My $300 lesson on a 'green' power strip that wasn't

I bought this fancy smart power strip online last year, thinking it would cut my home's phantom power use. The ad said it had special sensors to turn off devices when not in use. It cost $300, which felt high but I figured it would pay for itself. After installing it on my TV setup and gaming console, I checked my power bill for three months straight. It dropped by maybe $2 a month. I finally used a cheap meter to test it and found the strip itself was using almost as much power as it was saving. I felt so dumb for not checking the basics first. Has anyone found a real, simple way to stop that standby power drain without breaking the bank?

3 comments

3 Comments

miles70712d ago

That reminds me of my own expensive lesson with a "learning" thermostat. It promised to map my schedule and save a bundle, but it just kept turning the heat on at 3 a.m. for no reason. I spent more time arguing with the app than I ever saved on my bill. Sometimes the old manual way is just better, like your basic strip with a switch. My dad still uses one of those for his workshop tools and it's never failed him.

hugo3712d ago

Wait, the strip itself was using that much power? That's wild. I thought these things were supposed to be super low draw. What a total scam. I just use the old school method and plug my console and TV into a basic power strip with a switch. I flip it off when I'm done for the night. It cost like eight bucks and actually works.

the_sage12d ago

Ever hear about my buddy who got that "eco" coffee maker? It had a "smart" standby mode that was supposed to sip almost no power. He left it plugged in for a week while on vacation and came back to a warmer kitchen. Turns out the thing was basically just a low power space heater the whole time, keeping its own tank warm for no reason. He was so mad. Now he just uses a regular drip machine on a timer plug.