As with most men, we know electronics, or at least we’d like to think we do. Chances are your home electronics roster consists of a computer, gaming system, television, and maybe even an audio system. You need several open outlets to plug everything in, and somewhere down the line you figured a power strip would accommodate all your needs. Naturally, you want to protect your investment so, going the extra step, you purchased a surge protector to keep those goodies safe. That’s where most of us stop. The thorough man should hit the jump and find out how to take the next step.

We recommend going one step further and purchasing a battery backup solution. A good one to look at is the APC Back-UPS BE750G Battery Backup and Surge Protector (yes, it’s quite a mouthful). If you’re unfamiliar with what one does, a battery backup (or Uninterrupted Power Supply) provides an uninterrupted, temporary power source in case of a power failure. So if you’re up late working on tomorrow’s big presentation and all of a sudden the power cuts out, you’ve got just enough time to wrap things up, save your documents, and safely power down your desktop.

The APC BE750G has 10 outlets, 5 that are battery backup plus surge and 5 surge only for the less critical stuff. The battery is good for up to 70 minutes of back-up time, and the surge protection covers anything plugged into the device - all outlets, phone, fax, modem, and DSL lines. Additional features include audible alarms that alert you of any change in status on the device, and software that automatically tests the battery to ensure good condition.

Cost: $90 @ Best Buy