For all the modern conveniences technology brings to the home – Wi-Fi-enabled washing machines, powerful gaming systems and enormous smart televisions – one of the downsides is paying to power it all. In fact, home utility costs are continuing to spike for many parts of the country, with 2021 electricity prices rising at the fastest rate since 2008, says the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) – already hitting Americans facing skyrocketing inflation, resulting in higher costs for many goods and services. Not only does the average household have dozens of consumer electronics products plugged into power outlets at any given time, most consume electricity when not in use. "Vampire power" – also referred to as "phantom power" or "standby power" – can account for as much as 10% of a household's electricity bill, says the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This can really add up.

Several WIRED staffers own and love these plugs, including senior associate editor Julian Chokkattu, who recommends them in our Best Smart Bulbs guide. He already owns fancy (and not smart) bulbs, but still wanted the ease of controlling them with his voice via Google Assistant. He connected several lamps to TP-Link's HS105 plugs and has run into little to no issues after using them for more than a year. With the TP-Link Kasa app, you can group plugs together to turn on several items at once, see runtime, set routines, timers, and schedules. It's a little pricier than the Wyze, but you can get the Kasa HS103 model for far less.

With all the convenience robot vacuums have brought to household cleaning, there is still the nuisance of having to clear clutter from the floor before letting the robovac do its thing. Many of these "obstacles" are regular parts of the household landscape--power strips, bathroom scales, even neatly lined up shoes in the entryway. While most bot vacs can ably avoid walls and furniture, these smaller objects are potential hazards that can ensnare the vacuum and halt its cleaning. Roborock's S6 MaxV is the first robot vacuum I've encountered to directly address this. It looks similar to the Roborock S6, but with the addition of a stereo camera on the front bumper.

How best to upgrade your lighting and electric devices to save money and cut your electric bill. From LED lights and Wi-Fi thermostats to water sensors and voice-controller personal assistants, the latest in-home tech could save you money. While buying the latest technology can cost a pretty penny, choosing the right gadgets could save you money. If you want evidence of this, look no further than your home. Between LED lights (that sip rather than gulp electricity) and smart thermostats (that can automate temperature when you're home or not), as well as many other "connected home" gizmos, you can reduce your monthly energy bills and reduce the odds of an expensive emergency situation, such as water damage.