Sponsor Spotlight: Bits Limited Smart Strip

Recently I had the opportunity to review a product that promised to be quite amazing. Bits Limited has a wide variety of surge protecting power strips that go a little further, actually saving energy usage! 

Often called phantom energy usage, or black energy, many devices pull power even when they are turned off. If the device is plugged in, it may still be using expensive power. The Bits Limited Smart Strips are designed to help prevent phantom energy usage.

The SUG7 Smart Strip is the model that I was given to try. At first glance, I was confused. What were these different pieces and why the different plugs? What should go where? Fortunately, I opened the directions and found them to be easy to understand and to the point. I was excited to get started now!

The three outlets on the left area always on. Whatever you plug into these outlets will work just like they do when you plug them into any power strip. They are protected from power surges, however. On the far right, there are several convenient usb inputs for chargers, too.

The 4 outlets on the right, circled in green, are the smart outlets. The items you plug into these outlets will not pull any power unless you tell the strip it's okay. But how do you do that? 

The SUG 7 uses a remote! The little white remote pictured can be mounted on the wall or sat on a table.  Just press the button on the remote to turn the smart outlets on, allowing the devices to receive power. Press the button again to cut the power off again. 

Remove the remont from the mount and plug it into a USB port on your computer or any other device for a different experience. Turn the computer on, the smart outlets turn on. Turn the computer off or let it go to sleep, the outlets turn off again. This is my favorite method. My printer now comes on when I turn the computer on! Better yet, so does my space heater that sits beside my chair! 

There is also a third way to turn on the smart outlets. The power strip has a switch on the side to turn them on and leave them on until you turn them back off. You can turn them off with any of the methods. This is great when I want my heater on but I'm not using the computer. 

One might think this is similar to just hitting the on/off button on a regular power strip. However, with this you can leave some items always on and cut power to others. And, with the wireless remote, I can do it from the sofa!

I'm very impressed by the SUG 7 Smart Strip! It's easy to use and yet is very advanced. I have surge protection and I'm saving energy and money! And the $34.95 price tag is very reasonable.

Have you tried a smart strip before? What did you think? Would you try a SUG7? If you'd like to get one, just click here to go the Bits Ltd website! 

November 28 through December 7, 2012, you can click here to enter to win the SUG7 in the Green Christmas Giveaway Hop!