Surge Protection for Refrigerators: Why It’s a Kitchen Must-Have

Surge Protection for Refrigerators is more than just a precaution; it’s an essential defense against unexpected power spikes that can wreak havoc on your kitchen’s most vital appliance.

Imagine this: you’re away on a weekend getaway, and a thunderstorm hits your area. Without proper surge protection, your refrigerator is at risk of damage, potentially spoiling food and leading to costly repairs.

In this article, we’ll explore the critical importance of surge protection for your refrigerator, guiding you through the best practices and products to ensure that your food stays fresh and your appliance remains unharmed, no matter what mother nature throws your way.

To make sure that an electrical surge won’t leave you with a non-working refrigerator, you should really think about surge protection for refrigerators.

Top Reasons for Installing Surge Protection for Refrigerators

It Prolongs the Fridge Lifespan

A massive electrical surge can destroy your fridge outright, wrecking the electronics and rendering the fridge useless. It’s like Emperor Palpatine (Darth Sidious) using light from his fingers to fry out Darth Vader to his death.

But even weak surges can have an accumulative effect on your fridge, especially if they happen frequently. The damage builds up, and one day another weak surge may be the straw that breaks the camel’s back!

They’re Not Expensive

They’re very affordable, and maybe even cheaper than getting an extra warranty. You won’t have to spend more than $50 for one, and some of the best ones cost only $30 or so.

They’re Easy to Use

They’re basically plug and use, like an adaptor. In fact, they’re like extension cords but with surge protection. All you need to do is to set them up somewhere out of the way, so people won’t accidentally kick them and unplug the fridge.

FAQs

Do you absolutely need a surge protector for refrigerators?

Not everyone is convinced of this need, admittedly. Even GE Appliances explicitly states that they don’t recommend it. They say that their refrigerators already have a compressor that shuts itself off when there’s an electrical surge. Afterwards, it will automatically restart itself.

But a surge protector can disrupt that process, and keep the fridge from restarting. If this happens when you’re asleep, then you may wake up with spoiled food inside.

On the other hand, they don’t actually say that the surge protector is bad for the fridge. It’s just that it may lead to food spoilage.

What’s the best surge protector for your fridge?

That’s up to you, but the best ones are those explicitly designed for fridges and other high-voltage appliances. These are often portable outlets with several outlets for different appliances. However, you may want a separate plug-in surge protector just for the fridge.

You need to at least check the joule rating and go for at least a joule rating of 2,000. Some premium surge protectors have a joule rating of 4,000 or even higher. Lower joule ratings may mean that you’ll need to replace the surge protector after a major surge.

After that, check the number of outlets. You only need one for your fridge, but you may want to plug in other devices like the microwave, blender, or the coffeemaker.

The cord length is important too, especially if you’re plugging in several appliances. A longer cord means that you don’t have to set your appliances too close to the electrical outlet.

Is a plug-in surge protector enough?

Not really, according to experts. These experts recommend that you use the plug-in types with your whole hose surge protector. That’s the best protection against surges possible.

Conclusion

Keep in mind that plug-in surge protectors may not help with major surges, such as when lightning strikes close to your home. These surges can cause a massive tidal wave of excess voltage that regular plug-in surge protectors just can’t handle.

That’s why it’s best if you go with a whole house surge protector. That can deal with most of the excess voltage. Up to 15% of the excess voltage can still pass through, and your plug-in surge protectors can deal with that type of surge. That way, you can be sure you won’t have to replace your fridge just because of an electrical storm and a massive electrical surge.