Five 'vampire' appliances wasting energy if you leave them on standby

Some home appliances can be a drain on your power and quietly have a huge impact on your over a longer period.

Turning off certain household items can be a major step in reducing your and in turn impacting energy conservation. Eric Bramlett, a property expert from has pinpointed five 'vampire' which he says you "should never" leave on standby , reports.

1. Games consoles

These are much used in family households and are high-powered devices with energy-saving features but they also have their downsides. They have an on/off switch which puts them into a low-power standby mode. But many users forget to turn them off, or they instead switch off the TV and leave the console on, which is hugely costly. Eric said: "They can be real energy hogs on standby. A client of mine saw their drop after turning off their console when not in use."

Experts from the Energy Saving Trust have pointed out game consoles account for about six percent of a household's energy bill. This may seem insignificant, but turning off your console consistently can result in substantial savings over time. An Energy Saving Trust specialist also highlighted the importance of updating consoles as it "can improve energy management".

2. Cable or satellite boxes

Cable or satellite boxes are another appliance which should be considered. Eric warned leaving appliances on standby can be quite costly. He said: "A friend of mine found that unplugging their cable box when not in use made a difference in their monthly energy bills." These devices in standby mode consume similar amounts of power as game consoles. As electrical appliances age, they become less efficient and start using more power, often due to malfunctioning parts.

3. Fridges

One of the main culprits for energy consumption is an old fridge. While it's not advised to turn off such an appliance, upgrading to a newer, more efficient model could be a smart decision.

4. Microwaves

Even when not in use, microwave ovens draw power simply to keep the clock display running. However, you can save some energy by unplugging the microwave or using a power strip to switch it off, which could "lower your electricity bill" according to the expert.

5. Desktop computers

Desktop computers are known for consuming more energy than laptops, so always remember to turn them off completely. Eric advised: "Don't even get me started on those. Just shut them down when you're done using them and watch your bills melt away." The reported earlier how , , and are among the culprits which sap your energy bills.

, and all share the average power consumption of their consoles, so it's fairly easy to estimate how much juice each one guzzle, and how hard this will hit your wallet. Both the Standard PS5 and the PS5 Digital Edition use roughly the same amount of energy. Makes sense considering the Blu-ray drive is there literally to dump games to the SSD and little else.