I've been using the standard (roughly) $25 KAW for years and love them. This newer unit is in the form of a "powerstrip" which.. includes a plug in cord, so makes it much easier to place the meter in an easy-to-read location. It also is lit, AND... unlike the original, stores the readings so you can unplug and move it around. (The traditional model, still available, resets to "zero" when unplugged.)
My only hesitation is that the one I purchased was intermittently dead on usage and I had to, at my expense, ship it back to the distributor for replacement. Aside from that big annoyance and concern, I love both versions and use them frequently.
(because of that hiccup I'd suggest checking the "return" policies of the store). P3 International P4320 Kill-A-Watt Power Strip
I bit the bullet and purchased this thing. However, I received a black version (I prefer it).
-It doesn't distinguish the reading between each outlet
-it's chunky.
-Blue LED on button
-backlit LCD
Features seem just like the ones on the lower end kill-a-watt.
Knowing this, you're better off getting a surge suppressor of your own choosing and a 4460 or a 4400. There's a limited 6-month warranty on this surge suppressor.
The item turned out to be very bulky roughly 2in by 2 inches.. not like a normal power strip that is about 1 in thin. Also, the item I received was defective in that the Off button would not turn off the power strip at times. I contacted Tech Support and I paid $$ to mail it back for a replacement. However, I think the Customer Service was not that friendly nor due they reply to emails. I got my replacement power strip back in box with no letter or explanation of what was fixed. My replacement was also bad so I wasted my shipping money. Now , I am getting a 2nd replacement. This is a horrible experience for a customer.
I had not expected much since there are similar products but you can only plug one device to it. This product let's you plug a group of devices. Now I can see how much it costs to run all my IT stuff on my desk at home. Helps me decide if I really need to keep that box "on" around the clock. Great when trying to convince the spouse that shutting off the TV when you fall asleep does save money. Well worth the money.
From reading many customer reviews about the P4400 model and the others, it looks as if the P4320 Kill-A-Watt Power Strip solves ALL the problems mentioned in the more than 100 reviews that I read before choosing this unit.
Features include a 6-ft. cord with grounded plug, Back-lit screen for easy viewing, and 8 outlets --- EXCELLENT for testing the power consumption of anything from a Toaster-oven to a PC with all the peripherals in place and running.
It SHOULD pay for itself in energy savings in less than 1 year -- and if my initial results are favorable, I will buy another one.
Amazon's great prices and rapid delivery make this unit the logical choice for the energy-conscious buyer that's also budget-conscious, too.
The P4300 Kill-A-Watt Power Strip was a GREAT help in tracking down and eliminating energy-wasting appliances and electronic gear throughout the house.
I had contemplated buying just the Kill-A-Watt Power Meter, but decided to utilize the many advantages of the Power Strip, instead --- and I'm GLAD that I did !! Using the P4320's multiple outlets, I was able to pinpoint which of my computer's peripherals (which included computer, monitor, cable modem, wireless router, sound system, printer-scanner-copier, and telephone answering machine)were consuming the most power while they were being used in their normal function. That cannot be done with ANY single-outlet meter,regardless of price !!
Moving to the audio-video equipment, I was able to eliminate wasted power by piggy-backing some un-switched equipment onto switched curcuits, thus eliminating power consumed by equipment on "standby" mode. Thanks to my new P4320, I have reduced my monthly electric bill by over 20 percent !!! --- I highly recommend this product !!!
Although the product description, in a strictly technical sense, contains an error in that it cannot truly measure efficiency of any appliance connected to it, it is extremely useful to determine the cost of operating any appliance or group of appliances...it provides all info, & actually more, than the average consumer might use (i.e. power factor, which is NOT a measure of efficiency).
Any appliance with a remote control consumes power in its "standby" mode, i.e. waiting to be turned "on" either by its remote control unit or its built-in "on" button/switch. As it is "waiting," it is consuming a small amount of power. For a remote-controlled home theater system, that could include a TV, audio-video receiver, cable box, CD player, DVD player, etc., etc.. Typically these are all plugged into a surge-protector power strip (or at least should be) & all consume some amount of power even when "off," i.e. in "standby." Although it's not much, in my case it comes to about $50/yr. That, of course, doesn't include all the other household items which can consume power constantly, clocks, computers, battery chargers, cell phone chargers, etc, & which the Kill A Watt PS can also independently measure.
The cost of operation is very easy to determine: Just plug your surge-protector power strip (or device or devices) into the Kill A Watt PS (for a month, for example) & it continuously records the power consumed in "standby" of everything connected, as well as, power used during normal operation. To determine the cost, check your utility bill to get the cost of power for the month...then just take the total cost & divide it by the total kWh on that bill to get the price per kWh for that month. That number (price per kWh) can be multiplied by the kWh that the Kill A Watt PS measures & the total is the cost for the elapsed time (number of hours) that is indicated on the Kill A Watt PS. If it was plugged in for a month (24 hrs times 30 days=720 hrs ), just multiply the cost by 12 for the annual cost.
Really pretty easy... you will probably be amazed at how much power can be used just watching a home theater system. By the way, raising the volume, obviously uses more power! You can watch that happen with the Kill A Watt PS.
Although the product has some surge protection, I found its surge-protection energy rating to be considerably lower than I personally would feel comfortable with to protect my home theater system, so I don't use it for that purpose.
One note of information: When you unplug some appliances with built-in clocks, it is likely that the clock will have to be reset when plugged back in.
All-in-all I found this product extremely useful & it, when used according to its manual, performs simply, quickly, & safely, as advertised.
BTW, Amazon had the best price by far (Aug 2009)! - Getpreparedstuf - Electric Meters - Energy Savings - Green Products'
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