How much does it cost on the electricity bill when you leave the cell phone charger plugged into the outlet after charging is complete?
It is convenient to leave the cell phone charger plugged in so that the cable can be quickly connected to the phone when needed. But the question is, how much does it cost to leave the cell phone charger in the socket when the phone is not charging?
It costs between 20 and 25 cents per year to leave the phone charger in the socket, if the charger was manufactured after 2022. The price obviously depends on the price of electricity. The calculation above is based on an electricity price of 25 cents per kWh, i.e. EDF’s blue tariff. If the price of electricity suddenly explodes, for example to 50 cents, then the annual cost increases to around 45 cents.
An EU directive imposes requirements on electronics sold in the EU, including how much electricity a charger can consume when not in use. If the charger is 2010, standby consumption can reach 0.5 Wh. From 2011 to 2022, it must be limited to 0.30 Wh maximum. While after 2022, it must not exceed 0.10 Wh. The oldest chargers therefore consume 4.3 kWh per year, or a little more than one euro. Chargers produced between 2011 and 2022 consume 2.6 kWh or 65 cents.
Be careful, however: candy-colored chargers are sold on Amazon and Wish for example, but also on marketplaces. They should absolutely be avoided. Many of these chargers are of very poor quality. There is often no protection for electronics and yes, the risk of fire is real.
Finally, be aware that if you have a very old charger, dating from before the EU directive, standby consumption may therefore be considerably higher. Thus, we still find chargers reaching a standby consumption of 0.75 kWh, or an annual cost of more than 1.6 euros. If you have a lot of them at home, it’s easy money to save.