I never unplug it.
The microwave sits on my kitchen counter, plugged into the wall 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Even when I’m asleep, away from home, or not planning to use it for several days, it remains connected to the electrical outlet.
That made me wonder:
**How much electricity could it actually be using when I’m not using it?**
I had heard plenty of people say that appliances can continue consuming electricity even when they’re switched off. The idea is often called “standby power” or “phantom load.”
The concept is simple.
Some electronic devices don’t completely stop drawing electricity when you press the power button. They may continue using a small amount of energy to power clocks, displays, remote-control sensors, internal electronics, memory functions, or other components.
And my microwave definitely has electronics running even when I’m not cooking anything.
It has a digital clock.
There are buttons that respond instantly.
There are internal circuits that remain ready for use.
So I decided to conduct a very simple experiment.
For two weeks in April, I unplugged my microwave every time I finished using it.
