Is It Safe To Keep A Toaster Plugged In?

We’ve all been there. You’re in a rush to get out the door and you remember that you need to unplug the toaster. But is it really necessary? Is it safe to keep a toaster plugged in when you’re not using it? Let’s find out.

To Unplug Or Not To Unplug

The short answer is yes, it is safe to keep a toaster plugged in. Toasters are designed with built-in safety features that prevent them from starting up on their own. However, there are a few things you should keep in mind if you choose to leave your toaster plugged in.

First of all, unplugging your toaster when you’re not using it will help prolong its lifespan. Toasters contain heating elements that can break down over time if they’re constantly being used. By unplugging your toaster when you’re not using it, you can help extend its lifespan because you won’t use it as much. This might seem silly, but costs like these add up over time.

Of course, when the toaster is plugged in but off, the heating element won’t be used, but some power can be consumed. Toasters, like other forms of electronics, can suck down a small number of watts of “vampire power” where the device uses a few watts of power each day, just to power up small circuits and LEDs and similar background hardware.

Unplugging your toaster can be slightly safer. Toasters can start fires if they’re left on and unattended. While the risk of this happening is relatively low, it’s still something to be aware of. The chance of a toaster spontaneously igniting is very small, but what could happen is a small child or even a pet could push down one of the toaster buttons and start an unsafe situation. Also something from the kitchen could fall on one of the buttons, holding it down, and cause the toaster to overheat. This is unlikely but not impossible.

Lastly, if you have young children in your home, it’s important to unplug your toaster when you’re not using it. Young children are curious by nature and may be tempted to stick their hands or other objects into the slots where bread is inserted. This can lead to serious injuries, so it’s best to err on the side of caution and unplug your toaster when you’re not using it.

How Safe Is My Toaster?

Many different toaster models exist so it’s hard to say, but there are some rules of thumb you can use to judge the safety of your toaster. Here are the primarily ones:

• Is the toaster under 10 years old?
• Is it from a reputable brand?
• Is it and its cord undamaged and functioning as it should?
• Does the toaster have a UL^[1]Underwriters Laboratories: https://www.ul.com/look-ul-safety-mark-you-buy or similar certification of safety on it?

If you’ve answered yes to all these questions, your toaster is likely to be safe.

Is It Safe?

So there you have it! It is safe to keep a toaster plugged in when you’re not using it. Just remember to unplug it when you’ll be away from home for an extended period of time or if you have young children in your home. With these simple precautions, you can help prevent fires and extend the lifespan of your trusty appliance.

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