Is there any point?

blog.loop.homes/the-cost-of-leaving-appliances-in-standby-mode

Just found this!

It's best to empty the fridge and leave the door open if you intend to be away for more than a few days.

However, in other cases, leaving an appliance plugged in can actually be beneficial. For instance, many experts recommend leaving your refrigerator plugged in even when you are on vacation. This helps to keep the fridge cold and prevents any food spoilage that could occur if the power were to go out.

Am I missing something?
How can a fridge stay cold and keep the food from spoiling if it is not left plugged in?

The answer to this question is not as simple as it may seem. In some cases, it is best to turn off an appliance at the switch or unplug it when you are finished using it. For example, if you are not going to be using a particular appliance for an extended period of time, it is best to unplug it. This will help to prevent any potential fires that could occur if the appliance were to malfunction. However, in other cases, leaving an appliance plugged in can actually be beneficial. For instance, many experts recommend leaving your refrigerator plugged in even when you are on vacation. This helps to keep the fridge cold and prevents any food spoilage that could occur if the power were to go out. Ultimately, whether or not you should turn off an appliance at the switch or unplug it depends on the specific circumstances.

Treetops05

Buy a usage plug. You plug it in the plug in say a microwave and after 24 hrs it'll tell you what it costs to have plugged in/used over 24hrs and for 7 days. Ours was costing 3.50 a week, being used only 2-3 times...we now unplug it and many other electrical goods. I paid about £10-12 for it, but saved us way more long term. I then lent it to my FinL and daughter...

This is what I recommended right at the start of the thread, and reported back with my standby findings for my microwave oven.

Buy a usage plug. You plug it in the plug in say a microwave and after 24 hrs it'll tell you what it costs to have plugged in/used over 24hrs and for 7 days. Ours was costing 3.50 a week, being used only 2-3 times...we now unplug it and many other electrical goods. I paid about £10-12 for it, but saved us way more long term. I then lent it to my FinL and daughter...

My very thrifty, biological father (avoided maintenance and any expense he could get away with) used a dehumidifier in a wardrobe in the shed if he absolutely had to dry the clothes. He also switched off the shower whilst washing hair/body and used a window squeegee to take as much water off his body before using his towel in order to save washing them so much.

i mean having individual indicator lights for each outlet on an extension set, not just one to show the extension set is connected, which i have also seen.

when i buy an extension, i pay more to get ones with individual switches for each outlet, plus and indicator light to shew if it's switched on.
i find this helpful to distinguish which ones i am actually switching on or off, as it involves bending down, reaching, and i don't want to switch something off that needs to stay on.
i am never quite sure about some light switches, i don't trust myself to recognise what the position of the switch means, esp as i have a timer, so i set it to come on later.

i don't think you need to actually remove the plug from the socket, just to put the switch in the off position.
so glad our uk sockets have switches. higher safety standards.

DaisyAnne

Shinamae

DaisyAnne

I don't think you will have any choice Shinamae, if it ends up being rationed.

If things get THAT bad l have a plan…

Are you going to share?

I don’t think you’d want to know..

Shinamae

DaisyAnne

I don't think you will have any choice Shinamae, if it ends up being rationed.

If things get THAT bad l have a plan…

Are you going to share?

Blinko

Re washing and tumble drying, if you really can't dry outside, a friend told me this tip: put the wash on in the evening, bung everything on airers overnight and anything not dry by morning goes in the tumble dryer.

Me, I dry everything outdoors whenever possible then when rainy, cold and 'orrible, I resort to Plan B as above.

There are also heated airers of various sizes where the clothes are inside a sort of tent. I've no idea how much energy they use but it can't be as much as a tumble dryer. Anyone got one of these?

DaisyAnne

I don't think you will have any choice Shinamae, if it ends up being rationed.

If things get THAT bad l have a plan…

4allweknow

Has anyone information on how much wear and tear is caused on electric sockets by removing/inserting plugs everyday. I know quite a number of years ago an electrician told me the action causes a lot of wear.

We don't have to unplug, we just have to flick the switch on the plug or fit remote controlled switches. Very little wear and tear needed.

I don't think you will have any choice Shinamae, if it ends up being rationed.

Although I am careful I use what I use. I am not going to have any devices telling me how much it will cost if such and such is plugged in or unplugged (even if they are correct and different people seem to say different things so not at all reliable )and I can assure you I will not be sitting in candlelight freezing to death this winter…

Re washing and tumble drying, if you really can't dry outside, a friend told me this tip: put the wash on in the evening, bung everything on airers overnight and anything not dry by morning goes in the tumble dryer.

Me, I dry everything outdoors whenever possible then when rainy, cold and 'orrible, I resort to Plan B as above.

Has anyone information on how much wear and tear is caused on electric sockets by removing/inserting plugs everyday. I know quite a number of years ago an electrician told me the action causes a lot of wear.

LIke Growstuff our electricity bills are pretty consistent day and night, month by month.
I know that it's likely to be because of the very old Iced Diamond fridge freezer. Use about 10p and hour day and night soon to be 40p. But new fridge freezers are very deep and just would not fit into that space and leave the area usable.
A conondrum.
Keep looking at catalogues but can't make up my mind to get a new one.

kevincharley

JaneJudge

I know where I'd like to shove Johnson's £20 kettle

Get in line!

Not boasting or anything but we bought a new kettle before Johnson advised us to ? Are we the first?

It is speedy

(The other one had karked it anyway)

I have to strike a balance. Try and keep electric use as low as possible. So for example still put washing out on the line - result sweet smelling free dried clothes but the effort of carrying it in and out and putting on the line etc. However with a bad back and other problems , trying to put everything off rather than leaving some things on standby has to be balanced by the effort and pain of reaching plugs etc.. As others have said the problem is also that if you have always tried to be economical, it is hard to see where else you might cut costs.

JaneJudge

I know where I'd like to shove Johnson's £20 kettle

Get in line!

Happysexagenarian

Our house looks like fairyland at night with standby lights of all colours glowing in each room. I really couldn't be bothered turning off every appliance and charger at night and have to reset them again each morning, it would take us all morning to do it! And what about mains wired smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms, surely they should be left on.

We still shower and use the dishwasher and a full size oven each day, the washing machine and tumble dryer at least twice a week. I have just bought an air fryer out of sheer curiosity as everyone is raving about them but chances are DH will continue to use our big ovens. We'll get by somehow - I hope!

You will get by Happysexagenarian, but won't you be prepared to reassess if it looks as if we are heading for rationing? It's not just about the money but the likely shortage of fuel too.

Oh, that is good to know.
Well, not that she has dropped you, but that you could pop up again.

I'm sure that would make her day.
I imagine their workload must have increased over lockdown, by a massive amount.

Might be worth asking if you can see her, then you might get an appointment before the real winter problems put more work into them.