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Testing current measuring devices: unmasking energy wasters

2022-11-28T06:03:14.723Z


Who are the energy guzzlers in the house? In view of rising costs, the purchase of special measuring devices can be worthwhile. Stiftung Warentest tested 15 copies.


Enlarge image

Banknotes in front of an electricity meter: Not all products came up with reliable values ​​in the test

Photo: deepblue4you / Getty Images

Energy costs are skyrocketing.

The year 2023 will begin "with a massive wave of price increases for electricity," said an energy expert from the comparison portal Verivox in November.

On the electricity exchanges, prices have risen by more than 300 percent compared to 2021 - consumers are now feeling the effects.

On the occasion of such reports, it is a good idea to check whether there are devices in the household that consume a lot of electrical energy, whether they are in stand-by mode or while they are being used.

So-called power meters, also called power consumption meters or energy cost meters, can help to identify such hidden power wasters - if they deliver correct readings and are easy to use.

The experts at Stiftung Warentest checked which devices meet these requirements and which do not.

For issue 12/2022 of the magazine »test«, they examined 15 current measuring devices.

The results are not particularly reassuring.

While many of the tested devices were rated as “good”, some even attested a very good measurement accuracy, others are only “satisfactory” or “sufficient”.

One product was even rated »poor« because of its poor measuring accuracy.

The classics

The functionality and above all the prices of the tested devices are just as different as the quality of the measurement results.

According to the Stiftung Warentest, you can get the digital energy cost meter from Revolt, rated “good”, for as little as nine euros, while the test winner from NZR costs 193 euros.

Both are classic current measuring devices that are plugged into the socket like an adapter plug and have their own socket into which the plug of the device to be measured comes.

Such devices have a few buttons for selecting various functions and entering the price of electricity.

They show their measured values ​​on a small display.

However, the operation is solved differently well, with the products from Brennenstuhl and Alecto, the testers complained about ambiguities in the calculation of the electricity costs.

The smart ones

The smart current measuring devices are completely different.

They have no display and very few buttons, if any.

They are controlled by smartphone app or computer.

The testers refer to the possibility of measuring the energy consumption as an additional function, because the smart plug adapters are actually primarily intended to switch the devices connected to them on and off.

For example, you can switch on a floor lamp or start the coffee machine.

And all this via smartphone, according to a schedule or controlled by other smart home products.

Energy please!

Tips that can save a lot

expand pane

Illustrations: Noa Gunter / DER SPIEGEL

There are many energy saving tips.

But here we have some that are easy to implement, don't cost much and can even be sustained.

Section Tip 1: Child's play!open

Illustrations: Noa Gunter / DER SPIEGEL

Make a game out of it!

Because the savings effect, regardless of the measure, is greater the more family members take part.

Then whoever turns up the thermostat last scores;

it gets a deduction in whose room the light is still on when they leave.

Important: no dangerous exaggerations, everyone according to their possibilities.

Area Tip 2: Always open blue

Illustrations: Noa Gunter / DER SPIEGEL

Be economical with hot water – that is vague.

Better: set all single-hand mixers to blue.

Most people would intuitively place them in the middle position.

However, lukewarm water is mixed in this way, although cold water is completely sufficient for most occasions.

Area tip 3: You money saver!open

Illustrations: Noa Gunter / DER SPIEGEL

The debate about Robert Habeck's shower habits was not well received.

However, one would like to know specifically what energy-conscious showering actually brings.

The shower calculator from the North Rhine-Westphalian consumer advice center (here you can get there directly) will help.

There you can see how much money can be saved - even if you don't stand under ice-cold water.

In the example: If you heat the water to 36 instead of 38 degrees and shower for only seven minutes instead of eight minutes, you save 150 euros in energy costs per year.

Area Tip 4: Who am I actually heating for here? open

Illustrations: Noa Gunter / DER SPIEGEL

Overheated rooms cost energy, every degree less saves six percent.

How do you adjust radiators accordingly?

A short video of a thermostat with photos of politicians on the dial recently circulated on Twitter: Turning the heating up to "4" makes Gazprom lobbyist Gerhard Schröder happy, while Putin laughs up his sleeve at "5".

Electronic thermostats can also help: »20 degrees« is still more specific than »2«.

Area Tip 5: Open the window!

(But short.) open

Illustrations: Noa Gunter / DER SPIEGEL

If you want to heat well, you have to ventilate properly.

That's not new, but because many people now think of Corona when they hear the word "shock ventilation", it's worth remembering.

Because it saves a lot of heating energy if you briefly air the room two or three times a day with the window wide open in winter instead of tilting the window for hours.

Section Tip 6: Let us help you open

Illustrations: Noa Gunter / DER SPIEGEL

Even those who consume little electricity indirectly save gas, part of the electricity supply in Germany is ensured in gas power plants.

Power strips and timers are tried and tested tools for saving electricity, because they can be used to reliably disconnect the many electronic devices from the mains that are still drawing power when they are switched off.

Caritas provides individual advice at Stromspar-Check.de.

And best of all: you can sometimes get these small tools there for free.

Area Tip 7: Open the lid

Illustrations: Noa Gunter / DER SPIEGEL

An example from the small livestock department: When cooking, you save a lot of energy by putting a lid on the pot.

Of course, this is not possible with some dishes, pasta, for example, is best cooked in an open pot.

But even here you can bring the water to a boil with the lid on and only remove it when the pasta is added.

Area Tip 8: Unfold an extra layer

Illustrations: Noa Gunter / DER SPIEGEL

Multi-layer windows are good thermal insulation - if you don't have one, you can equip your old windows with insulating film, which is available in hardware stores.

The Hessian state energy agency calculates that with single-glazed panes, 25 euros per square meter can be saved in energy costs per year.

And shows step by step how to do it.

With the overall rating "very good", the AVM FritzDect 200 was the test winner in this area.

According to the experts, it provides very precise measurements, handles user data very securely and also offers very good electrical safety.

One point of criticism, however, is that this model only works in combination with a Fritzbox Internet router from the same manufacturer.

The defective

The testers from Stiftung Warentest were far less satisfied with the WiFi socket from Hama than with the AVM product.

Although their electrical safety was also rated as "very good", the measurement accuracy was only as "inadequate".

Overall rating: »Poor«.

Incidentally, according to Stiftung Warentest, the costs for the measuring devices can quickly be amortized.

For example, if you find a kitchen radio and a stereo system that each draw five or ten watts in standby mode, the testers calculate that you can save around 45 euros per year by completely switching off these devices when not in use.

After the next electricity price increase, the savings potential will be much higher.

Source: spiegel

All news articles on 2022-11-28

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