So, I found myself on a bit of a quest the other day. Seems simple, right? I just needed a new power strip. But here’s the kicker: I was determined to find one that was actually made in the USA. You’d think that wouldn’t be too hard, but let me tell you, it was an adventure.
My Old Power Strip Gave Up the Ghost
It all started when my trusty old power strip in the workshop finally bit the dust. Thing was ancient, probably been with me for a good fifteen years. Started making this weird buzzing sound, and then one of my tools just wouldn’t power on. I’m not one to mess around with electricity, so I figured it was time for a replacement. Safety first, always.
My first thought was, “Okay, I’ll just hop online and order one.” Easy peasy. Or so I thought. I typed in “power strip made in usa” and, well, the internet showed me a whole lot of power strips. But when I started to really dig into the product descriptions, looking at the fine print, it was a different story. So many of them said “Designed in the USA” or “Assembled in the USA with global parts.” That’s not quite the same thing, is it? I was looking for the real deal.
Why The Heck Bother, Right?
Now, you might be asking, why all the fuss for a simple power strip? Well, a couple of reasons. Firstly, I had this one incident, oh, maybe ten years back. Bought a cheapo power strip, didn’t think much of it. Plugged in my computer, a desk lamp, the usual stuff. One evening, I started smelling something like burning plastic. Tracked it down, and the darn thing was practically melting from the inside! Luckily, I caught it in time. No fire, thank goodness, but it scared me straight. Since then, I’ve been a lot more careful about where my electrical stuff comes from.
And it’s not just about that. My granddad, he worked in a factory his whole life. They made tools. Good, solid tools. That factory’s gone now, like so many others. It just gets me thinking, you know? If I can, I like to support folks making things right here. Call me old-fashioned, but it means something to me.
The Search Continues… and Continues
So, I spent a good couple of evenings searching. I checked all the big online retailers. I looked at manufacturer websites. It was like detective work! I’d find something that looked promising, then I’d have to hunt for that tiny little “Country of Origin” detail. More often than not, it was a letdown.
I even went to a couple of those big hardware stores. Walked up and down the electrical aisle, picking up boxes, flipping them over. China. Vietnam. Taiwan. Mexico. It was a global tour right there on the shelf. The store clerks mostly just shrugged when I asked. One young fella even looked at me like I had two heads for asking.
I was starting to think I was chasing a ghost. Seriously, is it that hard to make a power strip in this country anymore? It’s not like it’s a super complicated piece of tech, or at least, I didn’t think so.
Finally, A Glimmer of Hope!
Just when I was about to give up and buy whatever, I stumbled across a forum online. Some folks were discussing this very topic. And there, buried in a thread, were a couple of brand names I hadn’t seen before. They were smaller companies, not the big names you see everywhere.
I looked them up. And there it was, plain as day on their websites: “Made in USA.” Some even specified “with US and globally sourced components” which is fair enough, but the final assembly and a good chunk of the parts were domestic. And they talked a lot about quality and safety standards. Okay, now we’re talking!
They weren’t the cheapest, I’ll tell you that straight up. Definitely paid a premium. But by that point, I was so invested in the search, and frankly, after my previous scare, I figured a few extra bucks for some peace of mind and a bit of quality was worth it.
The New Strip in Action
I ordered one. A nice, heavy-duty looking thing with a metal casing, not flimsy plastic. When it arrived, I gotta say, it felt solid. You know how sometimes you can just feel the difference in quality? This was one of those times. It had a good, thick cord, and the outlets gripped the plugs nice and tight.
I got it set up in the workshop, plugged in my tools, my battery chargers, the works. Everything powered up just fine. No buzzing, no weird smells, just good, clean power. It’s been a few weeks now, and it’s working like a champ.
So, yeah, it was a bit of an ordeal for something as simple as a power strip. But I found what I was looking for. It’s a small thing, I know. But it feels good to have a piece of equipment I can trust, and it feels good to know I supported a company that’s still making things here. Makes you think, though, doesn’t it? It really shouldn’t be that difficult.
