While setting up solar power in my home, I started evaluating which appliances consume the most electricity. I've found that some unexpected devices really rack up the energy usage. For instance, hot water heaters are known to consume a lot—about 8 to 10 kWh per day for an average person. However, something I didn't anticipate was my coffee maker's energy draw. It can use around 1 to 1.5 kWh per pot, plus if I leave it plugged in to keep warm, that adds another 200 watts per hour, which can amount to 2 kWh if it's on for 10 hours. To avoid this, I now transfer coffee to a Thermal carafe. What about you? Have you discovered any surprising appliances that consume a lot of power?
5 Answers
I noticed that improperly torqued connections can cause unexpected power drains. It's something worth checking before you finalize your solar setup!
My pond pump was a huge energy draw—500W running 24/7. I upgraded to a high-efficiency pump, which reduced my usage significantly. Pumps can really eat up a lot of power, so consider that when installing solar.
Landscape lighting can be a sneaky power hog, even with LED bulbs. It's either the number of lights or an inefficient transformer that's causing the surprise spike in energy costs.
I switched to an electric tea kettle for coffee. It heats a liter in just 5-8 minutes and uses less than 200 Wh, way more efficient than the coffee maker! If you’re someone who loves coffee like me, try making pour-over and keeping it in a thermos to save energy.
We use gas for our kettle and just pour over coffee. Zero electricity and it keeps the coffee hot in a good thermos. We only use the coffee maker for guests, but it doesn’t keep the pot hot either, which can ruin the taste!
I was shocked by my e-bike chargers! One uses just a watt when idle, but another uses 7.5 watts, adding up to over 5 kWh a month. It really adds up!
Absolutely! Pumping water takes a lot of power. At our cabin, we use a big tank to store water during the day and then use a smaller pump to keep our plumbing system going. It helps us manage our energy better.