A switched power strip under your desk replaces complicated shutdown logic: switch on, monitor + PC + printer + lamp are on. Switch off, everything's off. That not only saves power (up to 60 €/year), it's also more ergonomic than crawling after the plug.
Step by step
Office devices in standby clusters often draw more than single gadgets. A flat-screen monitor (30 W), an office PC (80 W at full load, but 5-10 W standby), a laser printer (50 W active, 1.5 W ready), an LED desk lamp (10 W). Together that's an average office ~4-7 watts on standby. With a switched strip you break this loop: switch off = zero power. Bonus: you protect electronics with clear on/off cycles.
Source: Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverband, 1 switch power strip per living room + 1 per workspace saves 40-80 €/year
Step by step
- 1. Buy switched power strip (6-socket usually enough)At DIY store or Amazon: simple model ~12-18 € (6-socket, with switch, no WiFi/sensors). Brands like Brennenstuhl, Goobay are proven.
- 2. Position strip behind desk or under commodeDesk: mount strip at back or attach with velcro. Living room: behind TV stand, cable long enough to reach devices?
- 3. Connect monitor, PC, printer + accessoriesMonitor gets schuko plug in socket 1, PC in socket 2, printer in socket 3, lamp in socket 4. Other sockets stay free for charging or temporary devices.
- 4. Use power cords (figure-eight connector) where possibleMonitor, printer, scanner usually have power cords instead of direct plug. Practical, short cable + plug means less cable clutter.
- 5. Switch on mornings, off eveningsAfter 2 weeks it's automatic. After a month you notice the difference in your electricity bill: -5-8% in the office area.
Worked example
Before: Example home office: monitor 2 W standby, PC 7 W, printer 1.5 W, lamp 0.5 W (old transformer) = 11 watts constantly, 8 h/day (work days) = 88 Wh/day = 260 Wh/day effectively (20 work days) = 52 kWh/year = 13 €/year.
After: With switch strip completely off: 0 watts. Savings ~13 €/year, sounds small, but scaled across Germany = massive multiplier.