I am by no means qualified to answer this but I will tell you what I know. I believe the quality of the surge suppressor is based, at least partly, on the joules that it is capable of handling. Thus the higher the joules the better protection you get. That being said I have no answer to your question other than some recep. ones may be better than a panel one and vice versa. Whole panel protectors, those that are not part of the panel, are even more protective.