Why do you keep bringing up lightning strikes? OP didn't say they had a lightning strike. They had a power surge (they're guessing). Can happen for many reasons OTHER than lightning strikes.
Those other surges act just like lightning. A surge (from lightning or other sources) is an electrical current hunting for earth ground. Either it is connected to earth BEFORE entering. Or finds earth ground destructively via some appliance. Does not matter if lightning, a failed transformer, due to a stray car, or created by linemen errors. It is still a surge - a current hunting for earth ground. That easily blows through a near zero joule UPS.
Pathetic is wild speculation that a major appliance power cycling causes a surge. If true, then surges are happening 120 times every second. It is called AC electricity. Power goes from maximum to zero 120 times. So 120 surges occur every second? Another classic example of the electrically naive inventing lies and myths using wild speculation.
If appliances are creating surges, then all were replacing clocks, GFCIs, TV. dishwasher, and smoke detectors hourly. Obviously anyone (who asks damning questions) could see through that fabrication.
Voltage can change so much that an incandescent bulb doubles intensity or dims to 50%. That fluctuation remains an idea voltage for all electronics. However that same variation is problematic for less robust motorized appliances. Therefore what needs battery backup protection? A refrigerator, furnace, and dishwasher. Why are those not harmed? Because AC utilities must maintain voltages to protect motorized appliances. Or cut off power. Destructive fluctuation only exists when propaganda has brainwashed those want to be ordered how to think.
If destructive voltage variations exist, then one is constantly replacing a washing machine and central air. Obviously those destructive voltage variation do not exist. So nobody is putting a UPS on a garage door opener.
UPS has one purpose. Temporary power so that unsaved data can be saved (and to avert pesky reboots). UPS does nothing to protect saved data or hardware. But the so many automatically believed lies from advertising, hearsay, and wild speculation. Why are those so many unprotected appliance not replaced every day? Because spikes even from power cycling appliances is another example of bad fiction.
OP, ignore people who were told by spin (advertising) to fear an invented threat. He could not even post one number to support his fable. That wirecutter.com and cnet.com citations obviously are lies. Not one required fact or numbers ... so it was written by Mad Men.
If one does not properly earth a 'whole house' solution, then damage is directly traceable to human mistakes. All over the world (and over 100 years ago), direct lightning strikes and similar surges create no damage. In part, because they do not make damage easier by spending tens of times more money on magic plug-in boxes. Or spend much more on less protection inside a UPS.