Yes, unplugging appliances saves electricity. The Department of Energy estimates that phantom load — the power devices draw while plugged in but not actively in use — accounts for up to 10 percent of the average home's monthly electricity bill. That's not a huge number on its own, but it's also one of the easiest categories of waste to eliminate. Here's exactly what to unplug, what to leave alone, and how to make it effortless.
Phantom load, also called vampire power or standby power, is the electricity a device draws whenever it's plugged in — even when it's turned off, not charging anything, or sitting in standby mode. The device isn't doing anything useful, but it's still pulling a small current from the outlet continuously.
Individually, the draw from any one device is tiny. But a typical home has dozens of plugged-in devices across every room, running 24 hours a day. The DOE's estimate of 5 to 10 percent of monthly electricity use adds up to roughly $100 to $200 per year for the average household, for power that's doing nothing for you.
These are the devices worth unplugging when not in use, ranked roughly by how much phantom load they typically draw:
Cable boxes and DVRs: One of the worst offenders. Cable boxes often draw 15 to 30 watts continuously, even when you think they're off, because they're constantly downloading programming updates in the background. If you're not watching live TV regularly, this is worth putting on a smart power strip.
Gaming consoles: Consoles in standby or rest mode draw significantly more power than you'd expect — older console generations especially. If you're not gaming daily, plug your console into a power strip and cut the power when you're done.
Phone and laptop chargers: Most people leave chargers plugged in all the time. A charger with nothing connected still draws a small current. It's not a huge amount per charger, but if you have four or five scattered around the house running constantly, it adds up. Make it a habit to pull the charger when you're not using it.
Coffee makers and microwaves: If yours has a digital clock display, it's drawing power around the clock to keep that display running. Unless you genuinely need to know the time on the opposite side of the kitchen, unplug it between uses.
Small kitchen appliances: Toasters, food processors, blenders, and juicers draw phantom load whenever they're plugged in. They also warm up instantly, so there's no reason to keep them connected. Unplug after each use.
Desktop computers and monitors: Sleep mode is not the same as off. A computer in sleep mode still draws power. A monitor left on standby still draws power. If you're done for the day, shut down the computer and turn off the monitor. Better yet, plug your whole desk setup into a power strip and flip it off.
Printers: Printers in standby mode draw more power than most people realize, and most people print infrequently enough that keeping the printer continuously powered doesn't make sense. Plug it in when you need it, unplug when you're done.
Some devices should stay plugged in. Unplugging these would be impractical or counterproductive:
Refrigerator and freezer: These need to run continuously to maintain temperature. Unplugging them would spoil your food. Leave them alone.
Router and modem: Unplugging these cuts your internet. Unless you're leaving for an extended trip, leave them plugged in.
Smart home hubs and security systems: These need continuous power to function. Don't unplug them.
Medical devices: CPAP machines, nebulizers, and any other medical equipment should always stay plugged in and ready.
Alarm clocks: If it's your backup alarm, keep it plugged in.
If the idea of unplugging individual devices sounds tedious, a smart power strip solves it. A smart power strip lets you cut power to everything connected to it with one switch. For your entertainment center — TV, soundbar, gaming console, streaming device, cable box — one flip of the strip cuts power to all of it simultaneously.
Some smart power strips go further. They detect when a primary device like your TV turns off and automatically cut power to secondary outlets, eliminating phantom load from the entire setup without any action on your part.
For your home office, plug your computer, monitor, printer, and speakers into one strip. When you're done for the day, flip the strip. Done.
Smart power strips typically run $25 to $50 and pay for themselves within a year for a household with a full entertainment setup.
Eliminating phantom load won't transform your electricity bill on its own. But here's a realistic estimate of what consistent unplugging is worth:
If phantom load accounts for 10 percent of your bill and your average monthly bill is $150, that's $15 per month — $180 per year — going toward devices that aren't doing anything for you. For a household with a higher bill, say $250 per month in Texas summer, that's $25 per month or $300 per year.
The highest-impact single change is a smart power strip for your entertainment center, which typically handles cable box, gaming console, and TV phantom load in one shot. Add one for your home office and you've addressed most of the problem with two purchases and zero ongoing effort.