Five ‘vampire appliances’ that could be adding whopping £575 to your energy bill – and how to stop them
THESE are the five “vampire” appliances adding hundreds of pounds to your energy bill – and how you can stop them.
These pesky gadgets drain electricity even when not being used, squeezing consumers even harder amid the cost of living crisis.
These are also known as “remote-ready” appliances as they remain on standby to be switched on by a remote.
They often have a standby or sleep mode or need just one button to wake them up.
Common vampire devices include microwaves, TVs and games consoles.
Most will not make a vast difference to a household bill but some could cost users hundreds of pounds per year.
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British Gas estimates that up to 23 per cent of UK homes’ energy use could come from vampire appliances.
With the government’s price energy cap in force this makes up £575 of the average £2,500 annual bill.
The largest financial drains were found to be Hi-Fi systems and Sky boxes on standby, both at an average cost of £142.50.
Other costly vampire devices included unused laptop chargers at £115 and TVs on standby at £19.50.
The easiest way to stop these gadgets leaching money from your pocket is to avoid standby mode where possible.
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Other tips include making sure to unplug things like laptop chargers and turn off other devices at the mains.
Using extension leads can also allow Brits to turn off multiple vampire appliances at once.
TOP FIVE MOST COSTLY 'VAMPIRE APPLIANCES'
- Hi-Fi system on standby – £142.50 a year
- Sky box on standby – £142.50 a year
- Laptop charger not in use – £115 a year
- TV on standby – £19.50 a year
- Printer on standby – £19.50 a year