Smart Plug Ideas That Actually Cut Your Power Bill

A smart plug only saves money if it's automating something that was actually wasting power. Here's where that's genuinely the case, grouped by where the waste tends to hide.

Entertainment setups

• Schedule the TV, soundbar, and console to fully power off overnight instead of sitting in standby.
• Group a whole entertainment unit onto one smart plug so a single tap (or automatic schedule) kills standby draw across all of it at once.

Heating and cooling

• Schedule a heater to switch on shortly before you wake up or get home, rather than running for hours unattended or forgotten.
• Pair with a timer so a heater physically can't be left running all day by accident.

Kitchen appliances

• Cut standby power to appliances with always-on displays or clocks that aren't actually needed (some coffee machines, slow cookers with digital timers).
• Use an energy-monitoring smart plug to check exactly what an old appliance costs to run before deciding whether it's worth replacing.

While you're away

• Schedule lamps to simulate occupancy without leaving anything running needlessly all day.
• Remotely confirm — and switch off — anything you're not sure you turned off before leaving, instead of just hoping.