You should never unplug these 3 devices—everyone has them at home

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Standby mode is not the best way to save electricity. It is worth unplugging devices completely. However, what many people don’t know is that the type of electrical appliance is crucial. Some have problems when their power supply is cut off.

Unplug or switch off? There is a difference

Whether you unplug the device or press the switch to deactivate it makes a difference, at least for your wallet. This is because many electrical appliances continue to consume power even when they are switched off. These include televisions, radios, LCD monitors, cordless phones, and the like. Their red LEDs indicate that energy is still flowing after they have been turned off. This is referred to as “phantom charging.”

If you want to save electricity and money, it is worth unplugging the appliance instead of just turning it off. However, the order in which you do this is essential. To avoid damage, you should always use the switch first and then the plug.

Recommended reading: These devices consume a lot of power in standby mode

Never unplug: Caution with three electrical appliances

However, not all electrical appliances can tolerate being completely disconnected from the mains. This can be due to a variety of reasons. Sometimes it is due to how they work, sometimes to how they are programmed. In any case, the reasons for this are apparent.

#1 Printers (ink)

In terms of power consumption, inkjet printers are not particularly significant. It is therefore not necessary to disconnect the electrical device from the power supply. However, there is a real problem that arises when the printer is disconnected from the power supply instead of being turned off using the power button.

When switched on, it is in print-ready mode, and the print head is not in sleep mode. If the plug is then pulled, it remains in the process without shutting down, as would be the case with a normal shutdown. This is similar to a reset, meaning that the inkjet printer restarts completely and assumes that the print head has not been used for a long time. So it is cleaned and consumes a large amount of ink in the process.

#2 WLAN router

Being connected to the internet at all times is the advantage of constantly active FritzBoxes, Speedport devices, and the like. It may be worthwhile to turn off the WLAN router at night. But only if you don’t have any other essential devices connected to it.

If you use a landline telephone, answering machine, and/or smart home electrical appliances via the router, it is better not to unplug it. These devices will then be unavailable or may even cause problems when the device is reconnected to the power supply. Older people in particular, who are dependent on functioning telephony, are therefore better off refraining from doing so.

#3 OLED TVs

Modern TVs, such as OLED TVs, are affected when the power is turned off. This is because the pixels are automatically updated in the background. Regularly disconnecting the device from the power supply would interrupt this process and could damage or impair the image quality.

It is best to check with the manufacturer in advance whether you should switch off the electrical appliance using the power button or whether it is permissible to disconnect the power supply completely.