Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Toaster on or off?

118 replies

abacucat · 14/09/2018 14:15

My DP and I disagree about whether when the toaster is not being used, it should be switched off or on at the plug. I say it should be switched off. DP says it doesn't matter and usually leaves it on. So who is right?

OP posts:
Marmite27 · 14/09/2018 14:50

My toaster is left on s it’s used multiple times a day, but we did turn it off previously.

Microwave gets switched off to save electricity, as I presume the display that lights up when it switches on is powered by electricity.

GreatDuckCookery6211 · 14/09/2018 14:50

I never switch anything off. If it makes you feel better OP just switch it off.

LIVVI1234 · 14/09/2018 14:52

I switch off everything when not in use bar the fridge/freezer and phone/internet. That includes TV''s, alarm clocks, everything. Not for electric use but I'm just a paranoid person and while I know its unlikely, I'm not prepared to risk an electrical fire unnecessarily.

RangeRider · 14/09/2018 14:53

I unplug mine, in fact I unplug all appliances except for the fridge, the washing machine and the hob/oven
Me too Grin

BusterTheBulldog · 14/09/2018 14:54

We leave everything plugged in and on, our toaster goes months between uses too.

callymarch · 14/09/2018 14:56

i leave my toaster, kettle, microwave, oven, fridge, dishwasher, washing machine, tumbledrier all switched on at the plug. Never have switched anything off other than tv as that just go into standby and use power.

lemonadefloat · 14/09/2018 14:57

Ooh how exciting to find fellow unpluggers Grin The last bloke I dated made me feel like a paranoid freak for my switching things off (in my own house I should add Wink)

wombat1a · 14/09/2018 14:58

Used to switch off at the wall until we had a short in the socket switch which caused a little fire and of course being in the wall was a pain to put out. The sparky then told us to leave stuff on as those little socket switches are not designed to be turned on and off repeatedly. Which is something I never thought about before but kind of makes some sense.

puffyisgood · 14/09/2018 14:58

stuff tends to get stuck in my toaster, meaning when it's been done i often have to fish it out, usually with a metal fork or knife. in those circumsntances, unplugging makes a lot of sense.

Thesnobbymiddleclassone · 14/09/2018 14:59

I never turn anything off at the plug. Why would in

Meltedicicle · 14/09/2018 15:01

I leave it on. And the kettle and the microwave. Really don’t think it matters!

Layoverlife · 14/09/2018 15:01

Sounds like it by what the majority of the others are saying but I know what I'll doing 😉

TheFlis12345 · 14/09/2018 15:02

I turn ours off at the plug, it actually said to in the instructions.

thecatsthecats · 14/09/2018 15:02

FIL switches off things at the plug in MY house.

FIL doesn't seem to mind when I glare at him whilst switching them back on.

(For what it's worth, I have done environmental impact assessments, and most devices built in the last decade draw so very little energy if any at all that they struggle to register on meters - e.g. five phones all fully charged remaining plugged in will not register. I think the estimate was 15p a year for unused, fully charged devices - a lot less than previously.)

genivert · 14/09/2018 15:02

mine has a warning label on it saying it's an "attended appliance" and should be unplugged when not in use. i assumed they were all like that?

LIVVI1234 · 14/09/2018 15:05

I'm shocked how many people leave things on!! Especially the tumble dryer with all that heat. I can't even leave the house straight after using the dryer in case it burns my house down with all that heat!!! At least I know I'm paranoid.

Xocaraic · 14/09/2018 15:05

Switched off at minimum, unplugged is best. Speak with anyone in Fire or Rescue services and they will tell you the same.

LongSummerDays · 14/09/2018 15:06

Why waste or pay for electricity you're not using?

Grin Bless. Such naïveté is sweet. Hmm

Unknownunknowns · 14/09/2018 15:07

I find this interesting because where I live we don't have switches on sockets, it's either plugged in or out.

I had to ring once about our broadband connection and was redirected to UK call centre, when she asked me to switch it off at the wall i had no idea what she was talking about! I finally figured out should just unplug it!

Xocaraic · 14/09/2018 15:07

Read the very last line in this
www.electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk/guides-and-advice/electrical-items/toasters/

Unknownunknowns · 14/09/2018 15:08

Oh and I just leave the toaster plugged in😊

LongSummerDays · 14/09/2018 15:08

I don't even unplug my glass kiln which gets to temperatures up to 870°C.

Arealmanithink · 14/09/2018 15:09

I have now realized how crazy people are..I gave them the benefit of the doubt before. No longer. People are nuts!

Original poster
abacucat · 14/09/2018 15:11

Sp DP is wrong, it is safer to switch it off at the plug Grin

OP posts:
HappyHippy45 · 14/09/2018 15:19

I unplug the toaster out of habit. When dc were younger they'd put it on "by accident" in passing. Same with microwave.
Kettle always stays on for some reason.