Does Unplugging Appliances Really Save Money? Sorting Myth From Math
Updated September 2026
Bottom line: Technically yes, practically only for a handful of devices. Unplugging chargers, toasters and lamps saves under a dollar a year each — folklore, not finance. Unplugging (or de-configuring) game consoles in instant-on mode, cable DVRs, sleeping desktops and old AV stacks saves $15–40 a year each. The whole category maxes out around 5–10% of the bill; a thermostat degree or a 120°F water heater competes with all of it combined.
The per-device honesty table
Modern standby regulation flattened the folklore: phone chargers idle under 0.5W (~70¢/year), TVs under 1W, microwaves and coffee machines with clocks 1–3W ($1.50–4.50/year). Unplug them if it pleases you; the bill won't notice. The toaster draws nothing at all when off — it has a mechanical switch.
The real standby spenders share a trait: they're computers pretending to be off. Consoles in instant-on/rest mode (10–15W → $15–22/year each), cable DVRs (15–25W → $22–37/year), desktops in light sleep, plasma-era AV receivers, and warm wall-warts on old routers and printers. Those are worth a settings pass or a switched strip.
Fix it with settings before cords
Most of the meaningful phantom load dies in menus, not at outlets: consoles have energy-saver modes (boot takes 30 seconds longer, saves $20/year), PCs have aggressive-sleep settings, TVs have 'quick start' toggles that exist purely to burn standby watts. Free, permanent, no daily cord ritual required.
For the rest, one switched power strip per cluster — AV stack, desk, workshop — turns 'unplug everything' into one thumb press. Smart plugs earn their place only on schedules for real loads; each one draws about a watt itself, and a smart plug guarding a phone charger is a net loss.
Perspective: what actually moves a bill
The entire unplugging project, executed perfectly, recovers 5–10% for a typical home. Compare the heavyweights: one thermostat degree ≈ 3% of heating/cooling, water heater 140→120°F ≈ 5–10% of its line, cold-wash laundry, and full-load-only dishwasher and dryer habits — each competes with or beats the whole phantom category.
The rational order: settings pass on the computers-pretending-to-be-off (one evening, permanent), one or two switched strips, then spend all remaining energy-saving attention on HVAC, hot water and the big appliances, where our other guides and every appliance page on this site do the per-state math.
FAQ
How much money does unplugging appliances save?+
The full category is 5–10% of a typical bill (~$100–200/year), concentrated in consoles, DVRs, desktops and old AV gear at $15–40 each. Chargers, toasters and clocks are under $1 each — not worth the ritual.
Which appliances should I unplug?+
Focus on 'computers pretending to be off': game consoles (or switch them out of instant-on), cable boxes/DVRs you don't record with, sleeping desktops, and aging AV stacks — ideally via one switched power strip per cluster.
Does leaving a phone charger plugged in cost money?+
About 50–70¢ a year. It's fine to unplug for tidiness or safety, but as an energy measure it's folklore — regulations pushed idle chargers below half a watt years ago.