Smart Power Strips: How They Work and Whether They Save Money

By HollyHerman.com Editorial Team | Sources checked October 3, 2026

Short answer: for many homes, a plain switched power strip does the same basic job as a smart one, as long as you actually flip the switch. A smart (or “advanced”) strip may make financial sense mainly when the gear plugged into it draws enough power while idle, and when you know you won't switch things off yourself. The worksheet below lets you check that with your own numbers.

This is general information, not electrical or financial advice. We did not test any products for this article.

What “smart power strip” actually means

Two different products share the name, and mixing them up is how people overpay.

Advanced (load-sensing) strips are built to cut power to devices that sit in low-power modes. The Building America Solution Center guide describes a common type: you plug a “master” device such as a TV or computer into one outlet, and when you turn it off, the strip cuts power to the “slave” outlets (speakers, consoles, printers). Other types shut off after a set period of inactivity.
Wi-Fi or app-controlled strips let you switch outlets from your phone and set schedules. TechRadar's smart plug guide notes that some include energy monitoring and some do not.

Some products blur the line, so check what a specific strip actually does before you assume.

Basic, switched, and smart strips side by side

Basic strip (no switch)

Gives you more outlets. It does not cut standby power by itself.
Surge protection varies by product, so check the label.

Switched strip

One switch shuts off everything plugged in. The Ohio Consumers' Counsel says regular strips and surge protectors only reduce standby power when that switch is turned off (fact sheet).
It depends entirely on your habit.
Cutting power can erase settings on some devices, and depending on the product, surge protection may not work with the switch off.

Advanced (load-sensing) strip

Automates the switching based on a master device or a timer, depending on the type.
Many have one or two “always on” outlets for things that must stay powered, such as alarm systems or Wi-Fi equipment.
Typically costs more than ordinary strips.
Some devices don't tolerate having power cut (see the worksheet and limits below).

Wi-Fi smart strip

Remote control and schedules, and on some models energy readings.
TechRadar's guide says smart plugs save money mainly for people who forget to turn devices off.
Wi-Fi models connect through your home network. Bluetooth models only work when you are nearby. Voice assistant compatibility varies.

Does it actually save money?

It depends on what is plugged in. Here is what the sources support:

The Building America guide says TVs, computers, game consoles, speakers, cable boxes, and printers together account for almost 10% of residential electricity use. That category covers all use of those devices, not only standby.
The Ohio Consumers' Counsel says standby (“vampire”) power can add roughly 5 to 10 percent to an average electric bill, and as much as 20 percent in some homes. The two figures measure different things, and your home may differ from both.
The Building America guide says that in a large retrofit program, advanced strips costing about $30 showed good economics when the plugged-in peripherals drew about 10 watts or more continuously. It also notes that many newer DVD players, sound systems, and amplifiers lose little power in low-power modes, so a strip may have little to cut.
The strip uses power too. The guide says an acceptable advanced strip should draw under 1 watt. For Wi-Fi models, check the spec sheet, since we found no verified figure to quote.

Standby-power worksheet

You'll want a plug-in watt meter. The Building America guide says they are commonly about $20, and the Ohio fact sheet says some libraries, university extension offices, and electric cooperatives may have them to borrow.

List the devices on one strip. Start with one desk or one TV stand.
Measure idle watts. Plug each device into the meter and read it while it looks “off” or asleep. If the reading bounces around, note a typical value. Some devices have more than one low-power mode (the guide's example is a game console with 2-watt and 10-watt modes), and you only save what the mode you actually use draws.
Cross off anything that shouldn't lose power. The guide flags recording devices, cable and satellite boxes, modems, game consoles, and wireless printers as likely to lose function when an outlet is cut. As a general caution, keep anything where an interruption matters, such as alarms, security gear, or medical equipment, on an always-on outlet or plugged straight into the wall, and ask the maker or your clinician if you are unsure.
Estimate idle hours per day that a strip could really cut power (for example, nights and workdays away).
Do the math for each device: watts × idle hours per day × 365 ÷ 1,000 = kWh saved per year.
Add up the lines, then multiply by your rate. Find your price per kWh on your bill. Our guide to fixed vs. usage charges on an electric bill explains which lines move with kWh.
Subtract the strip's own draw. One watt running all year is 8.76 kWh.
Divide the strip's price by your yearly savings. That is your payback time in years.

Copy this template for each device:

Device: ______ | Idle watts: ______ | Idle hours per day: ______ | kWh per year: ______

Worked example (placeholder numbers, not data about your home)

Say a desk has speakers idling at 4 watts, a printer at 5 watts, and a monitor at 1 watt, all idle 16 hours a day. Assume a rate of $0.20 per kWh and a $30 strip. These are made-up numbers to show the math. They also differ from the benchmark above, which assumes a continuous draw.

Speakers: 4 × 16 × 365 ÷ 1,000 = 23.36 kWh
Printer: 5 × 16 × 365 ÷ 1,000 = 29.2 kWh
Monitor: 1 × 16 × 365 ÷ 1,000 = 5.84 kWh
Total: 58.4 kWh, or about $11.68 a year at $0.20
Payback on a $30 strip: about 2.6 years before the strip's own draw. If the strip itself draws 1 watt (8.76 kWh, about $1.75 a year at this rate), savings drop to about $9.93 and payback stretches to roughly 3 years.

Now suppose that printer is wireless and has to stay powered. Remove its line and the total falls to 29.2 kWh, or about $5.84 a year, which pushes payback past 5 years even before the strip's own draw. That one exclusion changes the answer, which is why steps 2 and 3 matter.

Reading your result

Payback longer than you'd keep the strip: a switched strip or unplugging probably serves you better.
Idle watts tiny: there may be little to save.
Healthy savings, but you never flip the switch: an automatic strip is where the extra cost can make sense.

Limits worth knowing

Savings depend on your devices, habits, and rate. The sources here are general guidance, and we did not test any products.
Automatic cutoffs can cause problems with devices that need to stay powered. Use “always on” outlets where available.
Check the rating label on any strip and each device's manual. If a manual says to plug directly into the wall, do that.

When to bring in a professional

As a general safety caution: if an outlet, plug, or strip feels hot, looks discolored, or smells like burning, or breakers keep tripping, stop using it and have a licensed electrician look.
Replacing wall outlets with smart outlets involves your home's wiring. TechRadar notes this may mean hiring a professional.

A note on other plug-in “energy savers”

A strip with a measurable job, like cutting power to an outlet, is easy to check with a meter. Other plug-in products make broader claims, such as improving electricity quality, that are harder to test. For a look at what evidence one seller did and didn't show, see our Power Pro Genius review. To build your own before-and-after comparison, see our guide on how to measure electricity use.

What to do next

Pick one cluster of devices and measure idle watts.
Run the worksheet with your own rate.
If the numbers are thin, start with the switch you already own.
If you do buy something, check the spec sheet for the strip's own power draw and for always-on outlets.

Sources

Building America Solution Center (PNNL / U.S. Department of Energy), Smart Power Strips. Used for strip types, the master/slave setup, the miscellaneous-loads share, the roughly $30 and 10-watt benchmark, excluded device types, multiple low-power modes, meter cost, and the under-1-watt guideline. Opened October 3, 2026.
Office of the Ohio Consumers' Counsel, What's draining your energy? Vampire Power. Used for the 5 to 10 percent figure, regular strips needing the switch off, advanced strip types and cost, always-on outlets, and meter lending. Opened October 3, 2026.
TechRadar, The best smart plugs. Used only for general smart plug and strip descriptions, who benefits, connection types, and the wiring note. Opened October 3, 2026.

Additional menu