Power & connectivity
In short
Best overall: APC Back-UPS, 950VA, Tower, 230V, 6x IEC C13 outlets, AVR, £115.99 at Back to the Office. Best value: Belkin BSV604AF2M surge protector White 6 AC outlet(s) 2 m, £34.99. Premium pick: Eaton 3S700I uninterruptible power supply (UPS) Standby (Offline) 0.7 kVA 420 W 8 AC outlet(s), £138.99.
Across the 300 matching listings we screened from 3 UK suppliers, most cost £78–£557 and the middle price is £190. Prices checked 27 October 2026.
A UPS keeps a router, PC or till running long enough to ride out a short power cut or shut down safely, and a surge-protected extension lead guards against spikes. This shortlist compares UPS units and surge protectors from UK supplier feeds, so you can see the market spread by capacity and type.
UPS guides explain topologies. Below we add the practical points for offices and home workers: outlet types, battery replacement, overloading and employer duties.
| # | Product | From | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Best overall APC Back-UPS, 950VA, Tower, 230V, 6x IEC C13 outlets, AVR | £115.99 | Details |
| 2 | VIDA Armour 1500VA uninterruptible power supply (UPS)… | £96.99 | Details |
| 3 | Riello IPG 600 uninterruptible power supply (UPS) 0.6 kVA 360 W 8 AC… | £95.99 | Details |
| 4 | Premium pick Eaton 3S700I uninterruptible power supply (UPS) Standby (Offline) 0.7… | £138.99 | Details |
| 5 | CyberPower UT1050EIG uninterruptible power supply (UPS)… | £86.99 | Details |
| 6 | Best value Belkin BSV604AF2M surge protector White 6 AC outlet(s) 2 m | £34.99 | Details |
| 7 | VIDA Armour 1200VA uninterruptible power supply (UPS)… | £80.99 | Details |
| 8 | VIDA Armour 1000VA uninterruptible power supply (UPS)… | £77.99 | Details |
1 · Best overall
APC · Sold by Back to the Office
Line-Interactive. 0.95 kVA 520 W. Waveform: Sine. 6 AC outlet(s). Sealed Lead Acid (VRLA). Compact Black. This APC Back-UPS offers power and surge protection for wireless networks, computers, gaming consoles and other electronics in your home or business.
2
VIDA · Sold by Back to the Office
DC Cold Start. Audible Alarm. USB Connectivity. Intelligent CPU Control. Wide Input Range. Software Monitoring. Compatible with generators. Strong EMI compatibility, no EMI to load. Protection against Surge, Over /. Relay automatic circuit cut off switch.
3
Riello · Sold by Back to the Office
0.6 kVA 360 W. Waveform: Sine. 8 AC outlet(s). Sealed Lead Acid (VRLA). Compact Black. The iPlug series is the ideal solution for household, and small home office systems.
4 · Premium pick
Eaton · Sold by Back to the Office
Eaton 3S supplies battery backup power during outage and advanced surge protection to prevent damage from lightning strikes or accidental grid surge.
5
CyberPower · Sold by Back to the Office
Energy Saving Technology. Automatic Voltage Regulation (AVR). Generator Compatible. LED Status Indicator. CyberPower UT1050EIG guarantees power protection for computers, networking equipment, and storage devices.
6 · Best value
Belkin · Sold by Back to the Office
650 J 6 AC outlet(s) Type G (BS 1363). Cable length: 2 m. White. The Belkin BSV604AF2M are surge strips that feature six (6) extra outlets and two (2) 2.4A USB ports ideal for charging tablets and smartphones at the fastest speeds.
7
VIDA · Sold by Back to the Office
DC Cold Start. Audible Alarm. USB Connectivity. Intelligent CPU Control. Wide Input Range. Software Monitoring. Compatible with generators. Strong EMI compatibility, no EMI to load. Protection against Surge, Over /. Relay automatic circuit cut off switch.
8
VIDA · Sold by Back to the Office
DC Cold Start. Audible Alarm. USB Connectivity. Intelligent CPU Control. Wide Input Range. Software Monitoring. Compatible with generators. Strong EMI compatibility, no EMI to load. Protection against Surge, Over /. Relay automatic circuit cut off switch.
Server Room Environments describes three types. Standby (offline) is the cheapest and gives basic protection. Line-interactive adds automatic voltage regulation for brownouts and surges. Online double-conversion gives the highest protection with no break on transfer.
To size a unit, add up your devices' current and multiply by 230 V to get VA, and avoid putting laser printers on a small UPS, as they can force you to oversize it. At full load a small UPS typically runs for about 5 minutes. Loading it to about half its rating roughly doubles that. Several models on this page have IEC C13 outlets rather than UK sockets, so check you have the right leads.
Sealed lead-acid batteries in small UPS units should be replaced within 3 to 4 years and are usually user-replaceable, according to Server Room Environments. Lithium-ion models cost more and are generally not user-replaceable. Note the battery date when you install a unit.
Electrical Safety First warns against plugging one extension lead into another, as this can overheat the wall plug. Most extension leads are rated 13A, but some older leads and cable reels are lower, and a wound cable reel may carry as little as 3 or 4A. Plug the UPS or surge strip directly into a wall socket.
HSE says employers have the same health and safety responsibilities for people working at home as for any other worker, including a risk assessment that covers equipment use. If you supply a UPS or surge strip to staff, include it in your equipment records.
HSE also says the law requires electrical equipment to be maintained in a safe condition rather than tested on a fixed annual cycle, with brief user checks a useful part of that.
On our shortlist, the APC Back-UPS, 950VA, Tower, 230V, 6x IEC C13 outlets, AVR is the best overall pick at £115.99 from Back to the Office. For a tighter budget, the Belkin BSV604AF2M surge protector White 6 AC outlet(s) 2 m (£34.99) is our best-value choice.
Most of the 300 UK listings we screened sit between £78 and £557, with a middle price of £190. Trade suppliers often show prices before VAT, so add 20% if you can't reclaim it.
A VAT-registered business can usually reclaim the VAT on equipment bought for business use, as long as it holds a valid VAT invoice from the supplier. Ask the seller for one at checkout.
The picks here come from Back to the Office. Most UK trade suppliers offer next-day delivery and VAT invoices; some offer credit accounts for regular orders.
A small UPS typically gives about 5 minutes at full load. Running it at about half its rating roughly doubles the runtime, enough to save work and shut down.
It is safer to plug it straight into a wall socket. Electrical Safety First warns against chaining extension leads, which can overheat the wall plug.
Sealed lead-acid batteries in small UPS units should be replaced within 3 to 4 years, according to UK supplier Server Room Environments.
Usually not. Laser printers draw high power and can force you to buy a much larger UPS than the rest of your kit needs.