Best Uninterruptible Power Supplies in the UK

The APC BR1500GI is one of the premium-grade uninterruptible power supply units that can deliver quite a lot of power to the connected electrical appliances in case a power outage or a sudden blackout happens.

One of the more distinctive features of the BR1500GI is a built-in automatic voltage regulation system (or simply AVR). Although the system’s name may sound unimpressive, in actuality, it is an exceptionally useful set of transformers that allow regulating the voltage automatically. But the real thing that makes it so useful is that you don’t need to disconnect the built-in battery to re-route the voltage to the appliances that need it the most. And to top all that, all of this is done automatically and can be customised according to the type of connected devices.

Once the appliances are connected to the UPS, it will provide them with power protection from harmful spikes and power surges. As a neat little bonus, you will be able to activate power management software that will come in handy for handling sensitive hardware. The only downside of said hardware, however, is its complexity. Despite being quite user-friendly overall, this part of the package will require you to read up the user manual thoroughly. To aid you in the process, this power supply model features a high-contrast monochrome display that shows the current battery charge, as well as the status of the devices connected to it.

The BX1400UI is yet another UPS model from APC but this time around it comes in a more compact package compared to the bigger products in the series. Like many other APC devices, this UPS is a line-interactive one, which requires it to be connected to an existing mains power line at all times in order for the appliance to operate properly.

First of all, if you worry that your electronic equipment may become damaged as a result of power grid problems, we recommend you to acquire the APC BX-series Uninterruptible Power Supply. The device has a simple design and can warn you about any malfunctioning in an electrical network. To make your life easier, the appliance features an LED indicator on the front panel that will show the status of the device. The Six IEC-C13 outlets boast protection against harmful interference and power surges.

The battery backup allows you to finish running processes and switch off different multimedia appliances or connect them to a different power source in the event of a voltage drop or an unexpected power surge. By the way, the total power output of the UPS is 700W, quite enough to hook up all your sensitive equipment. Moreover, the appliance can be used to protect modem, DSL line, modem, fax and phone lines by connecting cables to the respective RJ-11 connectors.

If your budget precludes you from going with our top pick, the APC BX95OUI can be a great alternative. Sure, it has a lower capacity and peak power output (480 watts) than our more expensive models reviewed here. Still, you get sufficient power from it for computers, laptops, wireless networks, and other electronics, allowing you to use it for protecting your home and business devices alike.

Speaking of numbers, the APC BX95OUI can keep low-power devices going for up to one hour and more (if the computer isn't on), including your TV, router, internet modem or a few plugs for charging your gadgets. So, in the event of a power surge, you won't fall into the dead zone and will be able to top off your phone to stay connected.

Under a heavier load, this UPS provides around 7.5 minutes at a half capacity and 1.3 at a maximum. Of course, some computers can give your hours of juice, but this runtime is standard at this price range. Besides, that's enough time to finish your game, save work and properly shut down your computer.

Should you suffer from frequent power grid changes, the unit can help fix that too. Once it senses that devices start to lose power, it instantly corrects power fluctuations, allowing you to continue doing what you did without worrying about the health of your electronic equipment.

The next UPS we get our hands on is the CyberPower EC850LCD. This unit is very easy to set and very easy to figure out thanks to the event monitor on the front panel. Plus, it has a compact tower design, making it easy to fit pretty much anywhere you want.

To start with, the CyberPower EC850LCD has a very elegant design, just as most other power protection products produced by CyberPower. Though quite heavy, it doesn't look bulky and takes only a little footprint, allowing you to neatly organise it in your home or office space. The feature we particularly like is that it has a digital display. It shows you where you are in terms of power in/out and total battery charge. What is also of note is that it has a muted battery alarm. This way, if you find the sound of alarm annoying, you can just turn it off.

As we've mentioned earlier, the EC850LCD is a good option for both home and office use. It has a total of 6 outlets, two of which are of the UK type. All of them are battery- and surge-protected. You will also find a USB port for charging your mobile devices.

The standout feature of this UPS, though, is that is Active PFC compatible. Naturally, this fact added to the unit's price but the benefits are well worth it. To prevent overload issues and meet the requirement of your equipment, the EC850LCD provides a true sine wave. Not only does it give you enhanced voltage regulation, but it also ensures much higher overall efficiency and saves you electricity costs.

The APC BE850G2 is a slightly smaller UPS unit compared to other products included on our list but its compact size doesn’t diminish its capabilities.

To start things off, the appliance features 8 IEC-C13 power outlets with 6 of them having surge protection. In addition to that, it has two USB power ports (Type-A and Type-C) that can be used to charge smaller USB-powered devices. Similarly to other models on the list, the BE850G2 has an analogue RJ45 port for a telephone line, as well as an RJ45 LAN network cable outlet.

As a means of displaying the current status of the internal battery and the connected devices, the UPS unit has a set of bright LED lights that will conveniently show you the charge levels with 25% increments. The only real drawback of the BE850G2 is its charging time. To be more precise, it can take up to 16 hours to fully charge the internal battery of the appliance, which coupled with its relatively low wattage output doesn’t make the whole kit particularly outstanding. That being said, the power supply has its uses, especially for smaller server rooms and workstations that don’t carry a lot of data that needs protection.

On the bright side, however, once the battery is fully charged the power draw of the appliance is minimal and won’t exceed 2 watts per hour, which is much lower compared to more capacious alternatives.