What os the best surge protector for iMac?

I did provide links in one of my earlier replies. But here's one of them again:

APC UPS, 1500VA UPS Battery Backup & Surge Protector, BX1500M Backup Battery, AVR, Dataline Protection and LCD Display, Back-UPS Pro Uninterruptible Power Supply

Notice on the page you can also click the 1000VA unit that costs $30 less.

Which one you should consider depends on how much you plan on plugging into the battery backed up outlets on the UPS. But 1500 is more than enough for most users. I don't have anything bigger than that here.

They're very simple to use. The UPS plugs into the wall. Your devices plug into the UPS.

Do you have Office Max store in your area? They sell UPS last time I went to my local Office Max/Office Depot, I bought UPS awhile back. It depends on your needs, you have to ask store rep, if you need help.

So this protects against power surges but also has a battery back up so it can still run things even if power goes out, correct?

Yes, that's what they do. As I mentioned earlier, lower VA rating means less runtime on the battery. They all start beeping when the battery is near being exhausted. But with even a 650VA unit, you'd have plenty of time to save your files and shut the Mac down normally. None of them are meant to keep you going for hours if the power goes out. At least, not in that price range.

"I use this on my DIT cart on film sets. It sets right next to my laptop and drives, there is a consistent hissing hum that for me is very annoying. …

If the unit is making an audible hum, they should have returned it. All of mine are completely quiet.

This thing is big.

Yes, the ones like that design are big since you plug in your devices from the top. That's the design tradeoff. Flat and easy access to the UPS's outlets on the top, or upright and narrow with the outlets on the back.

Not cheers! Apple repair can take care of easy peasy? What if something else besides power supply gets burned out? How much time will you waste waiting for technicians at Apple Store, or Authorized Apple Service Provider to repair your iMac. Also, what about cost, without Apple Care Plus for Mac?😜

If a power surge destroys your computer (or any device), that's not a warranty issue. It won't be covered. A UPS will help protect your computer from such damage.

Have there ever been reports of something still being fried while plugged into a UPS? Yes, but it takes a lot of juice to do that. Like a lighting strike practically right on your house, or very nearby. If that happens, you can take up APC's protection coverage to replace whatever got zapped.

I am not saying it, but Apple's terms do. It's not just surge protectors - it would relate to any third party device that may cause a problem on your Mac when it is plugged in. That is just normal legal speak so the computer manufacturer will not be held liable if some third party anything causes a problem with your computer. An example would be an external hard drive with a backup of your data - if some software on it suddenly wipes out all of your data, Apple is not responsible. (that happened to quite a few Western Digital customers a few years back and again recently:

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2021/06/mass-data-wipe-in-my-book-devices-prompts-warning-from-western-digital/

Clarification, you will need "Apple Care Plus for Mac" to have issues of lightning strikes damaging iMacs. Look at your original sales receipt of your iMac. Or "Click Support" upper right corner in this forum for help.

OMG you should work for apple

Thanks, LOL - just to be clear: I do not. Since we are all other users here, I try to refer people to what Apple has published when questions like this come up instead of just posting an opinion - which may or may not be correct.

I suggest you read the legal terms and conditions published by Apple; some contain some ambiguous language, but that is because they are composed by lawyers who are getting paid to protect their clients. Some passages can be interpreted in more than one way. And this is my personal opinion: if the terms include something like the two sentences I picked out above, then it means that a manufacturer has a clause that may allow them not to cover it. Or, you may be lucky, and they will. FWIW, if you have homeowner's insurance, it may be covered if you have enough to cover electronic equipment.

So, considering the terms published by Apple, no one here can answer that question definitively. My personal take is that they will probably not because a lightning strike is an act of nature and certainly not Apple's fault. That is why I will try to protect my equipment with either a UPS or, at a minimum, a really good surge protector. You cannot prepare for everything life (or nature) will throw at you, but at least you can do what is prudent and possible.

And, yes, there has been a lot of conflicting information posted here - unfortunately.

Apparently, I was mistaken somewhat. I don't know if you live in a house. But check your homeowners insurance company, if they have such thing as "Personal Articles Policy." It suppose to cover electronic devices, help pay for repairs.

Nothing unfortunate about a diversity of views. For me, plugging direct to wall remains the best decision with or without Apple Care. I am not alone, probably in the majority.

In fact, this discussion has only affirmed it. For others, maybe not. They are certainly better informed that it is not an issue with a definitive, unique, must-do answer. To each his/her own.

Apple have no published opinion on surge protectors or UPSes, technical, warranty or otherwise. And for good reason too. How to deal with it is entirely one's own decision based on one's experience, location and perception of risk/benefit.

There is also no one here that has actually had a "fried" Mac that Apple agreed was "fried" and declined to cover or repair. Be aware that lightning surges do not leave signatures on an unresponsive Mac other than possibly a defective power supply (which is easily repaired/replaced). There again, whether a PS went defective because of a surge or something else cannot usually be claimed with certainty. Ditto for logic boards.

All good news from a cover perspective because you can expect the benefit of the doubt i.e. uncertainty works against denials of cover (which anyway will be a decision made after Apple Repair diagnosis). When is doubt, chances are excellent that cover will be granted. Even if not, the paid repair option is always available. Which, given the low, low chances of surges bricking Macs (for which there is not even anecdotal evidence here), can be a good plan B option. It certainly works for me.

Bottom line: whether Apple Care covers surges or not will depend on what is actually diagnosed when in Apple's hands.