Appliances That Should Never Be Plugged Into a Power Strip

1. Refrigerators

Plugging a refrigerator into a power strip is generally a bad idea because most refrigerators draw high wattage. Power strips are designed for low-wattage devices and appliances, while their internal wiring may not be able to handle the high-power demand of larger appliances such as refrigerators or air conditioners.

Always plug a refrigerator directly into a wall outlet to avoid overloading the power strip. Preferably, the refrigerator should not share the wall outlet with other high-wattage devices. Use power strips only for low-wattage devices, such as chargers or TVs.

2. Air Conditioners

When power strips are overloaded, they can overheat, damage connected devices, and increase the risk of an electrical fire.

Air conditioners require a lot of power and should never be plugged into a power strip. When high-wattage appliances are connected to a power strip, they can draw more wattage than the strip is designed to handle, leading to internal overheating.

When you run low on available power outlets in a given area, hire an electrician to install additional outlets rather than relying on power strips. While this initially costs more than purchasing a power strip, it is a safer and more permanent solution.

3. Hair Dryers

Devices that require a constant, stable power source, such as hair dryers, should be plugged directly into a wall outlet rather than a power strip. Hair dryers also have a high wattage.

A regular power strip usually handles about 1,500 watts in total, while some appliances, including space heaters, microwaves, air conditioners, coffee makers, and hair dryers, can draw close to that amount on their own. Plugging these high-wattage appliances into a power strip with other devices can cause the strip to overheat or trip a breaker.

4. Microwaves

Kitchen counters often have many smaller appliances that are used infrequently, so a power strip might seem like a convenient solution. However, many kitchen appliances have a high wattage, including microwaves. A microwave might not overload a power strip on its own, but plugging another appliance into the same power strip can cause the combined wattage to overheat the strip.

Anything large, with a heating function or a motor, should be plugged directly into a wall outlet rather than a power strip. This includes toasters, coffee makers, microwaves, and other kitchen tools.

5. Space Heaters

Every electrical system has limitations. Even wall outlets have strict limits, and connected devices must stay within those limits for safe operation.

A power strip usually has a limit of about 1,500 watts, while a space heater alone can use about 1,200 watts. Adding another device, such as a blender or PC, can push the total load beyond 1,500 watts, potentially causing a tripped breaker or, in the worst case, a fire.

Adding more wall outlets to the area can help prevent overloading. You can also consider the wattage of the devices and appliances in the area and spread them across available wall outlets. Plugging high-wattage devices directly into wall outlets and using power strips for low-wattage devices can also help manage electricity use.

6. Washers and Dryers

Large appliances that require a lot of power and have a high wattage should never be plugged into a power strip.

Washers and dryers often require their own dedicated circuit. A dedicated circuit provides electrical current to a single appliance and has its own labeled breaker in the electrical panel. These circuits typically have a rating of 20 amps or more to handle the demands of larger appliances.

If you don't have a dedicated circuit available for these appliances, hire an electrician to install one for your specific appliance needs. This can help make the home safer and reduce frequent circuit breaker trips, which are inconvenient and can indicate that the connected device is overloading the circuit.