![CES 2015 A thermostat from 'Nest' displayed at Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas on Jan. 8, 2015.](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/ap207453473311-copy.jpg?quality=85&w=2400)
Getting a handle on your household energy consumption can save money and the environment. Your heating and cooling usage is an obvious target, but did you know it’s also important to monitor your gadgets and electronics gear?
The average U.S. household spends $100 per year powering products that are turned off or in standby mode, according to the EPA. And, nationwide, we spend $10 billion a year in energy costs.
Below you’ll find devices that help determine where you’re losing your money and ensure you keep spending under control.
Saving money on heating & cooling
Black & Decker TLD100 Thermal Leak Detector
You’ll see big savings on your monthly energy bill when you stop heat and air conditioning from leaking out of your house. A thermal leak detector, like the Black& Decker TLD100, can show you where your home’s leaks are. Once the device has read the ambient temperature, you can start checking around windows, door frames and other places air could be escaping. The light will change to red for warmer spots and blue for cooler spots. You can set the temperature tolerances to one, five or 10 degrees.
Price: $33.21 on Amazon.com
Nest Learning Thermostat
The Nest Thermostat (2nd Generation) is smart enough to know when you’re away. So if you forget, it can lower the temperature about two hours after you’ve left. It’s continually monitoring your habits, so it can automatically adjust the temperature based on your needs. And, Nest lets you know when you’re saving energy, rewarding you with a green leaf icon. Even small changes to your thermostat settings can impact your monthly energy bill. For instance, each degree above 68° F can add 3% to the amount of energy needed for heating, according to the Edison Electric Institute.
Price: $249.00 on Amazon.com
Reducing energy use
Belkin Conserve Insight Energy-Use Monitor
Want to find out which electronics items are the biggest energy hogs in your home? Plug suspects like your networked printer, TV or even a whole power strip into the Belkin Conserve Insight Energy-Use Monitor to find out. It tracks and displays the annual cost (based on the pre-loaded U.S.-average rate or your own rate), CO2 emissions and power consumption. And if the outlet is hard to reach, the display’s six-foot cord make it easy to put it in a place that’s convenient to read.
Price: $40.00 on Amazon.com
Belkin WeMo Insight Switch
Curling irons, space heaters, coffee makers: they’re all easy to accidentally leave on when you’re rushing out the door. So to ensure they’re turned off, you can plug them into a Belkin WeMo Insight Switch. Use it to remotely check in on an appliance or electronic device and turn it off (or on), set a schedule and monitor and control energy usage. If your device is on a switch, like your lights, try the WeMo Light Switch. It works with your existing wall plates.
Price: Belkin WeMo Insight Switch: $50.99 on Amazon.com
, Belkin WeMo Light Switch: $43.99 on Amazon.com
Top 10 Tech Product Designs of 2014
![](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/nest-thermostat.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![DJI Inspire 1 The latest DJI quadcopter retains the simple style that's made their drones so popular, but adds 4K video capability — and the ability to transmit the HD video wirelessly to an on-the-ground devices. A new ground-facing camera also allows Inspire 1 to fly steadily to keep the video footage clean.](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/dji-inspire.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
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![Oculus Rift Crescent Bay The latest Oculus Rift prototype, Crescent Bay, marks one step further before the commercial release of the virtual reality handset. Crescent Bay features upgrades like 360-degree head tracking, a lighter weight, and high-quality audio. Lucky participants in the demos recalled the mind-boggling immersion in the scenes they were watching. The consumer version, Oculus Rift, is expected to launch as early as April 2015.](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/crescent-bay-front-pers-on-light.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/qualcomm-wipower-image.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
Monster MP HT 800G Home Theater PowerCenter
When your TV is off, you don’t need your DVD player, surround receiver or game system turned on. With The Monster MP HT 800 G Home Theater PowerCenter with Monster GreenPower, you plug your TV into the green master plug on the lower right, and the outlets on the same row to the left, the GreenPower outlets, shut down automatically when the TV is turned off. The three outlets on the top row stay on, so you can continue to record programs on your DVR. In case of a power surge, you’ll get 2160 Joules of protection and an alarm will sound. If your power strip is buried at the back of your entertainment center, try the Belkin Conserve Switch Energy-Saving Surge Protector. It comes with a wireless remote for turning off power.
Price: Monster MP HT 800G: $46.63 on Amazon.com
, Belkin Conserve Switch Energy-Saving Surge Protector: $34.42 on Amazon.com.
Lutron Maestro Dimmer with Occupancy Sensor
Have a light someone’s always forgetting to turn off? Install a motion-sensing light switch that will automatically shut off when the room is empty, like the Lutron Maestro Dimmer with Occupancy Sensor. It has a 150-degree motion detector with an angle up to 30 feet. You can set the sensitivity and the time or operate it manually. The light will go back on at whatever dimming level you set it at last. For use with incandescent and dimmable compact fluorescent bulbs.
Price: $37.65 on Amazon.com
This article originally appeared on Techlicious.
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