Don't Forget To Unplug These Kitchen Appliances Before You Go On Vacation

There's a lot to remember when you're rushing out the door for a vacation, from closing all the windows to leaving out some food for the cat. But one step you don't want to skip? Unplugging all the small kitchen appliances that line your countertop. For one, you can save a little bit of money on your electricity bill by stopping the appliances from drawing out unneeded energy while you're gone. If you have modern appliances, the difference in price likely won't be large, since nowadays technology has majorly lessened the amount of energy a device consumes when it's not in use. But if you have older devices, the cost savings might start to add up.

Beyond money, unplugging devices is also a good practice for safety. Faulty outlets or cords can cause electrical fires, which is just one more thing you don't want to have to worry about when you're trying to chill on a beach in the tropics. With that said, here are a few appliances you should take special care to unplug before you jet off to the airport on your summer travels.

Unless you're really, really desperate to have hot coffee waiting for you when you return from your vacation, your coffee machine doesn't need to stay plugged in while you're gone. It might be hard to remember to unplug this one, given that it likely stays plugged in all day as part of your daily routine, so write a reminder for yourself on a sticky note or refrigerator whiteboard to take a second and pull the plug. One bonus? You can use this as an opportunity to give it a rinse it was probably in dire need of.

All-in-one air fryers are one of the best ways to maximize kitchen space, but in order to fully take advantage of their multi-purpose usage and space efficiency, it's always best to unplug and put them on a designated shelf or cabinet space when they're not in use. This certainly includes when you leave for a trip, with the added bonus of it being the safer thing to do — especially since air fryers have the unfortunate tendency to collect oil and leftover crumbs. Even if you use parchment paper as an air fryer hack to keep the appliance clean, any food bits that stick onto the appliance are an automatic fire hazard as long as it's plugged in. Best not to leave it up to chance. 

Electric kettles are the key to getting water to heat up fast, and these are great at efficiently distributing energy (which is why sticking with traditional kettles is a mistake in modern kitchens). Unfortunately, there are some glitches that can cause the small appliance to become a major hazard if they're left unattended. 

Specifically, if the kettle's automatic turn-off feature fails, or the lever is pressed by mistake, the kettle can dry boil with no water inside and may even sometimes catch on fire. So make sure that after you finish preparing your travel day pour over, you take a second to unplug the kettle, just in case.

Whether you have a traditional toaster or a toaster oven, this common appliance can fall prey to the same circumstances as your air fryer — aka the inevitable crumbs and grease. If you have curious pets that you're planning to leave at home while you're gone, this is also one appliance that could accidentally be turned on with the bat of a paw if left plugged in. 

For your ease of mind, be extra sure it won't spark a flame, and pull the cord before heading out the door. Oh, and a pro tip for added safety: Line your toaster oven with tin foil to catch the crumbs so that you can regularly swap it out for easy cleaning and leave less fuel for a fire.

One last device to add to your pre-leaving checklist: your trusty rice cooker. Any kitchen appliance that has a heating element ups the risk of fire, and this one is no exception. A rice cooker is easy to accidentally leave turned on if you forget about it while you finish packing or doing something else, and while most modern rice cookers do have automatic safety features that kick in, you don't want to count on that and end up with a house fire.