But there’s no one solution that’s perfect for everyone. Some might need a more powerful and versatile solution—particularly if you’re looking to back up the equipment in your business. Or maybe you have computers and laptops that are particularly sensitive. And you’ll find that UPS models have a broad price range—you can buy one for under $100 or spend thousands of dollars. To help you narrow those choices, we’ve put together a list of the best 5 UPS models currently available. Even if you’re not prone to power outages, many UPS models also include surge protection features. An automatic voltage regulator smoothes over brownouts and spikes without needing to change your battery. It’s one of a number of capabilities you’ll want to look for in the best battery backups.
Best overall: CyberPower CP1500AVRLCD Intelligent LCD UPS SystemBest portable: Anker 757 Portable Power StationBest for a network: APC UPS, 1500VA Sine Wave UPSBest for businesses: APC 2200VA Smart UPS with SmartConnectBest budget: Tripp Lite AVR750U 750VA UPS
How we chose the best battery backups
For the majority of the UPS models in this guide, we focused on the home user, which is why we selected units that were less than $300. However, for one, Best UPS for business, we selected a more expensive model, since most small business owners are likely to pay more for a more robust UPS that can handle more machines. Next, we prioritized UPS options that output as a clean sine waveform, instead of a simulated sine waveform: This feature is important for more sensitive computers, like gaming systems, and audio equipment. We also considered a number of other features that we considered important—for instance, we looked for UPS models that included surge protection features, like line interactive topology, which uses an automatic voltage regulator to normalize any dips or spikes in power in active (or non-battery backup) mode. We also considered other features: How many outputs did the UPS have? How many outlets were both battery-and-surge-protected outlets? How many outlets had only surge protection? Plus, we considered USB ports, the length of the power cord. These details can sound pedantic, but they can make a huge difference in day-to-day use.
The best battery backups: Reviews & Recommendations
Losing power is stressful—don’t let your offline router and computer add to it. The best battery backups can give you peace of mind that your electronics aren’t in the dark while you call the electric company. Here are our choices.
Best overall: CyberPower CP1500AVRLCD Intelligent LCD UPS System
Why it made the cut: This strikes the best balance of features, power, outlets, and price for most people. Specs
Power/Watts: 1500AV/900WBattery & Surge Protected: 6 outletsSurge Protected Only: 6 outlets
Pros
12 outlets (6 with both battery backup and surge protectionIncludes line interactive topology, with automatic voltage regulatorLCD screen
Cons
Simulated sine wave power
This mini-tower UPS from CyberPower provides quite a bit of power (900 Watts), which can power a variety of devices—such as desktop computers, workstations, networking devices, and home entertainment equipment. It has a multifunction LCD, and also includes line interactive technology, which uses an automatic voltage regulator to monitor and adjust for dips and spikes in power. Despite all of its muscle, it still runs quietly. The UPS comes with 12 outlets—six that have booth battery backup and surge protection, and six outlets that only have surge protection. It has an 8-hour recharge time and also includes ports for your phones and network. But its output has a simulated sinewave waveform, which may be a problem with more sensitive computers and tech gear. Be sure to check the specs on your devices to make sure they’re combative with this UPS. The CyberPower CP1500AVRLCD Intelligent LCD UPS also comes with the company’s Powerpanel personal-editing software, which allows you to remotely monitor the UPS unit.
Best portable: Anker 757 Portable Power Station
Why it made the cut: It’s one of the most portable UPS, which also comes with a pure sine wave form. Specs
Watts: 1,200 wattsPower Outlets: 6 AC outlets, 4 USB-A, 2 USB-C, Car socketUSB Ports: 4 USB ports
Pros
PowerfulPortableLots of socketsCapable of charging and discharging more times than other backupsSlick design
Cons
Pricey
Anker’s 1,200-watt portable power station doesn’t rely on lithium ion batteries. Instead, it comes equipped with LiFePO4 batteries that won’t degrade as quickly with every day use. It’s powerful enough to run appliances, so it can really come in handy on an RV or as an emergency backup during storms or other power outages. The device monitors its own temperature 100 times every second to prevent overheating, which can damage the battery. It has plenty of connectivity to go with that power. You’ll find three AC outlets with grounds and three without. It offers four USB-A ports and two fast-charging USB-C ports for slinging juice into your mobile devices or tablets. It charges considerably faster than most traditional portable power stations and Anker sells optional solar panels so you can keep it operational even when the grid is offline. This is a super-useful backup device that’s great to keep on-hand for a variety of tasks.
Best for a network: APC UPS, 1500VA Sine Wave UPS
Why it made the cut: Although it’s a bit pricey, this APC UPS offers a lot of power and clean sine wave output for even sensitive computers and devices. Specs
Power/Watts: 1500AV/900WBattery & Surge Protected: 5 outletsSurge Protected Only: 5 outlets
Pros
Includes line interactive topolgy, with automatic voltage regulatorAngled LCD to view UPS statusUses a pure sine wave formIncludes a six-foot power cord
Cons
Fewer surge-protected only outlets than other modelsLarger than others in its class
One reason this model makes for an excellent UPS for your home network is that it gives output power in a pure sine wave form. That means sensitive equipment, like networking equipment or high-end audio gear, will work just fine, since output power is clean. It also offers additional connections and ports: 1Gb and coax protection and includes two USB ports—one type A and one type C. So, it’s easy to have a battery backup for the most important components in your network. It also will regulate your system when it’s not functioning in battery backup, since it has line interactive topology, with automatic voltage regulator. Another nice touch is that they’ve angled the LCD, so it’s easier to view the UPS status. And it comes with a six-foot power cord and power-management software for Windows PC (Mac OS uses native ‘Energy Saver’ in settings).
Best for businesses: APC 2200VA Smart UPS with SmartConnect
Why it made the cut: This APC UPS is expensive, but ample power and advanced features make it attractive for business users. Specs
Power/Watts: 2200VA / 1980WBattery & Surge Protected: 8 outletsSurge Protected Only: 2 outlets
Pros
Cloud-enabled UPSIncludes line interactive topology, with automatic voltage regulatorUses a pure sine wave form
Cons
ExpensiveHeavy
One feature that stands out on the APC 2200VA is that it has APC’s SmartConnect technology, which allows your UPS to be cloud-enabled. According to the company, that means you can log in via a “secure portal (via any internet-connected device).” Then “you can view the status of your UPS, receive notifications, get firmware updates and more.” So for those who might not have time to monitor or the money to have any IT department monitor the UPS, this can be quite valuable. It also has a lot of power, for hooking up many devices, including your network, into the system. You get ten outlets, eight of which are both power-backed and surge-protected. The UPS also has both line interactive topology (via an automatic voltage regulator) and uses a clean pure sine wave form for output, which makes it compatible with most any computer or audio gear.
Best budget: Tripp Lite AVR750U 750VA UPS
Why it made the cut: A very small investment provides solid backup to protect your pricier devices. Specs
Power/Watts: 750AV/450WBattery & Surge Protected: 6 outletsSurge Protected Only: 6 outlets
Pros
Inexpensive12 outlets (6 with both battery backup and surge protectionIncludes line interactive topology, with automatic voltage regulator
Cons
Simulated sine wave form (in backup mode)
If you’re on a tight budget, you might be tempted to skip on buying a UPS for your gear. However, that would leave you vulnerable to power outages. Instead of foregoing a UPS, consider a budget-priced model, like this one from Tripp. The Tripp Lite AVR750U 750VA UPS can generate 450 watts, and has 12 outlets—6 battery & surge protected and 6 surge protected only. It also provides you with line interactive topology, with automatic voltage regulator—for regulating dips and spikes in your active system without needing to switch to battery power. According to the specs, the line-interactive battery backup can correct for “brownouts and over voltages from 83V to 147V.” At this price, though, it should be a surprise that it uses a simulated sine waveform (in backup mode) and may not perform adequately with sensitive gear. However, it does include a USB port, has TEL/DSL protection and it can mount to the wall.
What to consider when buying the best battery backups
If you’re looking to buy a UPS, you’ll find that there’s a rather large range in prices—from less than $100 to more than one thousand dollars. So, how do you choose? Use the following guide to help you make your decision. Here are some factors to consider before making your purchase:
Output
When you’re looking to buy an uninterruptible power supply, or UPS, which is a device that will not only provide power to various devices, like a laptop or wireless router, but it also serves as a surge protector. Depending on how powerful your UPS is, you can have it provide battery backup power to many different devices. However, you’ll need to make sure that your supply has enough output power for the job. In general, the best battery backups can output at least 400W.
Sine wave inverter
UPS models include a number of different features, but you’ll want to focus on a couple, depending on what you want to back up. A sine-wave inverter allows a UPS to produce a clean sine waveform, which is the best type for power output. In contrast, some inexpensive models output a simulated sine waveform, which can be problematic for some higher-end gaming laptops and audio gear. Another key feature is to look for line interactive topology, which in some UPS models, use an automatic voltage regulator to compensate for small dips and spikes in the active power coming into your house. So, this feature acts as surge protection for your computers and system.
Endurance and outlets
A unit’s longevity depends on how powerful your UPS is, as well as how it’s configured. For budget or low-end UPS models, you’ll only be able to power devices that aren’t as powerful. Also, lower-end UPS models won’t let you run your computers and other gear as long. (This is called “run-time” and some manufacturers include this information on the product sections of their websites.) Be sure to research how much power you’ll need to run your devices in case of a blackout. Most UPS models include a number of outlets that include both battery backup and surge protection and outlets that only have surge protection. Be sure you factor that in when making your battery backup plan.
Device compatibility
There are some types of products that you won’t be able to run—such as a refrigerator or microwave, which would be too taxing on the UPS. Also, there are some smaller products that just draw too much power. Hairdryers fit that description. It’s also important to remember that a UPS isn’t meant to take the place of a home generator, which has a more robust power capacity. But for many consumer electronic devices, even monitors and power PCs, a UPS should give you the ability to run them, at least for a short amount of time. (Again, be sure to study the features and specs of the USP models you’d like to purchase to see if they will back up your system effectively.)
Finals thoughts on the best battery backups
Today, many of us are not only buying more computer gear and mobile devices for our homes, but many of us are also working more from home in hybrid-work situations. That’s why it’s more important than ever that you have a backup plan for your computers and other electronic devices. And that plan should include seeking out the best battery backups.
