The Bottom Line
You need to know how much you spend per Kilowatt. Once you configure the Kill A Watt it's just a matter of connecting your device to it. You can measure usage by hour, day, week, month or year.
The Kill A Watt doesn't distinguish when the device is powered on versus off so you'll want to pay attention to that when using it.
Pros
- Track energy consumption of HDTV
- Digital interface easy to read
- Can measure power factor by Hz, Va, Watt, Amp and Volt.
Cons
- Doesn't work when not connected to power.
- Plugs into standard outlet but size of unit takes up two sockets.
- LCD screen does not light up
Description
- Calculate energy consumption by hour, day, week, month and year. The calculations are automatic so math isn't an issue.
- Helps reduce your ecological footprint by helping you pinpoint appliances that waste energy.
- Does not know if device is powered on or off. You must be aware of that when measuring energy usage.
- Didn't like how it reduced a standard two-outlet socket to one due to its size.
- I needed a flashlight to read the LCD screen in low-light environments because the screen doesn't light up.
Guide Review - P3 Kill A Watt EZ Electricity Meter P4460 by P3 International
The Kill A Watt makes sense to me because energy consumption is a hot topic and I like ways that I can save money.
Of course, the Kill A Watt isn't a power fix. It's a measuring tool used to determine if a device's power consumption is acceptable. If it isn't then it's up to you to determine how to save power with that device.
So, why the Kill A Watt?
According to P3, "Now you can cut down on costs and find out what appliances are actually worth keeping plugged in."
That statement cuts to the heart of why use the Kill A Watt. If you determine that your HDTV or other A/V components suck energy while in an off state then you can save money by unplugging them. You'll also be able to track power used when powered on.
Does it Work?
The Kill A Watt works. I don't know what else to say about that. But, I would like to stress that it doesn't distinguish between on and off cycles for your device.
So, if you're trying to measure how much energy a HDTV uses when powered off you would simply need to connect the Kill A Watt to your HDTV when it is powered off and not turn it on. Once you turn it on you would compromise your results.
However, I think most people will use the Kill A Watt to track overall power usage by a device. I don't think on or off will be an issue. What will be an issue is if your HDTV uses too much power. So, what then?
Many Energy Star rated televisions have a low-power function. You can measure a week of high performance use against a week of low-power use. Then you'd know if it is worth it to use the low-power setting.
The bottom line is that the Kill A Watt is easy to use. It has value because it can help you save money over time as well as reduce your ecological footprint.
