7 appliances to unplug every day to reduce your electricity bill

With electricity bills set to rise by almost 10% for households across France, here are seven appliances you can unplug each day to lower your monthly bill.

At a time when controlling energy use has become a priority for both financial and environmental reasons, it is worth reviewing everyday habits. Industry professionals estimate that as much as 10% of an electricity bill may result from appliances left on standby. In other words, a meaningful share of a household’s annual energy spending could be avoided through straightforward actions and changes to how domestic equipment is used.

In France, the same estimates suggest that between 15 and 50 electrical and electronic appliances are left on standby in a typical home. Although they may appear to be switched off, standby mode still uses a considerable amount of electricity.

Most of these devices keep a small transformer running continuously, converting alternating current into direct current and creating additional energy costs. Since 2017, an EU directive has set a maximum standby consumption of 0.5 W for appliances, rising to 3 W for connected devices.

Even with this rule in place, residual consumption can exceed 50 watts per household, resulting in a substantial increase in electricity bills, estimated at at least €80 per year.

The 7 appliances to unplug to reduce your electricity bill

To save money, simply unplugging a few appliances each day can make a difference. Take care, however: certain items, such as washing machines and dishwashers, need to remain on standby for safety and longevity reasons. Others can be unplugged to reduce the monthly bill. Here is the list of the 7 appliances that use the most electricity.

• The television: this is the leading standby energy user. A television can consume up to 180 kWh per year, the equivalent of a refrigerator, even though the latter runs continuously. In standby, it uses between 1 and 2 W per hour.
• The desktop computer: with its many components, a desktop PC uses a great deal of energy, particularly in standby mode, when it can create a significant annual cost. The more powerful it is, the more electricity it uses. Gaming PCs, for instance, can be real money pits, especially when fitted with LEDs.
• The games console: surprisingly, 91% of the energy used by a games console is linked to the time it spends on standby. It is therefore advisable to unplug it after every use to prevent needless consumption - unless software updates matter more to you than your energy bill.
• The internet router: although it uses 30% less energy on standby than when operating, unplugging your internet router can help cut your electricity bill. Naturally, disconnecting a router can be inconvenient, so it is best to unplug it when you are away from home.
• The smartphone charger: often left plugged in all the time, a charger still uses electricity even when no phone is connected. If you have a latest-generation smartphone, however, there is a good chance that its smart charger uses virtually no energy on standby.
• The printer: occasional use does not justify constant standby consumption. It is therefore preferable to unplug it once you have finished using it. Most printers have a timer that switches them off after a set period without printing.
• Small kitchen appliances: coffee makers, espresso machines, toasters and other kitchen devices left on standby consume unnecessary energy. It is better to unplug them whenever they are not being used.

Other ways to save electricity

Alongside these targeted steps, adopting energy-saving habits every day can make a substantial contribution to reducing your energy bill. Using energy-hungry appliances during off-peak hours, turning the heating down by one degree, selecting appliances’ eco modes and fitting programmable switches are all worthwhile measures.

Responsible purchasing is another important way to reduce energy consumption. Before buying a new appliance, it is advisable to check its energy label and choose equipment carrying the Energy Star label, which indicates better energy efficiency.