We love this power supply!  It's small and efficient, yet "beefy" (meaning it has a lot of current).  Designed to fit in a power strip without blocking other outlets and regulated (ripples removed) you get a whole Amp (1000mA) current to drive your circuits. 

Features

Here are the main features of this low cost, switching power supply:

• Worldwide Voltage Support (100V-240VAC input)
• US/North American Input Plug (Plug converter required for other locations)
• 12V DC Output, Regulated
• Barrel is a standard 5.1mm length & 2.1mm diameter
• 12V on the tip, GND on the outer ring
• CE/UL Listed
• Perfect for driving processors & electronic modules having a 5V regulator on-board
• Perfect for many 12V devices, such as LED light strips, solenoids, switches, coin acceptors & much more!

Technical Details

Dimensions (wall wart):

• Wall Wart Dimensions: 57.86mm x 23.69mm x 48.5mm / 2.28in x 0.93in x 1.91in
• Cable length: 147cm / 58in
• Cable Diameter: 3.5mm / 0.13in

Tutorial for Beginners

All small power supplies are the "switching" type.  You might be wondering what this means.  In the old days, the most common way to make a DC power supply was to use a transformer, a bridge rectifier (diodes connected in a certain way) and some additional electronics to 1) create a DC voltage (i.e. get rid of the high-voltage AC sine wave that is at the wall socket and turn it into a flat, single low-voltage value) , 2) change the value from 100-240 VAC to something much lower that electronic circuits can handle without getting fried and 3) filter out some of the electrical noise that comes into the outlet.  It's a great way to make a power supply and was widely used for many years, however, the down side is the more current you need, the larger the transformer has to be.  Even the smallest transformer can be quite heavy and bulky.  The solution?  Make your power supply the "switching" type that has a much smaller transformer. 

Switching power supplies use capacitors and inductors to store energy and timed electronics to harvest the energy from these devices in a way that gives you a rock-steady DC voltage.  You can find lots of tutorials about these power supplies on the internet if you would like to learn more about them.  Sensitive circuits may react to the frequency it switches at (usally in the kHz range), however, these supplies are perfect for digital and non-critical applications.