Killing standby power with a smart power strip

What you’ll need

• The strip's app
• A surge-safe outlet
• Cable ties and labels

Step by step

1. 1

   Sort devices into two lists

   Always-on (router, DVR, smart hub) and switchable (TV, console, soundbar, monitor, printer, chargers).

2. 2

   Wire the always-on group correctly

   Use the strip's unswitched outlets, or a separate strip, so a schedule can never cut your network.

3. 3

   Label every outlet

   Name each outlet in the app after its device. Unlabelled outlets guarantee someone turns off the wrong thing.

4. 4

   Create an overnight schedule

   Off at bedtime, on in the morning. Start with one room and confirm nothing breaks before rolling it out.

5. 5

   Add an away scene

   Group the strip into a 'leaving home' scene so a holiday does not mean a week of standby draw.

Energy-saving tips

• A media cluster's combined standby draw is usually far larger than people expect — measure before and after.
• Never daisy-chain power strips, and never plug a heater into one.
• Choose a strip whose schedules run locally if you do not want cloud dependency.