For many woodworkers, extension cords sometimes make the shop floor look like a plate of pasta. Mounting power-cord reels keeps an extension cord neatly coiled on a spring-loaded winder until it’s needed. Woodhead’s new PowerHouse retractable outlet, designed specifically for residential applications, can be mounted on a wall or sunk flush into the wall, secured directly to the studs. The unit I tested has a 25-ft., 14-ga. grounded cord rated for motors that draw up to 15 amps. A built-in circuit-breaker adds overload protection. The reel is contained in a sturdy 14-in.-square by 3-1/2-in.-deep sheet-steel frame that mounts to a wall with four screws. A 38-in.-long cord plugs directly into a nearby electrical outlet to provide power for the unit. When pulled out, the cord locked in place, and a tug on the cord started the rewind, although sluggishly.  The PowerHouse is available at The Home Depot. 

—Tom Begnal is an associate editor

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