How much does it cost to run a smart power strip?
A typical smart power strip draws about 5 watts. Used 16 hours a day, that works out to roughly $0.01 per day, $0.41 per month, and $4.96 per year on an average electricity rate of 17¢ per kWh. Smart power strips use minimal energy themselves at 5W while preventing phantom loads from connected devices.
Smart Power Strip running cost calculator
- Per day
- $0.01
- Per month
- $0.41
- Per year
- $4.96
- CO₂ / year
- 11.7 kg
Based on 29.2 kWh per year. Adjust the price per kWh to match your latest electricity bill for an exact figure.
The number that matters most is your own electricity rate. Rates range from under 11¢ per kWh in some regions to over 30¢ in others, so the same smart power strip can cost two or three times as much depending on where you live. Enter your exact rate in the calculator above to get a figure tailored to your bill.
Electronics such as the smart power strip often keep drawing power in standby, even when you think they are off. That phantom load is included in realistic daily-use estimates. A smart power strip that fully cuts standby can trim a few dollars a year per device — modest alone, but it compounds across a houseful of gadgets.
At 5 watts, the smart power strip is a low-power device, so its cost per hour is small. The annual total only becomes meaningful if it runs for many hours a day — which is exactly why long-running low-wattage devices are easy to overlook on a bill.
Over a full year this smart power strip uses about 29.2 kWh of electricity and is responsible for roughly 11.7 kg of CO₂ emissions on an average grid. Because it runs more or less year-round, even a small reduction in daily use carries straight through to a lower annual total.
To put the draw in everyday terms, one hour of running this smart power strip uses about as much electricity as charging a smartphone 1 time. It is a rough comparison, but it makes an abstract wattage figure easier to picture.
If this smart power strip is one you use daily, even small efficiency gains compound. Cutting its usage or wattage by 20% would save around $0.99 every year — money that an efficient replacement can recover over its lifetime.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does it cost to run a smart power strip per hour?
- At 5 watts and a 17¢/kWh rate, a smart power strip costs about $0.00 per hour to run.
- How much electricity does a smart power strip use per month?
- Running 16 hours a day, a smart power strip uses roughly 2.4 kWh per month, costing about $0.41.
- How many kWh does a smart power strip use per year?
- Used 16 hours a day for 365 days a year, a smart power strip consumes about 29.2 kWh annually — that is the figure your electricity rate is multiplied by to get the $4.96 yearly cost.
- Is a smart power strip expensive to run?
- Not particularly — at around $4.96 per year, a smart power strip is a relatively minor part of most electricity bills.
- How much CO₂ does a smart power strip produce?
- On an average grid, a smart power strip used this much is responsible for roughly 11.7 kg of CO₂ per year. The exact figure depends on how clean your local electricity supply is.
- How can I reduce my smart power strip running costs?
- Use it during off-peak hours if your utility offers time-of-use pricing, reduce daily run time, and consider an ENERGY STAR rated smart power strip, which uses less power for the same job.