Power prices have been rising, and in an effort to both become more green, and to keep cost under control, I went looking for a solution that would help me measure my electrical power usage. Enter the kill-a-watt.

I got my kill-a-watt years ago, off Ebay.   This was back before power prices really went through the roof.  Buying this changed how I viewed almost every electrical device in my house.    Knowing how much something draws, what the “phantom draw” is, and how much power it draws over time is a big win.   It was an easy way to figure out that my 10+ year old air conditioner was no where near the efficiency of my newer unit.

The kill-a-watt causes something of an obsession in many people.   Once you have one, you find yourself running around and monitoring everything, and just seeing how much different things draw.    On the whole, I’ve found this to be useful in that even having the general awareness of the power draw and my electricity bill has caused me to be more active in keeping things turned off.  I only wish that it had a serial port.

The kill-a-watt will measure amps, watts, volts, and and kilowatt-hours per hour.

I think this tool is worth the money.   It’s simple, easy to use, and it gives good, valuable information.   It’s also something that raises awareness, and if you’re a geek like me, it will help you lower your electricity bill.

Tags: green, kill-a-watt, power