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It is NOT battery operated at all. For those with HAND problems:The packaging is one of those that makes it extremely difficult completely plastic enclosed types with NO easy way to open. Hard even with electric scissors since there is no easy level place to begin, all around is tightly sealed and Curved. Therefore you must be able to plug it in first - it is 3 prong, so if you have an old house with 2 prong this can't directly plug in.It is VERY difficult to get ANYTHING you plug in Unplugged from it - requires good hand strength. No matter how easy a plug is to get in and out of outlets/power strips - it gets Stuck in this thing.Also if you have poor lighting or furniture around your plugs that give shawdows, you will need some lighting to see this - no backlite to it.
The meter died after 15 minutes of use at 5% capacity.I called the factory rep and they said I had two choices for getting a replacement, thru them or Amazon.I chose Amazon and got a new unit the next day. Amazon also reimbursed my return postage.The replacement came in a slightly different package so I knew this came from a new lot.Working in electronics I am familiar with infant mortality.The second unit works great with no problems.The unit found electric leaks which switchable power strips fixed.Testing my computer allowed me to install a gaming graphics card without upgrading my puny 250w power supply.I will be able to help my friends and relatives reduce their electricity cost
FOR $20.00 THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST THING TO SAVE MONEY AND ENERGY. I'VE PLUGGED IN ALMOST EVERYTHING , INCLUDING THE REFRIGERATOR TO SEE THE WATTAGE. IT DOES ONLY TAKES FEW SECONDS. IAM HAPPY WITH THIS GADGET.
I find you quickly forget what things cost to leave on.1) Write your local electricity cost directly on the Kill-A-Watt (or on tape). Some used as little as 18 watts (Maybe they were very old). If you've read the other reviews you know by now that this measures power consumption so you know how much it costs to keep lights on, etc. Also useful to know power consumption at various settings (for example, a fan)3) It's more useful to think of how much it costs each month if you leave something on 24/7 than to think of a "per hour" cost. After a few days of measuring everything in your house it's likely to sit on your shelf for months and months at a time.One pet peeve is that the display is hard to read. This is because each time you unplug it to move it around, it forgets.2) Write the power consumption and cost on your devices. It might say 23 watts on it, but I've found them to actually vary quite a bit.
If you insist on getting a reading, you will have to leave it in for 24 hours and have it log the total since they tend to be below the accurate instant display limit. How much does it really cost me to leave my computer on 24/7.A fine tip Sharpie and some masking tape can dramatically increase the effectiveness of the information you get. to as much as 26.6) For really low consumption devices (cell phone chargers on standby for example) it isn't really accurate. I use a piece of masking tape on the underside of things. We pay 10.5 cents per KWH so a 100 watt light costs $7.56 a month / 25 cents a day or 1.05 cents per hour doesn't have the same impact.4) If there are lights that get left on frequently, write the consumption / cost on a sticky note next to the switch (based on the light you have there)5) If you want to get really geeked out, test your CFL's separately. Also note that power consumption changes under load - a stand mixer or blender for example.Finally I'd say that this is something every library should have - since it's not something you necessarily need at hand all the time. Would a backlight be too much to ask.If you have a question or found this review helpful, please let me know.
The Kill A Watt does what it says it does. A small extension cable would have been nice. While I really liked all the different options on it, it was fairly difficult to use in tight areas. As other reviewers have mentioned, it's design blocks outlets and it's screen is hard to read at any other angle except straight on. If you're in a dim area, make sure you have a flashlight since the screen is pretty dark. Other than that this device has helped me identify energy drains within my house.
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