I don't and I keep my machine unplugged unless I'm using it. It probably depends on how attached you are to your sewing machine. If it's a cheapie from a big box store and if it breaks you are just going to get a new one, then go ahead. If it's a more expensive machine, I wouldn't. You should check with your insurance agent to see how much, if anything, you would get for your machine if it was destroyed by a surge. The strips that you get most places aren't much good. The ones we used at work cost hundreds of dollars and still were not 100% guaranteed.