Every evening, my husband makes the same trip around the house. The coffee maker gets unplugged. The toaster loses power. The microwave, phone charger, television, and even the air fryer are disconnected from their outlets.
At first, I thought it was just one of his habits.
But when I finally asked why he did it, he confidently replied, “We’re saving a lot of electricity.”
I wasn’t so sure.
After all, if an appliance is turned off, isn’t it already using zero power? The idea of unplugging nearly everything every single day seemed like more effort than it was worth.
Curious, I decided to look into it.
It turns out my husband wasn’t completely wrong.
Many modern electronics continue to draw a small amount of electricity even when they’re switched off. This is often called “standby” or “phantom” power. Devices with clocks, digital displays, remote controls, or chargers that stay warm can use a tiny amount of energy around the clock.
That said, the savings usually aren’t as dramatic as many people think. Unplugging low-power devices like phone chargers or a toaster may only save a small amount over an entire year. Larger electronics, entertainment systems, desktop computers, and older appliances with standby features are generally the ones that make a more noticeable difference.
For most households, using a power strip with an on/off switch can be a simpler solution. Instead of unplugging several devices individually, you can switch them all off at once when they’re not being used.
There are also other benefits to unplugging electronics. It can help protect some devices during electrical storms and may slightly reduce wear from unexpected power surges.
So, who’s right in our house?
The answer is somewhere in the middle.
My husband is correct that unplugging certain appliances can reduce unnecessary electricity use. I was right that the savings aren’t usually huge for every device. In the end, we compromised by unplugging the biggest standby power users while leaving everyday kitchen appliances alone—and now we’re both happy with the arrangement.
