What are the worst appliances to leave on standby? | Energy saving tips | Domestic & General (2024)

FAQs

What are the worst appliances to leave on standby? | Energy saving tips | Domestic & General? ›

The worst appliances to keep on standby

The largest electricity consumer in the average household is your heating and cooling appliance. By a long shot. Central air conditioners and heaters use tons of energy in order to keep your home set to the right temperature.

Which appliances use electricity even when turned off? You would be shocked by how many appliances continue to use electricity even after they've been switched off. Any appliance with an LCD, light, or clock, such as your DVD or DVR player, cable box, television, or microwave, consumes electricity even when turned off.

Gas ovens are the biggest culprits, so if you have the option, opt for a convection or fan oven. If you get into the nitty-gritty, you'll find microwave ovens are where it's at. They use approximately 50% of the energy produced to cook your kai (food)—win.

A typical microwave uses about 0.5 watts in standby, or about 3 kWhrs/year. If its full power is 1000 watts, that would be the equivalent of 3 hours of operation over the course of a year.

All things plugged in will bleed some energy. Called "standby" electricity loss because it's so often associated with electronics in standby or idle mode, it's also known as "phantom" or "vampire" electricity (for obvious reasons). Even turned off, many appliances keep drawing power.

Do ENERGY STAR appliances really save money? ›

Depending on the number and type of appliances you purchase, you can expect to save anywhere between 20 to 50 percent on your monthly energy bills.

ENERGY SAVINGS

Energy efficient appliances and equipment use technologies that are less energy intensive to reduce the amount of electricity used per product.

An ENERGY STAR certified washer/dryer pair will save even more energy and money while doing your laundry. Clothes washers that have earned the ENERGY STAR incorporate advanced technology and functionality to get significantly more water out of your clothes in its final spin cycle than a conventional model.

Heating and cooling are by far the greatest energy users in the home, making up around 40% of your electric bill. Other big users are washers, dryers, ovens, and stoves. Electronic devices like laptops and TVs are usually pretty cheap to run, but of course, it can all add up.

Energy vampires are appliances that continue to use power while plugged in (called phantom power loads), even when turned off or not in use. That's pretty scary, considering how many appliances the average American leaves plugged in!

Researchers at the University of Toronto have found some serious current emanating from a huge cosmic jet 2 billion light years from Earth. At 1018 amps, the current is the strongest current ever seen, equalling something like a trillion bolts of lightning.

Think kettles, hair dryers, tumble dryers and electric showers – they all have a ferocious appetite for electricity.