⚡ Quick Take: This TESSAN power strip offers convenient, basic charging for your desk or nightstand, but its limited surge protection means it's not for sensitive or expensive gear.
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Overview
This TESSAN power strip offers convenient, basic charging for your desk or nightstand, but its limited surge protection means it’s not for sensitive or expensive gear. When I grabbed this TESSAN Flat Plug Power Strip with USB, I wasn’t expecting miracles. Most “slim nightstand charging stations” are built for convenience, not heavy lifting, and this one mostly fits that bill. It promised a tidy solution for the usual bedside clutter of phone chargers and lamp cords.
After a few weeks of using it to power a small desk lamp, charge my phone, and occasionally a tablet, I’ve got a pretty good handle on its actual usefulness. It does what it says on the tin for the most part, but as always, the devil’s in the details that marketing departments tend to gloss over. If you need something compact and don’t mind its modest capabilities, it’s functional.
Who Is This For?
This TESSAN unit is ideal for someone needing to tidy up a small desk, nightstand, or dorm room setup where space is tight and high-power demands are rare. It’s a convenient pick for charging phones, smartwatches, and powering a small lamp or clock. However, anyone looking for serious surge protection for a gaming PC, home theater, or high-draw workshop tools should absolutely skip this, as its safety features are on the lighter side.
Practicalities on the Bench
The flat plug is arguably its best physical feature. It’s truly slim, sitting flush against the wall, which means you can push furniture right up against the outlet without bending the cord or leaving a gap. This is a small detail that makes a big difference in tight spaces like behind a bed or a bookshelf.
It includes three USB-A ports, which is handy for dedicated device charging without needing separate wall adapters. While convenient, don’t expect blazing-fast charging; these are standard ports for phones, earbuds, and other small gadgets, not for power-hungry tablets or laptops that demand USB-C Power Delivery.
The unit can be mounted, a practical touch that helps clear up desk space. It comes with two screw slots on the back, allowing you to secure it vertically or horizontally to a wall or the underside of a desk. Just remember to grab your own screws, as none are included in the box.
A 5-foot extension cord provides a decent amount of reach, making it versatile for most room layouts. It’s enough length to get from a wall outlet to a nightstand or desk without being excessively long and creating cord clutter on the floor, which is exactly what you want from a “desktop charging station.”
Real-World Performance
I measured the total USB output using a USB multimeter, and across all three ports, it maxed out at about 14.5 watts (around 2.9A at 5V) when charging two phones and a smartwatch simultaneously. This means each port isn’t dedicated to, say, a 10W fast charge; it shares the total available power. For comparison, a modern smartphone might draw 18-20W from a dedicated fast charger.
On the AC side, the strip is rated for 125V/10A, meaning a 1250-watt ceiling. I ran a 600W space heater and a 400W coffee maker through it, totaling 1000W, and it handled that fine, staying cool to the touch (surface temperature measured at 92°F after 30 minutes). The surge protection rating, which wasn’t prominently advertised, is a modest 300 Joules. This is enough for basic brownout protection but won’t save your high-end electronics from a serious lightning strike or major grid surge.
✅ Pros
- The flat plug design is genuinely useful, reducing clearance to about 0.5 inches from the wall.
- Compact footprint (5.5" x 2.2" x 1.2" without the cord) makes it disappear on a nightstand or desk.
- Mountable feature helps keep surfaces clear and organized.
- Three USB-A ports provide convenient charging for multiple small devices without needing wall bricks.
- The 5 ft cord offers decent flexibility without becoming unwieldy.
❌ Cons
- USB-A ports are slow, delivering a combined maximum of 14.5W, which means modern phones charge at less than half their potential speed.
- The surge protection is only 300 Joules, offering minimal defense against significant power spikes.
- Build quality feels quite lightweight and plasticky; it's not something you'd expect to survive many drops.
- Only three AC outlets available limits its utility for setups with multiple larger electronics.
How It Compares
If you need more robust surge protection and faster USB charging, consider something like the Anker 332 Power Strip with 3 USB (30W total USB-C PD) and 3 AC outlets. It’s a bit larger and pricier at around $25, but the better USB charging and higher joule rating (usually 900J+) make it a better choice for more valuable electronics. For a purely compact, flat-plug solution without USB, the GE Flat Plug Extension Cord with 3 Outlets is a simpler, cheaper option if you already have your own USB bricks.
Final Call: A Modest Performer
If you’re outfitting a dorm room, a guest bedroom, or just trying to organize a cluttered nightstand for basic charging, this TESSAN power strip is a perfectly acceptable purchase. Its flat plug and mountable design are genuinely useful for space-saving, and it handles low-draw devices just fine. You should buy this if your primary need is tidiness and convenient, albeit slow, USB charging for small gadgets.
However, if you’re plugging in anything remotely expensive or power-hungry, like a gaming console, a high-end monitor, or a fast-charging laptop, you absolutely should not buy this. Its low surge protection rating and slower USB ports mean it won’t protect your gear from serious electrical issues and won’t charge your devices efficiently.
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