These “Vampire Devices” Could Add Hundreds to Your Power Bill

Look around your house. Do you own devices with remote controls or continuous displays? These devices likely consume more energy than you realize.

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These appliances are often termed as “energy vampires” because they continue to draw power even when switched off or idle.

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They utilize electricity even when not in operation, leading to additional costs and increased emissions. This surplus energy is called “vampire energy” or “phantom loads.” It's produced by adapters converting AC into DC and circuits that stay active even when the devices are turned off.

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Vampire energy costs an average U.S. household an extra $300 per year. Check these three places for vampire devices:

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Home Office

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If you use a desktop computer at home for work, gaming, or internet browsing, it likely consumes a significant amount of energy. Leaving a desktop computer plugged in can add more than $23 to your annual energy bill. The monitor, if left turned on, can add another $1.53 per year, and a modem or router can add nearly $7 per year. These amounts might not seem substantial individually, but they can quickly accumulate if you have multiple devices running throughout your house.

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Kitchen Appliances

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When you leave kitchen appliances such as the coffee machine plugged in, they may seem harmless but they still consume 1-3 watts of energy even when not in use. Adding other devices like a microwave, a small kitchen television, and a toaster oven to the mix can easily help you save $10-20 per year.

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Television and entertainment systems

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Even if you turn off your TV using the remote, it continues to consume energy if it remains plugged in, costing you an additional $20 per year. If a cable company-provided set-top box is attached to your TV, it can add another $50 to your bill. Keeping audio systems plugged in can cost an extra $10 per year, and devices such as CD players or record players can add at least $5 more.

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The carbon cost of vampire energy

Vampire energy is not just a money suck, it’s also contributing to the climate crisis. In the U.S. alone, if we cut the vampire energy consumption in half, it would be the equivalent of turning off the carbon emissions of a country like Jordan or Lebanon.

If you want to save money and energy, here are some steps that you can take:

• Use smart power strips that automatically turn off power to connected electronics when not in use.
• Connect these devices to power strips or plugs with switches so that you can easily turn them off.
• Use ENERGY STAR-certified devices that are designed to minimize phantom loads.
• Try disabling standby modes and minimizing displays on devices that have digital clocks, like coffee machines and microwaves

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