Most of us leave our appliances, game consoles, monitors, computers and chargers plugged in without giving them a second thought. And then there’s that little feeling—are they really doing anything? Turns out, yes. Even when turned off or in standby mode, many devices keep pulling small amounts of electricity. Over the course of a year, this “phantom load” (or “vampire energy”) can account for five to 10 percent of the average home’s energy use and cost a household an extra $100 to $200 in electricity bills, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.
You don’t notice it the way you notice the fridge cycling on and off. It’s more like the low, constant hum you might catch when everything else is quiet—then realize the room is still alive with power. “Every electron saved is a reduction in the greenhouse gas emissions that we worry about from a climate change perspective,” says Alexis Abramson, dean of Columbia’s Climate School. If every household in the country reduced their consumption just a bit, the total energy saved could help mitigate the climate crisis.
The problem isn’t that modern products are worse than they used to be. Manufacturers have gotten better at designing appliances that cut down on drain, and most devices today use significantly less standby energy than those from a decade or two ago. But phantom load doesn’t disappear just because it’s smaller now. If you still own older devices, or your setup is packed with “always ready” electronics, it can still be very real—annoyingly real, actually.
The biggest energy offenders are the ones that spend more time plugged in than in use. Gaming consoles left in instant-on mode, which allows for quick startup and background downloads, can use almost as much power as when you’re playing a game. Even in sleep mode, these devices continue drawing power, though much less so, to maintain network connections and check for updates.
Desktop computers and monitors are among the worst offenders, even when left off or in sleep mode, if they’re still plugged in. Peripherals like printers, scanners, and speakers add to the drain. Streaming devices, smart TVs and soundbars pile on too, especially when found in multiple rooms. Misryoum newsroom reported that several years ago the Natural Resources Defense Council calculated that people who bought a smart TV in 2021 and enabled its smart wake feature would end up paying an additional $750 million on their utility bills over the next seven years. Even more staggering: that extra consumption is leading to an additional 3 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions.
Then there are the small-screen, always-lit appliances—microwaves, toasters and coffee makers. That glowing clock on your microwave? It’s costing you money every hour of the day, even if you only use the microwave itself for a few minutes daily. Same with digital clocks or displays on coffee makers or other small appliances. Phone, tablet and laptop chargers also keep drawing power even when nothing’s connected to them, though likely a minimal amount. Most homes, again, have multiple chargers scattered throughout—kitchen counters, bedside tables, home offices—and those small drains can add up. Smart home devices like voice-controlled speakers are always listening or watching, which means always consuming power. Individually they may not use much, but homes with multiple smart devices throughout could see their phantom load accumulate. That’s the part people tend to miss.
So what can you do without turning your home into a manual switchboard? Start with smart power strips. They cut power to devices when they’re not in use, making them one of the most effective tools for reducing vampire energy. Many are designed to detect when a main device (like a TV) is turned off or goes into standby mode and will automatically cut power, while others can be programmed wirelessly to shut off power during hours the devices don’t need to be in use. Also buy separate power strips for things that need to stay on all the time (like your modem and router), and those (like your TV and gaming console) that can be fully off when no one is around.
Unplug what you don’t use daily—spare phone chargers, your microwave, air fryer, coffee maker, air purifier—anything you don’t need to have plugged in all the time or are not using regularly. This is particularly effective for seasonal items like air purifiers or space heaters that can sit idle for months. Change your gaming console settings: switch from instant-on to energy-saving mode. It may take your system slightly longer to start up, but newer consoles in energy-saving mode can use up to 90 percent less electricity than when they’re left in instant-on mode. Or better yet, fully power these consoles off at night. For computers, enable sleep after a certain period of inactivity, and shut it down completely when you’re done for the day—same with monitors.
And when it’s time to buy something new, prioritize efficiency. Purchase energy-saving electronics and appliances. Make sure they’ve been awarded an Energy Star label. That certification guarantees these products will use significantly less energy than standard models without sacrificing performance. Misryoum newsroom coverage notes that it translates to savings in your monthly electricity bill, plus lower greenhouse gas emissions for our planet. The phantom load won’t vanish overnight, but it’s one of the easiest forms of waste to cut—because the switch is already there, waiting for you to notice it.
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