Whether your electricity bills keep rising, or you just want to get better at reducing your home energy use, it might be time to check your house for energy vampires. Not to be confused with the supernatural kind of energy vampires, we’re talking about appliances and electronics that draw power when they’re plugged in — even when they aren’t in use.
Let’s take a look at what energy vampires are, which household devices use the most vampire energy, and what you can do to stop them from sucking the life out of your energy budget.
What Is Vampire Energy?
Vampire energy, also called phantom energy or standby power, is the electricity that some devices use when they’re turned off but still plugged in to a power outlet.
Common energy vampires for households and small businesses include:
- Electronics and “smart” devices with built-in clocks or displays
- Kitchen appliances like microwaves and coffee makers with standby lights
- Chargers that remain plugged in after a device is fully charged
- Office equipment such as computers, printers, and water coolers
The Department of Energy estimates that vampire energy uses 5% to 10% of household energy use, costing homeowners up to $100 per year.
Why Devices Draw Power When “Off”
In many cases, electricity continues to flow through an adaptor that turns AC power into DC power, even when the device is fully charged or isn’t in use. That’s because the adapter stays “on” as long as it’s plugged in. Some keep sending a small amount of power so the device can turn back on quickly.
Which Electronics Are the Worst Energy Vampires?
If you want to reduce the amount of energy you use in your home, then it helps to know which appliances are the worst energy vampires. Of course, the exact amount of energy a device uses will depend on how old it is, how often you use it, its Energy Star rating, and other factors.
Still, on the whole, these devices use the most vampire energy:
Televisions
TVs can be some of the most energy-sucking devices in your home – especially modern “smart” TVs with all the bells and whistles. That’s because they come with power-hungry features like satellite TV, Wi-Fi connectivity, DVR capabilities, and more. They use energy even when turned off.
Computers
Computers don’t use nearly as much energy as TVs, especially if they’re smaller devices such as laptops and tablets. But their chargers can be major energy vampires, since they’ll keep converting energy even when the battery is fully charged or the device isn’t plugged in. Be sure to unplug the charger from the outlet to avoid using phantom power.
Refrigerators
Refrigerators are major energy vampires, but there’s not much you can do about that except to buy one that’s more energy-efficient. Unless you’re going on vacation, unplugging them is more trouble than it’s worth.
Thermostats
Your thermostat, air conditioner, and hot water heater use a lot of energy, but you can’t turn them off. Your best bet is to choose a smart thermostat and program it so it doesn’t use more power than necessary.
Electric Toothbrush
Because of its small size, this may not seem like a major energy vampire, but if you leave it plugged in all the time, it can be. Once your toothbrush is fully charged, remove it from the charger and unplug it.
Kitchen Appliances
Microwaves, coffee makers, and other small appliances don’t use a lot of power individually, but together, they can add up. Choose items without a clock or digital display to reduce their power consumption.
Which Appliances Use the Most Energy?
*Source: EIA
Besides being mindful of the top energy vampires, you can save a lot on your electric bills by watching your usage of high-energy appliances. Here’s a closer look at the total household electricity used by some appliances.
Heating & Cooling (HVAC)
Heating and cooling systems are have high energy consumption, being responsible for a third of your home energy use. Air conditioning generally uses more electricity than electric heat, but both rank high in energy use.
Water Heaters
Water heaters use about 11% of your home’s total energy usage. However, these numbers could be higher if your home uses more hot water than average or you have an older, less efficient water heater.
Refrigerators & Freezers
Refrigerators and freezers use approximately 9% of your home’s overall energy consumption. They’re always on to ensure food doesn’t spoil, and some homes have more than one fridge. These high-energy appliances sometimes use more energy than usual to cool the air when not full.
Clothes Dryers & Washers
Together, clothes washers and electric dryers use about 5% of a household’s total energy consumption, depending on how efficient your washer and dryer are.
Cooking Appliances
Cooking appliances use around 2% of a home’s total household energy use, with ovens typically using more of the energy in this category. Your home may use more or less, depending on your appliances’ energy efficiency and fuel needs (gas or electric) and your usage habits.
Vampire vs. Active Use: Side‑by‑Side Comparison
Here’s a look at the energy consumption rates of everyday household electronics when in use and when on standby:
| Device | Average Standby Power Use | Average Active Use |
| Smart TV | 0.5-3 watts | 50-200 watts |
| Desktop computer | Up to 5 watts | 200-300 watts |
| Microwave | Up to 7 watts | 600-1000 watts |
| Smartphone charger | 1 watt | 5-10 watts |
| Window AC | 2-10 watts | 500-1500 watts |
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How Can You Reduce Energy Waste in Your Home?
Once you’ve gone through your house and taken note of all of the appliances that use vampire energy, what can you do to stop them? Fortunately, there are several ways to reduce the impact of energy vampires on your electricity bill:
Unplug appliances when they aren’t in use
The most effective way to reduce vampire energy is to disconnect them from the power source entirely. After all, appliances can’t use electricity if they’re not plugged in. If it’s too much of a hassle to unplug devices that you use every day, at least unplug items that you only use occasionally, such as an electric razor or blender.
And remember: chargers need to be unplugged too. Even if they feel cool to the touch and don’t seem to be using any energy, they probably are!
Use a smart power strip
The next best thing is to plug your devices into power strips. The NREL has this handy list of different types of power strips that are suitable for different rooms of the house.
For example, you could use a power strip that’s on a timer and turns off every night, or a remote-controlled power strip that’s easy to turn off when you leave the house. You can even find power strips that can sense activity and turn on and off automatically. Additionally, consider using an outlet timer, so that energy vampires aren’t “plugged in” all day.
Do a home energy audit
A home energy audit is a service in which a professional auditor comes to your home to assess your energy use and make recommendations. Although a detailed energy audit can cost up to $400, it can help you save money in the long run.
Most audits focus on things like air leaks, ventilation, and insulation in order to improve the efficiency of your heating and cooling system. But an energy auditor can also help you choose better lighting options and more energy-efficient electronics.
If you don’t want to spend money on a professional audit, you can buy a plug-in energy meter to calculate your energy usage yourself.
Explore Just Energy’s plans:
Choose appliances without always-on displays
These days, more and more devices have digital displays, and sometimes you can’t do without them. But how many clocks do you really need in your kitchen? If you can, buy appliances that don’t have unnecessary LED lights or always-on displays. Blinking or glowing lights are often a sign that something is an energy vampire.
Keep devices in good working order
Finally, ensure that your devices are all working properly. If your electronic devices are unable to hold a charge, make weird noises when they’re plugged in, or are hot to the touch, then there may be a problem with the battery or converter.
For larger appliances like air conditioners and refrigerators, choose models with a high Energy Star rating so they don’t use more power than they need to.
Energy Vampire FAQs
What appliance uses the most electricity overall?
Your heating and cooling (HVAC) system uses the most energy overall.
Does leaving chargers plugged in waste a lot?
Leaving charges plugged in can waste a meaningful amount of energy because the wasted energy adds up. However, leaving one or two chargers plugged in is unlikely to make any difference in your energy bills. Note that chargers can pull energy even when a device isn’t connected.
How much electricity does a water heater use?
On average, water heaters make up between 11% of your total energy consumption.
Can smart plugs eliminate vampire energy?
Yes, smart plugs can help because some are designed not to pull energy when devices are in standby mode or aren’t being used.
Are ENERGY STAR appliances worth the upfront cost?
Yes, ENERGY STAR appliances are generally worth the upfront cost because your long-term savings typically outweigh the higher initial price.
Ready to Reduce Your Energy Bill?
Personal energy usage is just one component of your electricity costs. If you’ve already gone through your home to eliminate energy vampires and your electricity bill is still too high, then you may need to shop around to get better rates from another provider.
With Just Energy, you can choose a fixed-rate plan so you don’t have to worry about your electricity bill increasing due to changes in supply or demand. You’ll pay a fixed rate per kilowatt-hour, so you know that your energy costs are based on your actual energy usage, and not on the ups and downs of the marketplace. Simply enter your ZIP code to find a plan that’s right for you.
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