Most households today have multiple TVs, computers, appliances, etc. While these handy electronics and appliances offer many features that entertain us or help us be more productive, the energy consumed by all of these gadgets in our homes can add up to nearly 10% of a household’s monthly electricity bill. The primary reason for this is that many of us forget to turn off devices when we aren’t using them and many of these “energy vampires” continue to draw power even after they’ve been turned off.

Since the chore of unplugging all of our appliances and electronics individually is time-consuming and daunting, many of us also simply just don’t do it. By using a power strip, you can toggle the power flow on and off for clusters of devices simultaneously, which can ease this burden for you.

Choosing the right power strip to suit your habits is important since there are so many to choose from with various features including remote switches, timers, and more. Energy.gov recommends using an advanced power strip. These guys have built-in features that are designed to reduce the amount of energy used by many consumer electronics, and by replacing your standard power strip with an APS, you can significantly cut the amount of electricity consumed in your home to help you save money on your electricity bill.

This helpful visual will help you choose the right APS for your needs.