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Heading out on vacation can be an exciting time. You’re packed up, you’ve got your prep list checked off, the house is locked, and you’re ready to head to the airport. But wait: Have you considered which of your devices you’ll leave back home are plugged in? It’s not a bad idea to consider adding a few appliances and devices to your unplug list before you leave them unattended for a while. We’ve already put together a list of appliances that can save you money if they’ve been unplugged. Now we’re going to bring you our list of appliances that should be unplugged when you leave town.
Those devices fall into two key categories: Devices that aren’t physically safe to leave plugged in and devices that draw unnecessary power. The main devices we think you should unplug before you unplug from work are: Desktop computers, air conditioners, space heaters toaster ovens, air fryers, other high-energy kitchen gadgets, battery banks, rechargeable devices, and televisions.
Devices that aren’t safe to leave plugged in
The most important reason not to leave a device plugged in is if there’s any risk of it overheating or starting a fire. The main culprits for this are high-energy devices that have to pull a lot of power to get up and running. One classic culprit is a space heater, which, if left on, will generate a ton of heat. These units can also collect dust, so if there is a spark, there’s a higher likelihood that something might catch alight and start a house fire.
Similarly, countertop kitchen gadgets actually can pull quite a bit of energy. Modern air fryers with lots of bells and whistles are notorious for this because they have to heat large components and move a lot of air for the frying components. Toasters and toaster ovens also pose a risk, both because they pull a lot of wattage and because they tend to house extra crumbs and food scraps that can also catch fire.
Air conditioners are also problematic due to how much energy they’re designed to pull. While an air conditioner isn’t as prone to direct fire risk, a power surge or brownout can cause them to overload and damage themselves or the circuit they’re plugged into. You can buy cheap devices to quickly turn your AC into a smart unit to reduce costs while you’re away, but it’s important to make sure you’re operating it safely to begin with.
Devices that aren’t efficient to leave plugged in
Though less important from a physical safety perspective, electronics that draw phantom power or could function less efficiently over time are best left unplugged. One category that comes to mind is a desktop computer. If you leave your machine in standby mode, and there’s a power outage, it can cause the hard drives and sensitive PC components to falter and damage themselves. If you’ve followed our advice and avoided the five worst desktop PCs, you’ll want to protect the PC you do have and love.
Another key category in this vein is anything with a sizable rechargeable battery. The risk here is two-fold. First, leaving a large lithium-ion battery charged all the time can lead to overheating and possibly damaging the battery. Even if there isn’t a catastrophic failure, overcharging a battery can cause it to perform less efficiently over time. Finally, another basic category is your television or entertainment gear. While these devices don’t draw quite as much power in standby, it’s more than you might think. There are also reports of modern TVs getting damaged if there’s a power surge, so lowering this risk is simply good practice.
