You can unplug your phone charger, turn off lights religiously, and still feel puzzled by the number on your electric bill. The truth is, everyday appliances often do more damage than you realize. If your bill seems high despite your best efforts, the issue might be hiding in plain sight—inside machines you barely question.
Here’s a look at a couple of devices quietly driving up costs.
Water Heater
It doesn’t hum or beep, but uses more electricity than nearly everything else. Most models operate constantly to maintain a hot tank regardless of demand. A high temperature setting or poor insulation causes power usage to escalate quickly.
Refrigerator
Even newer refrigerator units consume a surprising amount of electricity over time. They work harder to keep food chilled when packed too tightly or placed near heat sources. Older units especially lack energy-saving features, so cleaning coils helps reduce strain. That nonstop cycle adds more than you’d expect.
Washer and Dryer
Hot water washes and partial loads use extra power unnecessarily. Cold cycles and full loads also contribute. Consider line drying and modest changes to your laundry routine to lower usage.
Electric Oven
Preheating an electric oven alone takes a lot of energy, and roasting or baking for extended periods increases electricity usage noticeably. For smaller meals, using an air fryer or toaster oven cuts usage without changing habits much.
Dishwasher
It seems efficient—and often is—but some common habits raise the dishwasher’s overall cost without much benefit. Washing half-loads or using heated drying, for example, increases electricity expenses. The dishwasher may only account for a small share of your bill, but extra cycles gradually shift it from minor to mid-range impact.
Air Conditioning Units
Sure, cooling off feels necessary, but it can inflate your usage during peak months. Air conditioners draw several kilowatt-hours per hour, especially if they’re older or blowing air with dirty filters. Poor insulation or open windows make things worse by letting cool air escape. Simple steps like using ceiling fans or keeping blinds closed during the day could be helpful.
Plasma TV
Plasma TVs are some of the least efficient screens around. Compared to newer LED models, they draw significantly more electricity per hour. Leaving the TV on for background noise—or falling asleep with it running—further increases unnecessary usage for hours at a time.
Hot Tub
Using a hot tub feels like a luxury, and it also behaves like one on your electric bill. Simply heating the water can cost several kilowatt-hours per use, and maintaining that temperature while idle drains even more. If the tub isn’t covered or the heater runs constantly, it keeps drawing electricity around the clock, used or not.
Gaming Console
Long sessions on your gaming console are surprisingly frequent contributors to your monthly total. Automatic updates and background downloads also keep them operating in the background without much notice. Energy-saving settings can reduce waste without affecting gameplay.
Coffee Maker
Coffee makers with warming plates or built-in grinders consume more power than basic drip models. Brewing multiple pots throughout the day or allowing the machine to be on longer than needed means electricity stays on long after brewing. You can keep things simple by switching to a manual method like a French press or turning the machine off right after brewing.
Pool Pump
Keeping your pool clear and safe requires several hours of pump time daily, especially in warm months. Older single-speed pumps are especially inefficient.
Iron
One hour of ironing can consume over a kilowatt-hour. Regularly pressing full laundry loads quietly increases your bill amount. This is another reason you should let clothes hang dry or remove them promptly from the dryer, so there will be no need to press them.
Hair Styling Tools
These small devices heat up fast and get hot enough to demand real power. Blow dryers, straighteners, and curling irons are short-use tools, but daily routines extend their impact, and consistency starts to weigh on your bill. When you leave them on between steps or reheat multiple times, things get worse.
Microwave
Reheating leftovers, defrosting food, or running a microwave back-to-back daily requires more energy per session than many assume. Although it’s not the worst offender, daily habits often make it a common culprit.
Electric Blankets
Comfort comes with a cost. Electric blankets use modest power per hour, but extended nightly usage over weeks is not wise. Choosing to let them consume wattage all night, every night, steadily increases your costs. Try turning it off once you’re warm or using a timer to reduce energy expenditure without affecting comfort.