Customer Ratings & Reviews

---SETUP--- The setup for this back-up battery is easy. It comes with a disconnected battery connector that must be plugged in before use. The manual is clear on the process. After that, plug in the back-up battery for 24 hours before first use. After the 24 hour period, you can begin using it as a back up. ---FEATURES--- The key feature of this back up unit is that it’s meant to last about 2-3 hours and it seamlessly switches over to the battery backup in case of a blackout or brownout. Of the 6 outlets, 4 work with the battery back-up. All 6 provide surge protection. ---PERFORMANCE--- The performance of this battery back-up system is good. This is meant to be used as a means to safely turn off equipment that is meant to be turned off properly or give you time to save data. I tested this with my WiFi Modem/Router combo and it lasted me about 1 hour and 20 minutes. A clear audible alarm begins to beep when the back-up is close to running out of power giving you time to act. I simulated a power outage by unplugging the battery from the outlet and the transition from connected to back-up was seamless. I didn’t lose internet connection and all was good for the next hour and 45 minutes. ---EXPECTATIONS--- The product meets my expectations. The product isn’t too bulky but it will be noticeable if you have it out in the open. You can mount this unit if need be. The cable length is about 5-6 feet, though I would have liked if the cable could have been coiled neatly around the unit for storage or travel. Because it isn’t bulky, I found it easy to travel with for when I go out and need lighting for pictures or footage in dark areas. ---VALUE--- The price for the APC Back-UPS Battery system in terms of value is good for the peace of mind of your expensive electronics. ---APPROVAL--- I highly recommend this product for people who have expensive electronics that may need the additional level of protection from a blackout.

Great back up for lights but don't really run anything major. I have several to keep lights running and to be abe to charge iPhone etc if and when electric is out.

This is my second unit. The first lasted me a year past the warranty period. Keeps my peripherals surge protected and on in the event of a power outage. Can't ask for more. Just wished the battery could be changed myself so I didn't have to buy a new one everytime it failed.

Sleek, more aesthetic version of a Surge/Battery Backup UPS that looks nicer in a home than the usual big bulky UPS's on the market. APC is a leader in the UPS market.

This Battery Back up that just works! APC is my preferred UPS brand I already have 4 of them at home.

For an average power bank it’s okay this one’s average for only 2 years before performance goes down

The APC 425VA is a household/small business style UPS. According to the box it's rated for 45min on a PC. Honestly, with a UPS you wouldn't want to run anything for the full 45min you're really looking for the ability to do a controlled disconnect, shutdown and protect your devices. For my purposes, it's protecting the router, my Smart TV, AMP, PS4 and Google Home - 5 things. The APC 425VA can support up to 6 but in a 4 + 2 configuration. 4 for power+surge protection and 2 for surge. I decided to go for power+surge on my Router, TV, PS4 and Google Home and Surge on my AMP. If it helps you, my decision was made based on devices that could be bricked by a software update if the power went out and the need for connectivty on my router as I work from home and never want to be left high and dry on a VOIP call. Things you need to know. The APC 425V ships with the battery disconnected (there's a little yellow plug you insert on the bottom to connect the battery). This seems to be a shipping requirement. This actually shows the only problem I found, which is the plug for whatever doesn't sit flush. Maybe it's so you know it's plugged in? But stops it from sitting flat on the floor. I am taking off 1/2 a star for this but given the way Best buy works that comes to a full star. You can mount the APC 425VA on a wall but not sure why you would. But the important thing DOES IT WORK? YES! How do I know? Well the easiest way is to just pull the UPS power plug from the wall. In my tests, everything hummed along fine you wouldn't have noticed the power was out (it's a weird and funny feeling to pull out power while things are running - it goes against everything you want to do). The APC 425VA also doesn't make an alarm or beep when the power goes out which is awesome. Oh and if you're wondering why I am not using this on a PC, well I run a laptop - so you always have the battery there. :-) Definitely recommended.

The APC 425 battery backup is a basic device that can be used for relatively low powered devices for short periods of time. The design is small enough that is can tuck neatly into the back of desk or similar. The 6 outlets are all surge protected and the 4 battery backup outlets are nicely spaced for transformer power supplies. The two remaining are surge suppression only and only have enough space for two standard plugs or 1 large power supply plug. Testing : I run a Verizon supplied modem with a secondary Nighthawk router. Because of this set up , it does draw more power than a standard one router setup. I unplugged the APC back up from the wall and left it. It lasted almost exactly 1 hour. You do get audible warnings as it is about to run out of power. There was no drop of internet so there is no discernible latency between loss of power and battery backup engagement. Not bad and about what I expected. What I like : What differs from some of the UPS’s from the past is the slim horizontal form factor. I own multiple versions of this and they nicely under and behind furniture. It even has two key holes on the back if you want to mount it to a desk or wall. You do have to be careful about venting, but it is very usable. What I do not like: Joules..ugh. It is only rated 180 joules. Many do not really know what a joule rating is and why it is important. A joule rating indicates how much energy the surge protector can absorb before it fails. A joule is a watts per second. Therefore, this device is rated to handle the equivalent of three 60 watt light bulbs. APC dedicated surge suppressors handle 2880 joules or more. Sounds terrible, right? Well not completely but it is not good. Take a look at APC $40 surge suppressors, they will have $250,000 equipment guarantees and the APC 425 has “only” $75,000. Therefore, APC is readily acknowledging the difference in surge protection. However, a UPS’s primary function is to be a backup and a surge suppression is an added benefit. The competition offers far higher joule ratings on similar products ( in most cases 3 to 4 times the amount) but there may be differences in testing standards. I run battery backups off of surge suppressors and have no issues. It should be noted that APC states you use a APC surge suppressor or it could void the “Equipment Protection Policy.” Here is an excerpt from APC “Plugging any non-APC surge protector, power strip, or extension cord into the output of an APC brand UPS could void your Equipment Protection Policy (EPP). However, the standard 3 year product warranty is maintained. If, after taking into consideration this knowledge base document, you choose to use an APC brand surge protector in conjunction with your APC brand UPS, your warranty and Equipment Protection Policy will be maintained.” It's a load of bull, if you use a high quality surge suppressor; there will be no issues. APC just wants you to buy their products. It is APC prerogative so beware and I am not suggesting to do anything that would void your warranty. Conclusion : Like all of APC products, they do what they are supposed to and well built. I own 5 APC battery backups and they are all great. I used them to back up my routers, video cams and select LED lights . But you need to know what you are buying and what is the purpose. They are not great surge suppressors and you need to have that to protect your equipment. You should never plug a surge suppressor into a battery backup, but you can do the reverse as long as you are paying attention to the load. In other words, just because you now have 18 outlets with the surge suppressor and the battery backup combined, it does not mean to load it up. The APC UPS 425VA Battery Back-Up System BE425M is a solid, affordable piece of equipment that will maintain power to your network or any other lower power device. Now you may ask why I say “lower power” device. This is the smallest of the battery backups available from APC, they go all the way up to 900VA’s in a similar form factor. If you want more run time , look to their bigger models . If you are looking to back up a network router, this should give you more than enough time to finish a project or just prepare for a shutdown because of a power outage.

i am glad i have a back up to use now. i am using this for my desktop. well 2. with 2 gaming desktops and 2 monitors this lasted 3 min and 50 seconds. i say that is pretty good considering. enough time to save and shut down if needed. i wanted to put it to the test and that is what i did. i would give it 5 stars but a couple things. first, at least with my unit, you plug in a adaptor piece on bottom to the battery. mine seems to not sit flesh and so it has a slight uneven to it. its not much but still. another thing is that there is no indication as to battery life. it just flashes 2 times every couple seconds, and then rapidly flashes i would say when the battery has about a third power left or so. i say this because it would start to rapid flash about 2 min and 15 seconds. i would like to be able to look and see maybe every 10% increments or something on exactly where the battery level is at. another thing is that the 2 plugs that are not for battery back up are not too spaced out. there is plenty of space between the 4 plugs that are for battery back up. but not the 2 plugs. overall simple to use. plug the yellow piece on bottom to battery, plug into a wall, and then press and hold power button. like i said, i tested it on a more extreme side.

Happy with the product. Helped organize my plug situation for my entertainment set-up and am now not stressed out when a big storm comes through as the expensive electronics that are plugged into the surge protector are protected. Additionally, the 8+ hour charge allows for all electronics plugged in to stay on even if we loose power

I’ve previously used APC backups at my office, however, this UPS is not built for commercial use or requirements. There’s no software for any type of configuration or a USB connection for monitoring and on-screen or network alarms. This is an inexpensive personal or home UPS backup, so it’s important to understand what it’s capabilities and intended uses are. The BE425M comparatively small capacity unit with a total allowable draw of 255W and 425 VA of power. It can keep a computer and monitor running for a few minutes, or it can power a modem and router for a reasonable amount of time. I tested it with my desktop and one monitor and was able to keep running for 16 minutes under light usage before the low battery alarm sounded. Powering a modem and router I would expect an hour or so of use. This is adequate for short power losses and gives you plenty of time to safely shut things down. Keep in mind that routers run continually, and computers and monitors are often in standby modes and not actually off when unused. If you expect a longer outage and want any power left when you need it, you’ll need to shut all connected items completely off and manage the usage yourself. The build quality seems good, but it’s not the heavy, bulletproof design of the commercial units. The battery is not intended to be user-replaceable. I expect that when the battery wears out, it’s time to get a new unit. There are six outlets. All are surge protected and four are on the backup system. Those four are spaced apart enough to allow most power bricks to plug in next to one another. In my test, the switch over was without glitches or any problem. It also will switch to battery (stable power) on low or high voltage events, so if you’re in an area prone to brownouts or spikes, it might be just the protection you need. If you’ve ever had a file or drive scrambled or a firmware update bricked by a power glitch, this will seem like incredibly cheap insurance.

I have multiple APC Battery Backup systems, so when the battery on my larger capacity unit wore out I decided to go with several smaller capacity units for a few different use cases. This unit is going to protect and offer backup power to my Wifi Router and cable modem. My security system and remote battery powered cameras rely on a steady network connection, this unit fit the bill in being able to provide power for my networking equipment. Every time I have a power interruption, my cable modem would have to power cycle back on and boot up, reconnecting to my internet provider. Now those small power interruptions no longer interrupt my internet connectivity. This unit provides just enough battery backup to keep small lower power equipment running. It has 4 widely spaced plugs which provide interrupted power for a few minutes, with two other outlets with just surge suppression capabilities. Given the small battery size you need to use this unit appropriately, do not expect to power equipment with higher wattage requirements with this system. However it performs within the bounds of its capacity. The unit comes in ship mode so the battery is in an inactive state. On the bottom of the unit there is a car fuse like tab that needs to be plugged into a fitting in the bottom of the unit to connect the battery to the power outputs. Fairly simple and much easier than older models where you had to slide off the battery door and connect two connectors. Very easy new design. Pros: - easy, reliable power - quick setup Cons: - small capacity - unit has a real plastic, manufactured odor. Let it air out, it goes away after a few days.

seems to operate well. turned off the power and it maintained electronics immediately. It is heavy and I was surprised it has a lead acid battery. I will have to change it out with a lithium when it dies.