Review: TROPICALTREE Surge Protector Wall Outlet with Shelf
We needed to expand the electrical socket in our garage to accommodate one of our wireless network extenders to provide better coverage for the security cameras we recently added to our house after we had a series of car break-ins in our area. Previously, we placed the extender on a stool, but this socket outlet (TROPICALTREE Surge Protector Wall Outlet with Shelf) has given us some space back by enabling us to place the extender on the unit’s shelf. While the extender does not fit perfectly on the shelf, which has a 4-inch depth, it only hangs off slightly when lying flat. The nice thing though is that the shelf has a slight lip at the end of it to help keep items contained. It also has several ridges that run horizontally across the shelf to help separate electronic items on the shelf. These features allow us to safely put the extender on its side to better fit the shelf. While the shelf is very useful, it is made of thin plastic, so it would not be good for heavy items and may not be ideal for situations where there is going to be a lot of wear and tear.
The socket shelf is easy to install. First, you snap the shelf right into the outlet piece. Next, you remove the screw from the outlet cover of the outlet you want to convert, plug the socket outlet in, and then use the included screw to secure it to the wall, just like you would with any outlet cover. In our case, it went right on top of our existing outlet cover, though there may be situations where you may need to remove your existing outlet cover. It’s important to use the included screw to secure it so that the unit isn’t inadvertently unplugged during use. It took us less than a minute to install and everything feels nice and stable.
The nice thing about this unit is that it has 4 USB outlets in addition to the 3 regular outlets, which provides flexibility, especially if you want to use it to charge your phone or other device. The night light feature is also nice since our garage can get very dark. The night light has 3 settings: constantly bright, auto dusk (ie, it will turn on once there is insufficient ambient lighting), and completely off. It is a very white light, but not blinding, and it does not cast very far. Therefore, if the nightlight feature is important to you, this may not be bright enough, depending on how much light you want the nightlight to generate.
