I didn't know there was a difference either, but I do noticed that they are different colors and I thought that is why the price difference, but I guess not.
Yes I do plug my machine into a surge protector. My husband makes sure that I do. Every electronic thing in cluding apartment sized washer and dryer are plugged into a surge protector.
I have a sad story that involved a surge protector.
About 10 years ago, my friend saved up enough money to finally buy her family a computer. She bought it at Staples for Christmas. She was really happy with what they sold her since she knew nothing about computers. She gets it home, kids are in bed, they get a surge protector and it was a nice one at that plug it in all ready for morning to come and to see the excitement on their faces to see they finally did get a computer. They lived in an old old single wide mobile home and directly behind their house was one of those transformer big old huge things for the electric up on a power pole. It was storming and raining and thunder and lightning. Well, a lightning strike hit that power pole and went into their mobile home and FRIED the computer, EVERY SINGLE thing that they had plugged in. Stove and refrigerator, TV, everything. All the other mobile homes and many many many homes were affected. So, the surge protector did no good, but this was not in the least the fault of the surge protector. The power company paid alot of people for their damage and didn't put up a fuss about it at all. Luckily my friend had Renters Insurance and it covered all her losses.