topic Re: To Plug or unplug? in Kitchen

To Plug or unplug?

Nickname1 — Tue, 31 Mar 2015 00:47:08 GMT

Another thread brought this question to mind. Do you leave small counter top appliances plugged in or do you unplug them when not in use? We don't have much counter space, so the only things we keep on it are the toaster oven and coffee maker, both of which are unplugged after use. I really wouldn't keep anything plugged, with the exception of the microwave which I don't consider a small appliance anyway.

Re: To Plug or unplug?

Nataliesgramma — Tue, 31 Mar 2015 00:54:50 GMT

I leave my coffee maker ....can opener ...and toaster plugged in....unless there is a storm or I am going on vacation.

Re: To Plug or unplug?

athenian — Tue, 31 Mar 2015 01:13:40 GMT

Unplugged ever since I saw a video of a toaster catching fire when NOT in use.

Re: To Plug or unplug?

Kachina624 — Tue, 31 Mar 2015 01:17:04 GMT

I related this story on that thread, so it does happen that appliances come on when they aren't supposed to.

My parents almost had their house burned down when an electric can opener started running by itself while they were on vacation,and ran until the motor burned out. It ignited the underside of a cabinet. Everything in the house was coated with a greasy black soot. Even things in the closets and dresser drawers were covered. Their insurance had one of those disaster clean-up teams come in and spend several weeks cleaning everything.

Re: To Plug or unplug?

nomless — Tue, 31 Mar 2015 01:19:48 GMT

Do you unplug TV, lamps, etc?

Re: To Plug or unplug?

alicedee — Tue, 31 Mar 2015 01:22:58 GMT

Years ago my boss told me the toaster on their kitchen counter caught on fire (it wasn't being used at the time). Ever since then she had unplugged all appliances that weren't being used. I do the same.

That being said, I don't unplug tv's, radios, or lamps.....so I could be living in a fool's paradise!

Re: To Plug or unplug?

sunshine45 — Tue, 31 Mar 2015 01:24:09 GMT

i dont unplug anything.

Re: To Plug or unplug?

Lovethesea — Tue, 31 Mar 2015 01:27:53 GMT

On 3/30/2015 Kachina624 said:
I related this story on that thread, so it does happen that appliances come on when they aren't supposed to.

My parents almost had their house burned down when an electric can opener started running by itself while they were on vacation,and ran until the motor burned out. It ignited the underside of a cabinet. Everything in the house was coated with a greasy black soot. Even things in the closets and dresser drawers were covered. Their insurance had one of those disaster clean-up teams come in and spend several weeks cleaning everything.

What a horrible experience for your parents!

In the kitchen, I only leave the microwave plugged in and I no longer own a toaster. I don't unplug anything else unless I'm going on vacation.

Re: To Plug or unplug?

SusieQ_2 — Tue, 31 Mar 2015 01:30:11 GMT

I don't unplug anything either.

Re: To Plug or unplug?

Tigriss — Tue, 31 Mar 2015 01:38:40 GMT

Always unplug anything with a heating element. Those appliances are the main cause of house fires along with hair appliances like curling irons, blow dryers, and flat irons. I have anything with a heating element unplugged when I'm not using them. I am skeptical about leaving a crock pot plugged in. I have only done it a few times when I was gone. I still prefer to use it on the weekends when I'm home.

I only leave my clothes dryer, stove, microwave, water heater and HVAC connected to the 220V plugs they are connected by. I don't leave anything else plugged in with heating elements.

Re: To Plug or unplug?

Desertdi — Tue, 31 Mar 2015 01:41:01 GMT

The only small electric things in my kitchen are a countertop oven, a micro, and a TV.......all three are plugged in.

Re: To Plug or unplug?

RedTop — Tue, 31 Mar 2015 01:55:38 GMT

Only the microwave remains plugged in at all times.

Re: To Plug or unplug?

Mom2Dogs — Tue, 31 Mar 2015 01:59:53 GMT

I unplug any small appliance......

Re: To Plug or unplug?

GCR18 — Tue, 31 Mar 2015 02:03:04 GMT

I unplug small appliances. I guess I'm more concerned that I didn't turn them off.

Re: To Plug or unplug?

walker — Tue, 31 Mar 2015 02:33:29 GMT

I unplug small appliances..toaster, coffee maker, etc..not using...peace of mind.

Re: To Plug or unplug?

ChynnaBlue — Tue, 31 Mar 2015 02:37:05 GMT

My Keurig coffee maker has a clock and turns itself on every morning so I can make coffee as soon as I get out of the shower and it turns itself off 2 hours after my last cup if I forget to turn it off. Unplugging it would defeat the purpose of the clock.

I used to unplug my slow cooker, but one day I put a whole pork roast in, turned it on, and went to work - without plugging it in. I wasted a whole roast and had to make something else for dinner last minute, so now I leave it plugged in at all times. It's hard enough for me to get out of the house with everything I need to bring to work every day, and apparently plugging something in is just one too many things for me to handle.

Re: To Plug or unplug?

Mothertrucker — Tue, 31 Mar 2015 02:44:12 GMT

My parents almost had their house burn down because a TV caught on fire-

It was late at night (remember when they played the Star Spangled Banner when the stations would go off the air - YES, stations used to go off the air!)

Well they fell asleep in front of the TV in the den, woke up to the 'National Anthem' and to see the large console TV in flames-

They manage somehow to carry it outside where they extinguished it- Fire dept came, my mom ruptured disc doing it and ended up in surgery...

Do I unplug my TV? no.. maybe i should..

Re: To Plug or unplug?

OnlyShopsOnline — Tue, 31 Mar 2015 02:59:31 GMT

I unplug small kitchen appliances that have heating elements, such as the toaster, or coffee maker, or Crock Pot. I've heard too many stories about the heating elements shorting out and causing fires.

On incident happened to someone my husband works with. They left the toaster plugged in and a fire started.

Re: To Plug or unplug?

Mothertrucker — Tue, 31 Mar 2015 03:14:30 GMT

i can tell you one thing, i am beginning to be really glad i don't have a toaster!

Re: To Plug or unplug?

DiAnne — Tue, 31 Mar 2015 03:23:22 GMT

I leave my Keurig, toaster, food processor and blender all plugged in. Maybe I should rethink this.......