Smart Devices That Save
- Newsweek listed four smart-home devices that can actually reduce household energy costs when used properly. - The recommended devices were LED lighting, smart thermostats, smart power strips, and electric fireplaces. - The roundup positioned these products as practical, cost-focused smart-home choices amid rising household bills (newsweek.com).
A new Newsweek roundup says four common smart-home upgrades can cut energy bills: LED bulbs, smart thermostats, smart power strips and electric fireplaces. (newsweek.com) The list leans on devices that trim the biggest household energy uses rather than adding new gadgets. U.S. Energy Information Administration data says heating and air conditioning made up 52% of household energy use in 2020, while the Department of Energy says heating, cooling and water heating are among a home’s largest energy expenses. (eia.gov) (energy.gov) LED lighting is the simplest swap on the list. The Department of Energy says residential light-emitting diode bulbs use at least 75% less energy than incandescent bulbs and last up to 25 times longer. (energy.gov) Smart thermostats save money by cutting heating or cooling when nobody is home or when people are asleep. ENERGY STAR says certified models save about 8% on heating and cooling bills, or about $50 a year on average. (energystar.gov) Smart power strips target “vampire loads,” the electricity electronics keep drawing while they look off. The Department of Energy says advanced power strips can reduce that waste by shutting off connected devices when a main device powers down. (energy.gov) Electric fireplaces are the most conditional pick in the roundup. The Department of Energy says electric resistance heat turns incoming electricity into heat at the appliance, but electric heat is often more expensive than heat made in homes by natural gas, propane or oil systems because of generation and transmission losses. (energy.gov) That means an electric fireplace saves money mainly as a zone-heating tool, not as a whole-house replacement. Newsweek framed it as a way to warm one occupied room while keeping the main thermostat lower elsewhere. (newsweek.com) The article lands as utilities and housing costs keep pushing households toward smaller, faster payback upgrades. The Department of Energy also points consumers to efficient lighting and advanced power strips as practical ways to cut electricity use without replacing major appliances. (energy.gov) The thread through all four picks is usage: a smart device does not lower bills on its own. The savings come when a bulb replaces an incandescent, a thermostat changes schedules, a power strip kills standby draw, or a heater warms one room instead of the whole house. (newsweek.com)
