Yes, unplugging appliances saves electricity, but the savings are modest. Standby or phantom power typically makes up 5 to 10 percent of a home’s electricity use, which works out to roughly $100 to $200 a year for an average household. Most of that comes from a handful of devices, so targeting them beats unplugging everything.
| Device in standby | Typical standby watts | Approximate cost per year |
|---|---|---|
| Cable or satellite box with DVR | 15 to 30 W | $20 to $45 |
| Game console in instant on mode | 5 to 15 W | $7 to $22 |
| Desktop computer and monitor, sleep | 3 to 10 W | $4 to $15 |
| Soundbar or home theater receiver | 2 to 10 W | $3 to $15 |
| Printer | 2 to 5 W | $3 to $7 |
| Microwave or coffee maker with clock | 1 to 4 W | $1 to $6 |
| Modern TV in standby | 0.5 to 3 W | $1 to $4 |
| Phone charger with nothing attached | Under 0.5 W | Under $1 |
Costs assume electricity at about 17 cents per kWh, close to the 2026 US residential average. Your rate may be higher or lower.
What is phantom power?
Phantom power, also called standby power or vampire load, is electricity a device draws while it is switched off or idle but still plugged in. It powers clocks, remote control sensors, network connections that allow instant start and quick updates, and the transformers inside power adapters. Each device draws only a little, but they run 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
A quick rule helps put it in perspective: one watt of power drawn all year adds up to about 8.8 kWh. At typical rates, every watt of always on standby costs roughly $1 to $2 a year. A cable box drawing 25 watts around the clock costs more than many people expect, while a phone charger with nothing attached barely registers.
How much money does unplugging appliances save?
An average US home uses around 10,000 to 11,000 kWh a year. If 5 to 10 percent of that is standby load, phantom power costs roughly $100 to $200 a year. You will not eliminate all of it, because some devices need to stay on, like the refrigerator, a Wi Fi router, security systems, smoke alarms and medical equipment. Realistically, most households can cut $50 to $150 a year by targeting the biggest standby users.
Compare that with the appliances that drive most of your bill. Heating and cooling, water heating, the dryer and the refrigerator use far more electricity than everything in standby combined. Our guide to which appliances use the most electricity breaks down the big users, and it is usually where the larger savings are.
Which appliances are worth unplugging?
Worth unplugging or switching off
- Entertainment centers: TV, game console, soundbar, streaming boxes and older receivers. Put them on one power strip and switch it off at night.
- Game consoles in instant on mode: switch to the energy saving setting, or turn them fully off.
- Home office gear: desktop computer, monitors, printer, speakers and external drives.
- Rarely used appliances: guest room TVs, a second refrigerator in the garage that sits nearly empty, and old electronics in spare rooms.
- Small kitchen appliances with heating elements: toaster ovens and coffee makers, for safety as much as savings.
Leave these plugged in
- Refrigerators and freezers.
- Wi Fi routers and modems, if you rely on them for security cameras, smart thermostats or work.
- Security systems, smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, and medical devices.
- Cable or satellite DVRs that need to record, though many have an eco or power saving mode worth turning on.
What are the easiest ways to cut phantom power?
- Use switched power strips. One switch turns off a whole entertainment center or desk. Advanced strips cut power to accessories when the main device turns off.
- Install smart plugs or smart outlets. Schedule devices to turn off overnight or while you are at work, and see how much each one draws.
- Change device settings. Turn off instant on, quick start and always listening modes on TVs, consoles and speakers.
- Measure before you guess. An inexpensive plug in energy meter shows exactly what each device uses in standby.
- Replace very old electronics. Newer devices are built to much lower standby limits than equipment from 15 or 20 years ago.
If the outlets behind your TV or desk are hard to reach, an electrician can add a wall switch to control an outlet, typically $150 to $350, or install smart outlets for about $100 to $250 each. Smart home upgrades are covered in more detail in our guide to smart home installation.
Does unplugging appliances help the environment?
It helps a little, in the same proportion as the savings. Across millions of homes, standby power adds up to a meaningful share of national electricity demand, and every kWh not used is one less kWh generated, much of it still from natural gas and coal. For a single household, cutting 300 to 600 kWh a year of standby load is a small but real reduction. The larger environmental gains come from the same places as the larger savings: efficient heating and cooling, LED lighting, a well sealed home and replacing old appliances with efficient models when they wear out.
Is unplugging appliances safer?
Unplugging adds a small safety benefit. Devices that are unplugged cannot be damaged by power surges during a thunderstorm, and small heating appliances like toasters and space heaters are safer unplugged when not in use. Plugging and unplugging often can wear out loose outlets, though. If plugs fall out easily, outlets feel warm, or you see scorch marks, that outlet needs attention; our guide to troubleshooting electrical outlets explains the warning signs.
For bigger savings, look past standby power to insulation, AC efficiency and the thermostat. Our article on energy efficiency upgrades covers the changes that move a summer bill by far more than unplugging can.
With House Fly you see an upfront price for electrical work like switched or smart outlets, you book at that price, and House Fly handles the rest. Payment is held until the job is done.
See your upfront price and book your electrical work on House Fly.
Frequently asked questions
How much electricity do appliances use when turned off?
Most modern devices draw under 1 to 5 watts in standby, but cable boxes, DVRs and game consoles in instant on mode can draw 10 to 30 watts. Across a whole home, standby power typically adds up to 5 to 10 percent of electricity use, roughly $100 to $200 a year.
Does unplugging a phone charger save money?
Barely. A modern phone charger with nothing attached usually draws less than half a watt, which costs under $1 a year. Unplug chargers if it is convenient, but you will save far more by switching off an entertainment center or turning off instant on mode on a game console.
Should I unplug my TV when not in use?
A modern TV uses only 0.5 to 3 watts in standby, so unplugging it alone saves just a few dollars a year. The bigger win is the equipment around it, such as cable boxes, consoles and soundbars. Plug the whole setup into one switched strip and turn it off at night.
Do smart plugs save electricity?
They can, when used to cut power to devices with high standby draw on a schedule. A smart plug itself uses a small amount of power, often under 1 watt, so it makes sense for entertainment centers, office equipment and garage appliances, not for chargers or lamps that already draw almost nothing when off.
What uses more electricity than phantom power?
Heating and cooling are the biggest users in most homes, followed by water heating, clothes dryers, refrigerators and cooking. A few degrees on the thermostat, a clean AC filter or better attic insulation will usually save more in a month than unplugging small electronics saves in a year.
