Its a nice-to-have feature, but it often adds bulk to the plug end, making it incompatible with recessed outlets such as those found on electric snow blowers or lawn mowers. Neither of those cords are grounded, either. We accept Visa, Mastercard, Discover and American Express. He also raises sheep and has a dairy cow that he milks every morning. Our pick is 50 feet long, which we think is the best for general use, but the same cord is also available in lengths of 25 feet and 100 feet, if those better suit your needs. Like the Husky cords, these common house-brand cords arent made with the flexible and durable jackets we like, they lack lights in the outlet ends, and they dont offer a significant savings. Safety recommendations (and, in some cases, building codes) say that for a permanent application, you should have a real outlet installed by a qualified electrician. 12/3 Contractor Grade Indoor/Outdoor Extension Cord, Bergen Industries 50 ft. SJTW Yellow 12/3 Outdoor Extension Cord, Husky 50 FT Cold Weather Indoor/Outdoor Extension Cord, Voltec Industries 50-ft 15-Amp 300-Volt 1-Outlet 12-Gauge Yellow Outdoor Extension Cord, AmazonBasics 16/3 Vinyl Outdoor Extension Cords, Husky 25 FT Medium Duty Indoor/Outdoor Extension Cord, National Electrical Code Allowable Ampacities of Insulated Conductors Rated 0-2000 Volts (PDF), The Best and Worst Ways to Store Extension Cords, How to Pick the Best Extension Cord at the Hardware Store, Christmas Decorating Supplies to Deck the Halls, Walls, Porch, and More, Everything You Need for a Backyard Movie Night. Its also the most flexible cord weve ever used, so its as easy to work with in the height of summer heat as it is the depths of a near-zero-degree winter. He lives in a very demanding 250-year-old farmhouse and spent four years gutting and rebuilding his previous home. Get your Hyper Tough Extension Cord at a Walmart store near you or online at Walmart.com. These include the Bad Ass 50 Foot 12/3 SJEOW Cold Weather Lighted Extension Cord and the Iron Forge Tools 50 FT 12/3 SJEOW Heavy Duty Lighted Outdoor Extension Cable. Here's a breakdown of Instacart delivery cost: When an item you want is out-of-stock at the store, your shopper will follow your replacement preferences. If holding the plugged connection is a concern, we recommend learning how to do it with an overhand knot. To decide on our final picks, we tried out six indoor/outdoor cords and three indoor cords, examining each one and using them in a variety of environments to see which cords would survive trouble-free for years to come. If you feel strongly about having a separate holding bracket, there are many third-party cord locks available. *At the time of publishing, the price was $57. After spending more than 40 hours researching over 55 different extension cords, talking with two safety experts, and testing 12 of the most promising for flexibilitysome even in zero-degree tempswe recommend the U.S. Wire & Cable 50 FT. This allowed us to get a better sense of their flexibility, how flat they sat, and how easy they were to coil properly. The specifics of this testing are held in a seemingly random string of letters printed on the side of the cord. If youre going to own only one extension cord, the 50-foot version is versatile enough to maneuver across a two-car garage, run between two rooms indoors, or stretch deep into a yard or driveway. Once you place your order, Instacart will connect you with a personal shopper in your area to shop and deliver your order. This can be done with either a third-party cord lockor by learning how to safely knot the ends of the cord. (And if youre searching on Amazon, youll likely see the Coleman Cable options, with the same 16-gauge wire and low ratings, listed nearby.). The thick, 12-gauge wires inside are rated to handle up to 15 ampsas much as most residential breakers will allowmaking it safe to use with most tools and equipment. He spent 10 years in high-end construction as a carpenter, foreman, and supervisor. There are a number of 50-foot SJEOW cords that we did not test. ), there are some things to keep in mind to help ensure the longevity of the cord as well as your own safety. Many of the cheap indoor cords weve seen stick out from the wall and can easily be knocked or pulledwithout anyone noticingwhen plugged in behind furniture. Using the Instacart app or website, shop for products from your store of choice near you. The hook and loop strap makes for easy storage or to contain extra length that's not in use at the time. 12/3 Contractor Grade Indoor/Outdoor Extension Cord, and the Bergen Industries 50 ft. SJTW Yellow 12/3 Outdoor Extension Cord are all SJTW cords and stiffer than our picks. High-end extension cords are not cheap, but theyre durable, safe, and far easier to use than the generic orange cords youll find tangled in garages nationwide. In a practical sense, this means a much safer cord. We deliver - town to town, door to door. Extreme All-Weather Extension Cord offers an excellent combination of functionality and usability. Those three features make it a great cord among a sea of options that are only good enough, and it costs just a few dollars more despite the advantages. Even if all three of those items were plugged in, its unlikely theyd use more than 7 A. Thats why other features, like flush-mounted plugs and grounding pins that reduce the risk of shocks or fire, are more important for indoor cords. Long-term test notes: Wirecutter senior editor Mark Smirniotis has had the U.S. Wire & Cable 50 FT. 55 extension cords with UL or Intertek listings from top online retailers, Southwire 1638SW0061 Polar/Solar Supreme Extension Cord, U.S. Wire & Cable 50 FT. Not only will that additional flexibility make our pick much less difficult to work with, whether youre dealing with high summer temps in the Southwest or brutal winter lows in Minnesota, it should also make the cord easier to stretch out after long periods stored in a coil. The similar GE Designer Cord Pro comes in a few different colors and has three outlets, but theres one notable difference between the two: The Cordinate outlets include spring-loaded, internal covers that the GE cord lacks. This may seem trivial, but it can either add to the discretion of an extension cord (which are usually black, brown, or white) or create a purposeful pop of color. Drengenberg has been with UL for more than 50 years, over which time he earned the nickname Mr. This difference is manifested in their general handling at any temperature. Heres more information about the features we looked for in an extension cordand why theyre important. Elastomer sheaths are preferable because they are very rubbery and flaccid. The same can be said for SJTW cords, which can cost up to $75. That can cause safety issues of its own (slow saws wont cut cleanly, which can make them harder to control). If there is a downside to the U.S. Wire & Cable extension cord, its the cost: Weve seen it priced anywhere between $55 and $75. Perhaps most telling: A general contractor working on Marks house needed a cord, and Mark offered the U.S. Wire & Cable (on pain of death if it wasnt returned). Its also the most flexible cord weve ever used, so its as easy to work with in the height of summer heat as it is the depths of a near-zero-degree winter. Some cords also include locking brackets or switches to keep a plugged-in tools power cord firmly attached to the extension cords outlet. We then tested how well each cord could be stretched out, which ones kept their coiled shapes too tightly, which ones were usable, and which ones were too stubborn to get back into a tidy coil once we were done. All of the cords we tried were reasonably flexible at room temperatures, so we decided to test them in more challenging conditions. Drengenberg also told us that modern PVC coatings can last a very long time, but older cords, or ones that dont go through any sort of safety testing, can wear too quickly. This is not a cheap cordweve seen it priced anywhere between $55 and $75but its durable construction and lifetime warranty makes it a tool that you can expect to have for the long haul. The high visibility yellow coating offers a safe and durable extension for power to electric tools and devices. If you need a longer cord, say, behind a media center, look for a surge protector with a built-in cord of that length. Every letter in these codes has a meaning (PDF), and by understanding them, its easier to know the differences between our preferred SJEOW and SJEOOW cords and the more commonly found, less-expensive SJTW cords, which populate the shelves of big-box stores. Plus, the added grounding pin and wire makes it less prone to electrical shocks and shorts than ungrounded, two-prong variations. Despite its name, the Flexzilla Pro Extension Cord was slightly less flexible than the average cord we tested, and it doesnt offer higher power ratings, better connections, or a longer strain-relief neck than our less-expensive top pick. What these numbers do indicate, and what we saw in our testing, is that the elastomer coating on SJEOW and SJEOOW cords has a much higher resilience to temperatures than the thermoplastic-insulated SJTW cords. We whittled down that list based on the cost per footour choices ranged from 50 per foot to $1.50 per foot, though some competitors sold for up to $2.00 per foot. The 12-gauge wire inside is thick enough to deliver the proper voltage from end to end, and the coating on the entire length of the cord (a jacket made of a rubbery elastomer instead of a plasticky vinyl) is not only weather resistant but also oil resistant. As basic as an extension cord may seem (just plug it in, right? an excellent combination of functionality and usability. Dont connect multiple extension cords. Also, there are enough other ways to secure the plugged connection of an extension cord that we dont think this is necessary. All of the picks in this guide are available primarily from online retailers; the best extension cords are rarely found on shelves at big-box hardware stores. Wirecutter senior editor Mark Smirniotis, the original author of this guide, covered electrical and charging products for three years as a staff writer at Wirecutter, writing about everything from rechargeable batteries to surge protectors to generators. As heat builds up, protective coatings melt, and youre left with hot wires and sparks, potentially under something flammable. It wasnt the worst or the best in any category. Industry approvals: ETL listed. A little water wont hurt an extension cord, and a durable cord thats been well cared for, with no cuts or wear in the jacket, will be safe if it gets wet temporarily. It can carry the same amount of power, though. The U.S. Wire & Cable also has an outlet that makes a smooth, firm connection with the power cords you plug into it. The longer the strain reliefthe little plastic turtleneck that runs up the cordthe better the wires can resist pulling out the back of the receptacle from repeated bending at tight angles. If you need an extension cord right now and cant wait to order a better one online, here are our tips for selecting the best one at your local hardware store. Unlike many inexpensive cords for indoor use, the Cordinate has a third prong for grounding, which provides extra protection against electrical shorts and shocks. Our picks are noticeably better, whether youre plugging in an extra fan in the summer, inflating a tire, or powering a wireless speaker for a party. Though GE makes the GE Designer Cord Pro with similar construction and features as our indoor pick, the Cordinate Dcor, it lacks the internal outlet covers that help lower the risk of electric shock if anything is jammed into the outlets. Stiff cords that loop and twirl across a yard or floor create tripping hazards that can be made exponentially more dangerous if, say, the cord is plugged into a running table saw. If youre going to own only one extension cord, the 50-foot version is versatile enough to maneuver across a two-car garage, run between two rooms indoors, or stretch deep into a yard or driveway. Through our research, we found that the best cords for home use are designated as SJEOW and SJEOOW. In addition to heavy-duty and outdoor cords, we also considered indoor extension cords for all the other light-duty needs that come up in everyday life. Its a small but welcome touch if youre going to see the cord constantly peeking out from behind your nightstand, side table, or dresser. Some of the cords we dismissed without testing include: AmazonBasics 16/3 Vinyl Outdoor Extension Cords are much thinner than the U.S. Wire & Cable and carry less power less safely. At low temperatures, it recoiled like a spring when we tried to stretch it out, and its noticeably harder to manipulate even at room temperature. If you need an indoor cord just to plug in a lamp or phone charger, the 10-foot Cordinate Dcor Extension Cord with 3 Grounded Outlets is the best choice. With a solid power rating and durable construction, this cord can safely handle any job around a home or garage. Extension cords are for temporary use. In our tests, they barely held any shape memory and consistently sat flat against the ground when unrolled, which greatly reduces any tripping hazard. If youre wrapping your cords around your arm, youre doing it wrong. For a more stylish indoor option, we like the Cordinate Dcor Extension Cord with 3 Grounded Outlets. If the U.S. Wire & Cable isnt available, we also like the Southwire 1638SW0061 Polar/Solar Supreme Extension Cord. Ratings for extension cords are set for the length of the cordthey dont carry over when chained together. A cord capable of 15 A is more expensive than its light-duty cousins but will satisfy the demands of heavy-duty electric tools like circular saws long after youve forgotten its rating. Pulling too much power through a too-small cord will cause it to heat up, eventually melting the jacket and exposing the bare wiring underneath. The Hyper Tough line of tools and power equipmentprovides men and women woodworkers andcrafters with quality parts and tools they can depend on. Use of this site is subject to certainTerms of Service. Purchases from these Sellers are generally covered under our. Overly tight outlets can make it difficult to get a plug all the way in, resulting in a poor connection and a higher risk of shocks or shorts, especially when exposed to any moisture. The most common is voltage dropping from the outlet to the far end of the cord. Unlike many of its competitors, the Cordinate indoor cord has a sleek look and a flat plug that wont get bent or pulled from an outlet.