Review on Yellow Jacket 5138N Metal Surge 💡 Protector Strip - 6 Outlets, 15 Ft Cord by Tom Roberts

For a cheap 6-outlet power strip with 15 feet of 14AWG cord, it looks great at first glance. However, I have two significant issues with this extension and some parts were only available because I took it apart: 1) It's not metal. Okay, the top case is made of metal. Fair enough and it will help with longevity, they say. However, they advertise it as a "heavy metal structure". Product images only show it from the front or perspective. This means that the entire body is made of metal. What they don't mention is that the bottom is plastic. This is misleading at best. Also (at the time of this writing) in the main photo here in the product description, the power divider is visible from the side at an angle. At the two ends you can see some black plastic bottom sticking out. However, in the center it is not visible at all. Which is funny because on the extension cord I have at home, the black bottom is clearly visible from almost all angles (except the direct one). It sticks out 2-3 mm, slightly wider than the metal case. My point is that it looks like the product photo has been tweaked. (Of course, I can't prove that, and it could be a coincidence. I'm just guessing, that's all.) A major benefit of metal extension cords, aside from durability, is that they won't melt if overloaded. down like plastic. Putting a plastic bottom on this thing takes away all of its safety benefits. On top of that, the term "heavy duty" is politely a bit misleading. Of course, the metal part can be more durable than the usual cheap plastic extension cord. Inside, however, this yellow jacket's construction is on par with the cheapest plastic splinters. The jacks aren't particularly "heavy" and the mounting holes on the back (made of cheap plastic) aren't "heavy" either. 2) The work of soldering on the surge protection board is beyond terrible. They left huge puddles of flux on it. To make matters worse, the solder joints between the circuit board and the two power rails look like cold junctions. I can't say for sure, but they have a matte finish and look a bit crusty. In addition, the busbars are plugged into the circuit board at a 90-degree angle and are only held in place by drops of solder. This is a great way to attach flexible wires or components that the end user will not move, but the rods can move when the connectors are inserted or removed. I'm no expert (though almost) but I have little faith in the durability of these joints. And when they fail, they can fail in the most spectacular ways. Spend a little more money and buy a better and safer product. (Please note that the photos I posted are from my own YouTube video of this extension, that's why it looks a bit strange.)