Although household appliance manufacturers have more modern and efficient designs these days, you should still turn them off when you’re not using them. This will help you save money and the environment! To get started, you should keep the following 18 appliances turned off when they’re not in use.
Microwaves
Microwaves use an average of 1.2kW per hour, and this can either be lower or higher depending on the size of the unit. It’s one of those appliances that uses the most energy in your home, even when it’s on standby—just plugged into the wall without being used.
Light Bulbs
Lightbulbs may use a “measly” 2W to 100W of energy per hour, but they’re arguably the most prone to being left on when they aren’t needed. One intuitive solution here is to install motion-sensing lighting fixtures, or even better, just remember to turn them off during the day!
Water Heater
It’s tempting to leave the water heater on so that you can have immediate access to hot water, but at an average 4,000 W per hour rating, that’s not smart. In fact, the Department of Energy claims that water heaters account for 18% of your home’s energy usage!
Televisions
TVs rack up a staggering 620,000 kWh annually, and when on standby, they still consume an average of 5% of their regular ratings. This makes it important to turn them off; you should always check rooms where TVs aren’t in use, as these are common culprits for unnecessary TV loads.
Washing Machines
Washing machines use about the same amount of energy as microwaves (1.4kWh), but they run for almost five times longer per cycle. When it comes to standby energy consumption, hardly any home appliance beats washing machines, which makes them prime targets on our list.
Dishwashers
Although they’re smaller than washing machines, dishwashers still use a lot of energy, even on standby! These appliances consume more energy than most other appliances in your home (up to 2,400kWh) and use a considerable 3W per hour when just plugged in. Yikes!
Video Game Consoles
With video games, there’s an additional variable to consider–rest mode (or ‘Sleep mode’ on Xbox consoles). When consoles are in this standby mode, they still consume up to a huge 3W per hour. This means it’s best to turn them off completely when rest mode isn’t necessary.
Computers and Laptops
When they aren’t in use, it’s also a very good idea to unplug your laptops or turn the switches off on your desktops, as Stanford shares how they easily add up to 5W to your hourly bill. Remember–your laptops run on batteries, so you also save extra by unplugging them when they’re full.
Phone Chargers
There isn’t too much to worry about with phone chargers, as they only use a maximum of 30W per hour with a phone connected and 0.26W without one. However, like lightbulbs, they’re also prone to being left connected to an active power supply, which unnecessarily adds to your bill.
Sound Systems
It’s easy to forget that your sound system is switched on, too—especially when you aren’t playing audio through it. Some only use about 8W per hour, but be particularly wary about the higher-end Class A amplifiers. These can use a whopping 2,000W per hour and may consume over 20W on standby.
Air Conditioners
Only a few appliances can match the energy usage of air conditioners, which consume up to 4,100kWh per hour! To avoid wasting energy, you should always ensure windows are shut when using them, and you should avoid using standby mode, as you’ll lose an average of 1.8kWh!
Printers
If you still own a printer, it’s important to turn off the power supply. These unassuming appliances use up to 5W per hour when just plugged in and an additional 2W when put in sleep mode. Most people only use them occasionally, yet they’re easy to accidentally leave turned on.
Set-top Boxes
According to Bloomberg, set-top boxes take the undisputed top spot when it comes to power usage in standby mode. The company reveals how older cable TV consoles pulled up to 25W of energy per hour by just being plugged into a power supply, which is pretty outrageous!
Coffee Makers
Coffee makers also use considerable amounts of energy, as they typically have a 500 W to 1,200W rating when in use. When you don’t need them to brew your homemade latte, just turn them off to save yourself about 8.4 kWh of yearly standby energy usage. Why wouldn’t you!?
Rice Cookers
Rice cookers use relatively little energy compared to other kitchen appliances, but you should be wary of them regardless. A 300W-rated rice cooker, used daily, can easily attract 108kWh worth of annual energy bills, and we haven’t even mentioned the impact of standby mode yet!
Ovens
With ovens, it’s not just about the mega 5,000W energy usage when in use or considerable consumption in standby. Ovens are high-load appliances that pose huge fire hazards in your home, and hence, for safety, you have to unplug them whenever you leave the house.
Wireless Modems
CNBC calls them “vampire modems” and narrates how they can unnecessarily cost Americans up to $1 billion annually! With 5G models circulating today, you best believe that wireless modems suck up even more energy. An added advantage of turning them off is that hackers can’t infiltrate your home network, so it’s a win-win.
Dryers
Last but not least, with up to 3,000W in hourly ratings, clothes dryers are super high-energy appliances you don’t want to leave running when not in use. Using them only once per week already sets you back by 156kWh worth of energy bills, and leaving them plugged in leaves you exposed to unnecessary 2W hourly usage.
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