Two things you should unplug in your home to save money on energy bills, according to experts
Some 'power-hungry gadgets' will cost you money even in standby mode - here's more advice on how to save money on your bills
by Alex Evans, Sonia Sharma · ChronicleLiveConsumer experts say householders can cut their energy bills by unplugging two appliances in their home.
According to Which?, one way to reduce costs is by unplugging items that use a surprising amount of electricity, even when they’re doing absolutely nothing. Most people are aware of how much it costs to run high energy use appliances like tumble dryers, ovens and boilers.
However, there are some appliances which simply sit on standby and add money to your bill, even when they’re not doing anything at all, reports the Express. Which? says wireless speakers/smart speakers and sound bars are bad for guzzling energy on standby.
It said: "They're the most power-hungry gadgets in standby, costing around £6 per year (based on 20 standby hours per day)." While £6 may not sound like a lot, but it’s £6 per speaker, and £6 for doing nothing.
Other appliances worth checking are PCs, games consoles and TVs. Most such devices are effectively designed to never be fully switched off, and instead sit on standby so that they can be turned on at a moment’s notice.
But because of modern design, a PC takes only a few more seconds to start up from a cold start than it does to come off standby. So you’re really gaining nothing by leaving it on standby other than adding more money to your bills.
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