4 Household Appliances That Use The Most Phantom Electricity

We all want to get the most out of our money when it comes to our energy bills. With the ongoing cost of living crisis, many simply can’t afford to waste money.

But what most people don’t realise is that some of their electrical appliances are costing them money even when they’re not using them. This is known as ‘phantom electricity’ and is estimated to make up 10% of your annual electricity bill. The average person is spending between £70 - £120 on something that they aren’t even using.

To give you a helping hand, Energy Expert Joshua Houston has revealed the household appliances that use the most phantom electricity. Knowing exactly what appliances use the most electricity can help you cut down on your annual electricity bill significantly.

1: Microwave - Saves £30 a year

The microwave is an important part of any kitchen. It’s convenient to heat ready meals and leftovers. It’s one of the most used electrical appliances in the UK, almost every household has one. But they are also big users of phantom electricity. Per hour, they are said to use between 4-7 watts, meaning keeping them unplugged can leave you with up to £30 extra come the end of the year. This is because when only turned off, it also remains in standby mode to maintain its digital clock and memory.

2: Game consoles - Saves £20 a year

Game consoles will be on standby mode if not switched off at the plug. A console can use up to 5 watts of electricity per hour. The reason this is more than a TV, is that gaming systems regularly download and update software whilst offline. This is the reason your console might be hot and making noise, even though you switched it off some time ago. Each year alone, a console can cost you up to £20 in phantom electricity wastage.

3: Dishwashers - Saves £10 per year

When a dishwasher is turned off, power is still being used to maintain functions like the control circuits and digital display. This is estimated to use 3-4 watts of electricity an hour, which works out to around £10 a year. However, depending on the model it could even consume more electricity. To be sure, check your dishwasher’s user manual, which will be able to give you a detailed description of its usage.

4: Television - Saves £10 per year

When using your remote to turn off the TV, you might believe that it is no longer using electricity. However, what you will often notice is a small red light in one of the corners. This means that the TV isn’t off, it is just in standby mode. It does this so that you can quickly turn your television back on when you next use it. But in the meantime, it will use between 1-3 watts of electricity an hour. Over the year, this can cost you up to £10, which is much better in your back pocket.

Joshua Houston, Energy Expert at GreenMatch:

‘’Bills are expensive, so the last thing you want to do is to pay more than you should. Identifying the wasteful household appliances allows you to act. Turning these off will save you close to £100 a year, which can be better spent on treats for yourself and your family.

If you’re a pensioner who has seen their Winter Fuel Payment cut, this will even go a long way in recouping that, allowing you to put that extra money towards heating your home.’’