Also, just because an electronic device has a switch, doesn’t mean it isn’t using electricity! Anything with a remote has to use electricity all the time, or the remote wouldn’t turn it on! But some things without remotes use power all the time, too: the manufacturer uses a low-voltage switch in the face-plate, which is cheaper for them to make, but the transformer still pulls nearly full power all the time.

That’s what phantom power usage means.
Don’t use it? Unplug it!

I’m also curious, I remember reading somewhere about dc power adapters, those black boxes that are attached to all your electronic devicees (cordless phones, printers, scanners, etc…). Do they draw and use power when the device isn’t running?

Regards,
makingourway

Another phantom electricity load are those special circuit breaker outlets installed in damp areas. If you are installing one, install a switch that controls when power goes to it, or that will drain power too.

Of course the problem is that you’re generally seeing a snapshot of only one device at a time, and any one load will seem pretty minimal. But if you have a power-strip with all of your ‘standby’ computer devices plugged in, it’s interesting to see what the actual combined usage of those is (still generally pretty minimal, though).

I thought I was the only weird guy who had his scanner and router sitting on the coutertop in the kitchen next to the toaster.