CHCORE Surge Protector Power Strip - CHCORE 5Ft Braided Extension Cord with 8 Outlets with 4 USB (2 USB C) Charging Ports, Flat Plug Multi Plug Outlet Extender Charging Station for Home Office, ETL, White

I spend a lot of my week wrangling chargers, wall warts, and laptops across a crowded desk. The CHCORE power strip promised to tame that chaos without taking up much space, so I parked it at the corner of my L‑shaped workstation and fed it everything from a laser printer to a stack of USB‑powered peripherals. After several weeks of daily use, here’s how it held up.

Design and build

This is a compact, three‑sided block rather than a long bar, and that change in form factor makes a real difference. Eight AC outlets are split across the faces, so oversize plugs don’t all fight for the same single plane. I could plug in a chunky printer brick and still have room for a lamp and monitor supply without resorting to awkward spacers.

The 5 ft braided cord feels suitably rugged and stays tangle‑free when snaked around a sit‑stand desk. The right‑angled, flat plug sits nearly flush to the wall and didn’t fight for space with baseboards or the back of a cabinet—useful if you want a desk pushed right up to the wall. The housing is polycarbonate with a flame‑retardant rating, and while I’m not drop‑testing power strips for sport, the shell has that dense, no‑creak feel I look for in gear that will live on the floor.

Two keyhole slots on the back make it mountable. I used them under a shelf with a pair of screws; the fit was snug enough that the unit doesn’t rattle loose when plugging and unplugging.

Outlet layout and ergonomics

Outlet spacing is the headline benefit of this shape. With eight receptacles, you expect competition, but the three‑side layout gives you options. I could orient the block so the bulkiest bricks faced outward, and I never covered two outlets with one device—a common gripe with straight strips.

The master power switch is on the side. It’s easy to flick by feel when the unit is tucked away but stiff enough to prevent accidental bumps. There’s a small status LED. In a dim room it’s noticeable; I ended up placing the strip so the light faces away, which solved the distraction.

USB charging: good, not “fast”

Four USB ports live along one side: two USB‑A (up to 2.4A each) and two USB‑C (up to 3A each), with a shared 5V/4.2A total budget. Practically, that’s around 21W across all ports—plenty for accessories and slower device charging, but not a substitute for a phone’s 30–45W fast charger or a laptop USB‑C power brick.

In testing:
- A single phone on a USB‑C port charged at 5V/3A, roughly 15W, which is perfectly fine for top‑ups or overnight.
- Adding a second device pulled the total down as expected, and the strip balanced output without flaking or cycling.
- iPads and small tablets charged reliably but not at their fastest possible rates.

Importantly, the USB‑C ports are 5V‑only. They don’t negotiate higher‑voltage USB‑PD profiles (9V/12V/15V), so they won’t fast‑charge phones that require PD boosts and certainly won’t power a laptop. I kept my laptop’s 65W charger plugged into one of the AC outlets and used the strip’s USB for headphones, an e‑reader, and a Bluetooth speaker.

If you’re expecting phone “fast charge” icons to light up, temper that expectation. If you just want to reduce the number of wall warts on your desk, the USB ports are perfectly adequate and cleanly implemented.

Surge protection and safety

Under the hood, it uses a three‑stage surge protection scheme (TVS, MOV, GDT) with a stated rating of 900 joules. In practical terms, that’s a baseline level of protection intended for small electronics in typical home or office environments. It’s not the heavy‑duty protection you’d want for a home theater rack in a storm‑prone area, but it’s appropriate for a desk, nightstand, or dorm setup.

There’s overload protection tied to the power switch. While testing a cluster of devices, I stayed under the 10A/1250W max the strip is designed for. That limit means you shouldn’t run space heaters, microwaves, or other high‑draw appliances from it—pretty standard advice, but worth noting.

The ETL certification and flame‑retardant shell add peace of mind. I also appreciated that the unit stayed cool to the touch during sustained use. The USB section warmed slightly under load, as expected, but never got hot.

Everyday use

Day‑to‑day, the CHCORE power strip excels at desk hygiene. The combination of outlets and direct‑USB meant I could move three wall chargers off my power setup entirely, consolidate cable runs, and hide the brick under the back edge of the desk without fuss. The block format makes it easy to access outlets from different angles: I could plug something in on the left side from the short leg of the desk and still keep other cords organized on the right.

I also tried it as a flexible hub for a 3D printer cart that has cables of inconsistent lengths. Being able to rotate the block to meet the shortest cable run—rather than moving the entire cart to the strip—was surprisingly handy. If you’re mounting it, a quick trick: tape a piece of painter’s tape over the back, poke holes where the keyholes are, then transfer the tape to the wall as a drilling guide. You’ll get the spacing right on the first try.

One minor quirk: I noticed a faint electrical whine from the USB section once after a long idle period. Flipping the switch off and back on cleared it, and it didn’t recur in my testing. It wasn’t loud enough to hear in a typical office, but if your setup is in a silent bedroom, you might notice it.

Cord and plug quality

The braided jacket is more than just decor. It slides across wood and laminate without snagging and resists kinking. The low‑profile plug is genuinely useful behind furniture; I was able to reclaim an inch of clearance behind a credenza that previously required a stubby extension.

At 5 feet, the cord length hits a practical sweet spot for desk use—long enough to reach a wall outlet or floor box without coiling excess underfoot. If your setup needs a longer run along a wall, you may want a model with 8–10 feet instead.

Shortcomings

No product is perfect. Here’s what stood out:
- USB‑C is 5V‑only. If you’re hoping to power a laptop or fast‑charge modern phones, you’ll still need your OEM charger.
- The status LED is a bit bright in a dark room.
- The 900‑joule rating is fine for light to moderate use but not ideal for areas with frequent surges or for protecting expensive AV equipment.
- The 10A/1250W ceiling rules out high‑draw appliances. That’s normal for this class, but keep it in mind.

None of these were dealbreakers in my use, but they set clear expectations.

Who it’s for

• Home offices and students who need many outlets in a compact footprint.
• Nightstands and side tables where a flat plug and braided cord help with tight spaces.
• Makers and hobbyists who need a mountable, multi‑angle outlet cluster near gear with varied cable lengths.
• Travelers who want a tidy hub—keeping in mind that many hotels are fine with surge protectors, but some cruise lines ban them. Always check policies before packing one.

If you need laptop‑class USB‑C charging or higher surge energy absorption, you’ll want a different solution: a strip with USB‑PD ports and a 1500–3000‑joule rating, or a dedicated UPS for sensitive equipment.

Verdict

The CHCORE power strip gets the fundamentals right: smart outlet layout, a durable braided cord with a low‑profile plug, and enough USB capacity to cut down on wall chargers. Its safety credentials are appropriate for a desk environment, and the mountable, three‑sided design solves real‑world outlet crowding better than traditional bars.

I recommend it for anyone looking to tidy a workstation, bedroom, or hobby bench with a compact, thoughtfully laid‑out power hub. You’ll still want your high‑wattage chargers for laptops and fast‑charge phones, but for everything else—lamps, monitors, printers, headphones, tablets—it’s a clean, reliable, space‑saving upgrade.