When it comes to soaring electricity bills, one household appliance often goes unnoticed as a true “energy guzzler”: the electric water heater. While most appliances consume power gradually, the water heater draws massive amounts of electricity in a very short time, making it one of the most expensive devices to run. Unlike a refrigerator or television, which steadily sip electricity, a standard electric water heater uses heating elements that can pull between 3,000 to 4,500 watts every time it’s in operation. To put this in perspective, that’s the equivalent of running dozens of light bulbs or multiple computers all at once.

Even worse, water heaters cycle on and off throughout the day to keep water at a set temperature, meaning you are paying for energy use even when you’re not actively using hot water.