Posted on by — Leave a comment

Vampire Appliances & Phantom Loads: Scary Energy Leeches In Your Home…

This blog explores the types of appliances that can increase your energy bills even when you aren’t using them, and how you can reduce your daily energy consumption.

This Halloween, the last monster you’ll want lurking in your home is a high energy bill…

Saving on your energy bill is something everyone wants to do. A few people may think it’s not worth all the effort just to save a few pennies over the course of the year. But if you look at these leeching appliances, you can see that they’re often taking a lot more than you think.

What is a Vampire Appliance?

A vampire appliance is an electrical item that drains power and adds to your energy bills even when they are off or in standby mode. The energy drained from these appliances is called Vampire Energy or Phantom Loads.

Examples of Vampire Appliances

Here are the most common household appliances that drain power even when you aren’t using them:

  • As little as a standby display or leaving a plug switched on even when you aren’t using your appliances can significantly increase the amount of energy your household consumes on a daily basis.

How to Reduce Unnecessary Energy Consumption

Turn Appliances Off

The simplest way to reduce your household energy usage is to simply switch off your appliances when you aren’t using them.

While this is obviously not a good idea for your refrigeration appliances, you will really notice a difference in your bills when your television or microwave isn’t continuously in standby mode.

reduce your energy usage by turning off your non essental appliances i.e televisions and microwaves at the plug. this image shows a black cable plugged into a UK outlet with the switch turned on.
Image Source: BBC Science Focus
reduce your energy usage by only using your dishwasher when it is full. this image shows a fully integrated dishwasher open with plenty of dishes and cookware inside.

Use Your Appliances in Full

Another way to reduce your energy consumption is to make the most of your appliances when they are switched on.

This could mean only running a dishwasher cycle when you have enough for a full load or batch cooking several meals at once in your oven and eating them at a later date.

Invest in a Smart Meter

A smart meter is a device installed in your home that tracks your gas and energy usage.

Connected to a display in your room of choice, smart meters give you a real time insight into your hourly, daily, weekly, monthly and annual spendings.

While smart meters aren’t compulsory, they are useful at helping you change habits that may cost more than you think.

a great way to reduce your energy usage is to track your habits via a smart meter. this image displays a functioning smart meter in a home with a hand reaching put to control it.
Image Source: Which?

More Energy Saving Tips

  • Turn off the lights! This age-old trick is a fantastic way to save electricity. Who needs to see in a room that they’re not using? This rule also applies to the lights on your kitchen cooker hood. Switching your old bulbs to new, more energy efficient ones will help you in the long run also.
  • Running your appliances at lower temperatures can help to conserve energy. Many laundry appliances and dishwashers will feature eco friendly wash programmes.

  • Choosing more energy efficient appliances will help you in the long run. If your appliances are rated A or more, you’re more likely to save water and money on your electric bill over the course of the year.

Contact our sales team for more information and expert advice!

Originally posted by James McCartney October 2021. Updated by Lauren Newman October 2025.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *