Save Money On Your Power Bill By Unplugging These Gadgets At Night

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Whether you’re concerned about the environment, your monthly energy bill, or both, you can reduce your power consumption by unplugging certain idle household devices. Gadgets can consume electricity while idle, a phenomenon referred to as “standby power.” These gadgets, known as “energy vampire devices,” are worse than others, so you don’t have to unplug every idle gadget in your home. Electronics that you rarely use, like empty battery chargers, Blu-ray players, and heated pet beds, are easy choices. For other devices that you use frequently, focus on the ones that are draining your home’s energy and only plug them in when you need to use them. 

Unplugging the worst energy vampire devices may only save you a few dollars every year. One or two won’t make a big difference on your monthly energy bill. That said, if you unplug enough devices sucking up standby power, you might make a dent. Start by unplugging the following devices, and get a power meter to identify other electronics in your home that are using too much energy when on standby. You can also get a USB-C power meter, a mini gadget you didn’t know you needed.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy’s 2011 Buildings Energy Data Book, coffee makers are among the worst offenders, consuming up to 70 watts of electricity per year while idle. Traditional drip coffee makers likely consume so much energy while idle due to features like an LCD display that shows the time or an internal timer that can be set to make coffee ahead of time. The coffee machine may also require additional power while idle to keep its components ready, thereby speeding up the process when you decide you need a cup. So, unless you need the machine to stay on to keep the pot warm, consider unplugging it. If you forget often, you might want to try a timer plug. It can be customized to turn the machine on and off at specific times. 

While traditional coffee machines seem to be power hungry, even when idle, even modern single-cup appliances like Keurig’s and Nespresso’s are guilty of being energy vampires. The amount of standby power these coffee machines use varies. Those with standby modes that keep water hot will suck up more energy.

Whether you have a minimal computer or a high-end gaming PC, all of them consume electricity when they’re on standby, especially if you put the computer to sleep, rather than shutting it down. Gaming PCs, which use power-hungry components like dedicated GPUs, are more likely to consume additional electricity. On average, a desktop computer on standby can draw enough power to add $23 to your electricity bill yearly. Computer monitors and other peripherals can increase the amount by $30 per year. While that’s less than the cost of a computer mouse, it’s still worth considering, especially if you have additional PCs throughout the house.

Unplugging the computer ensures it’s not sucking power when it’s on standby. If you use the computer every day for work, it can be a hassle to plug the computer back in every morning and wait for it to start up. Using an SSD as your boot drive can speed up the time it takes for the computer to start— the biggest SSD you can buy in 2025 will also help if you’re always short on storage space. 

Game consoles are some of the worst offenders when it comes to standby power. The PS5’s Rest Mode puts the console to sleep, allowing it to update itself, charge devices, and resume games right where you left off. While it’s very convenient and something of a game-changer, it can use up between 3.8 to 4.2 W, depending on the model you have. You can lower that number by adjusting what the console uses while it’s idle, such as turning off the power supplied to USB ports for charging. The PS4 also features a low-power Rest Mode, which can consume up to 7.8 W, depending on the model. Turning the PS5 off uses less power, as the console doesn’t need to connect to the internet to check for updates; however, it still consumes energy. Up to 0.2 W, to be specific. Other modern consoles, like the Switch 2, behave similarly, with rest modes that draw power to keep games ready when you return. 

It’s understandable to leave the console plugged in if you’re in the middle of a game and can’t save. However, if you can save the game, you might want to unplug it if your energy bill is a concern. The PS5 is already expensive enough, so you can instead save some amount on energy bills.

The internet is an integral part of daily life, which is why most people leave their modems and routers powered on all day. While it doesn’t seem like it consumes much power, especially since most people forget it’s there, modems and routers consume as much energy as a 32-inch TV. All told, these devices consume as much as $1 billion worth of electricity across the country. 

Newer Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7 routers increase bandwidth and improve range, which is great for getting the most out of your internet connection. The tradeoff is higher energy consumption. Mesh Wi-Fi routers also consume more energy, as they rely on multiple devices placed throughout the home. There’s nothing wrong with using these routers, and keeping them on at night is practical if you have smart home-connected devices that require an internet connection, such as smart bulbs and security cameras. However, if you don’t need the router while you’re sleeping, consider unplugging it.