The Functionality of Kill A Watt

Every month, the arrival of a utility bill serves as a stark reminder of how far we've progressed from primitive methods like cooking over open flames and washing in rivers. Many of us spend hundreds of dollars monthly to power modern conveniences such as ovens, dishwashers, air conditioning, heating, lighting, and other electricity-dependent amenities. Occasionally, glancing at that bill might make us consider switching to line drying instead of relying on the dryer.

However, to genuinely cut down on electricity expenses and contribute positively to the environment, it's crucial to think about energy conservation more often than just once a month. Energy monitors are among the simplest and most impactful tools to encourage meaningful changes in consumption patterns. They keep energy costs at the forefront of your mind regularly, making it harder to overlook small changes like air-drying your clothes.

An energy monitor is essentially a tool designed to measure wattage. By connecting an electrical device (or multiple devices in a household) to the monitor and plugging it into a wall socket, it acts as an intermediary between the appliance and the power source. As electricity flows through the monitor to the device, it measures, shows, and stores data on the amount of power the appliance consumes during operation.

There are several methods for tracking energy usage in this manner. You can opt for a full-home monitoring system, check individual appliances one by one, or focus on a specific group of high-energy devices, such as a home theater system. The choice depends on your preferences and budget.

In this article, we’ll explore various energy monitors available on the market and examine their features. We’ll start by taking a closer look at one of the most affordable options: the Kill A Watt.

The Kill A Watt offers a simple and effective solution for tracking energy usage, enabling focused monitoring that is ideal for specific needs.

The Kill A Watt Device

The basic version of the Kill A Watt is designed primarily to measure energy consumption in kilowatt-hours (kW/h), the same unit used by utility companies. It features a three-prong plug, a simple interface with buttons, and a display screen. To use it, you connect the monitor to a wall outlet and then plug in a 120-volt appliance, such as a TV, to determine its exact energy usage, including standby power consumption when the device is off but still plugged in.

The Kill A Watt can show energy usage data for the TV over various timeframes—daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly. It boasts an accuracy of within 0.2 percent [source: P3]. This allows you to calculate potential savings from reducing TV usage or measure the energy drained by devices like TVs, DVRs, stereos, or computers when left plugged in overnight.

Standby power consumption, often referred to as "phantom energy," can significantly impact your energy bill. Tracking this hidden usage is a major reason people invest in energy monitors. By unplugging high-energy devices when not in use, you could potentially save hundreds of dollars annually.

Beyond providing clear insights to help reduce energy consumption, the Kill A Watt has additional uses. It can measure volts and hertz (line frequency), making it a handy tool for checking outlet functionality, assessing line quality, and identifying power surges or interruptions.

The original Kill A Watt, priced at around $25, offers basic functionality. The upgraded Kill A Watt EZ (approximately $50) includes a cost calculator that estimates appliance expenses based on your energy provider's kW/h rates. It also projects weekly, monthly, or yearly energy costs, eliminating the need for manual calculations. The Kill A Watt PS (about $85), a power strip variant, provides extra benefits: surge protection for connected devices and the ability to monitor the combined energy usage of multiple appliances, such as an entire computer setup.

Alternatively, you can connect your existing power strip to a Kill A Watt or Kill A Watt EZ to replicate this functionality. Next, we’ll explore other energy monitors and their unique features.

Other Energy Monitors

If your goal is simply to measure the energy wasted by leaving your computer running instead of shutting it down when idle, a $25 Kill A Watt should suffice. However, you might be interested in additional features and advanced functionality.

Here’s a look at some other energy-monitoring devices and their unique offerings:

Although not widely accessible, the Energy Joule is noteworthy. If enough customers request similar features from their utility providers, more people could benefit from this type of energy-saving technology.