Full list of 14 ‘vampire’ energy sucking appliances that drain £118 a year from your bank account – is yours turned off?
ALL the “vampire” energy sucking appliances that drain up to £118 a year from your bank account have been revealed.
With the warmer months creeping, many may think the days of eye-watering energy bills are behind them.
But according to Stephen Day, a home energy expert, Brits could be losing cash every year because of “vampire” appliances that consume energy even when they’re not being used.
He told the Express: “That little red standby light on your TV or the digital clock on a microwave – it seems harmless, right? But over a year, it adds up fast.”
For example, forgetting to switch off a TV at the mains could cost around £5 to £10 a year in wasted energy.
Meanwhile, gaming consoles can cost homeowners up to £8 a year if they are not properly switched off, whilst chargers still draw power even if they’re not connected to anything.
Kitchen appliances are also guilty of rinsing your energy. Microwaves, coffee machines, and even kettles are sneaky offenders.
Although these figures seem small, Stephen was quick to point out that they add up very quickly – costing Brits a small fortune in wasted energy.
To avoid any unnecessary costs, he suggests starting with “the basics” – such as switching off appliances at the socket when not in use and unplugging chargers when devices are fully charged.
He also recommends switching to energy efficient bulbs, which although expensive at first, over time help save a lot of money.
This comes as Ofgem‘s energy price cap rose by approximately 6 per cent last week, adding an extra £111 per year to the average household bill.
This isn’t the only household bill to have surged during what many are calling “Awful April”.
It’s a blow to 22million households on standard variable tariffs which are subject to the price cap, and will see their bills rise from £1,738 to £1,849 per year.
However, many households are likely to incur costs exceeding this headline figure, which is based on the assumption that a typical household consumes 2,700 kWh of electricity and 11,500 kWh of gas annually.
This is because the energy price cap does not limit the total amount a customer pays for their energy.
Here's the full list of appliances that continue to drain energy when not in use and their yearly cost:
- TV – £.547
- Smart TV – £10.94
- Games Console – £8.21
- Wi-fi router – £15.77
- Laptop charger – £5.47
- Phone charger – £1.37
- Microwave – £8.21
- Coffee machine – £2.74
- Kettle – £5.47
- Sky/Virgin box – £27.34
- Smart speaker – £8.21
- Smart plug – £2.74
- Printer – £2.74
- Baby monitor – £5.47
Instead, it sets a maximum charge per kilowatt-hour (kWh) of gas and electricity, alongside the daily standing charges.
So if you use more than a typical households expect to pay more.
Another factor influencing the amount you pay is the region in which you live.
Energy prices vary by region due to four main factors: the number of customers in an area, the volume of energy purchased from generators, charges imposed by local distribution networks, and regional energy usage patterns.