has a 10ft extension cord built in, making it really easy to position anywhere in the room that you need.
This is another extremely simple product, but that is exactly what we’re looking for in a low EMF power strip.
I would keep going and listing other products, but you get the idea. Just look for the simple power strips, not the fancy new ones with tons of extras, those will certainly emit more EMF Radiation.
Final Thoughts
So, there isn’t much you need to hear at this point. When it comes to simple appliances in your life such as a power strip or surge protector, all you really need to know, is to get something simple, and don’t keep it too close to your body.
You should be much more worried about the devices in your life that expose you to far greater amounts of EMF radiation such as your cell-phone, smart meter, laptop, etc.
For this, I’d encourage you to check out the knowledge section of EMF Academy.
Yours in health,
