9 devices to turn off standby and save on bills

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UK households can save an average of £147 a year by switching out ‘vampire appliances’. Vampiric devices are electronic devices that draw large amounts of power even when in standby mode, which costs money.

British Gas research has found that households spend £2.2 billion a year leaving vamp appliances on standby. This equates to £147 a year for the average UK household, or two months’ electricity bills.

Most British households will now pay £1,971 for gas and electricity as energy prices have risen by 54%. Energy UK deputy director Dhara Vyas told BBC News that further bills could rise.

She said: “We are seeing really big price increases at the moment. We don’t know for sure yet, as global gas prices remain volatile. Some estimates say we are expecting bills of up to £3,000 this winter.”

Since 2009, regulations have required devices to switch to a low-power mode (e.g. standby mode) after a reasonable period of time. Since 2013, they cannot consume more than 0.5 W in standby or off mode.

However, recent research suggests that the small amount of energy used by devices in standby mode can still add up (and the sum will be greater if you have old devices in your home).

According to research by British Gas, some appliances only need to be connected to the mains in order to consume energy. Smart speakers, laptops, and internet routers all cost money if you want to stay connected.

Research has shown that it costs £24.61 a year to keep a TV on standby. With an extra £23.10 per decoder from TV providers such as Sky or Virgin Media.

Leaving a games console on standby can cost an average of £12.17, while computers can cost around £11.22

Other devices include:

• Microwave: £16.37

• Shower: £9.80

• Washing machine: £4.73

• Printer: £3.81

• Phone charger: £1.26

“You can buy smart plugs that let you check that everything is turned off on your phone,” says British gas energy expert Marc Robson.

“At night or when not in use, try switching off connected devices rather than putting them on standby, as even TV lights in standby use energy. Try not to overload your cell phone and laptop unnecessarily.

“As soon as your device is charged, try to get into the habit of unplugging it.”

This article originally appeared on HuffPost UK and has been updated.

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