If you have a boiler — you know the deal: it heats water, but even hotter… it heats your electricity bills. My story of taming this “energy vampire” with a smart plug might sound like a fairy tale. But nope — it’s pure math sprinkled with life hacks and emotional explosions.
Let's dive into the numbers.
Initial Data (baseline scenario before optimization)
- Boiler: 2 kW
- Average daily consumption: 10 kWh
- Breakdown:
- 1.5–2 kW — maintaining temperature
- 6 kW — heating cycle during the day
- the rest — nighttime consumption
Rates:
- Daytime rate — $0.12/kWh
- Nighttime rate — $0.06/kWh
Optimization with Tapo P115 (after using smart plug)
- Daily consumption: 6 kWh
- During the day — only one 3 kWh cycle
- The rest — shifted to the cheaper nighttime rate.
And what does that mean in dollars? Check the table 👇
Expenses Table «Before» and «After»
| Metric | Before smart plug | After smart plug |
|---|---|---|
| Daily consumption | 10 kWh | 6 kWh |
| Daytime (expensive) | 6 kWh × $0.12 = $0.72 | 3 kWh × $0.12 = $0.36 |
| Nighttime (cheap) | 4 kWh × $0.06 = $0.24 | 3 kWh × $0.06 = $0.18 |
| Total per day | $0.96 | $0.54 |
| Total per month (30 days) | $28.8 | $16.2 |
| Total per year (365 days) | $350 | $197 |
Result: WHAT THE HECK???
- Daily savings: $0.42
- Monthly savings: $12.6
- Annual savings: $153
So my “iron glutton” started eating half as much. Now that's a SHOCK!
Payback of the plug
The smart plug Tapo P115 costs roughly $15–18. But I realized you could get a cheaper alternative, like Tuya Smart Plug from TEMU (link below).
Now pay attention: if the monthly savings are $12.6, the plug pays off…
👉 in 1–1.5 months!
And after that — pure savings straight to your pocket.
How to set up a smart plug for the boiler (practical life hack)
- Choose heating times.
- Main cycle — set it at night (e.g., 2:00–5:00), when the rate is half price.
- Small daytime top-up — around 14:00, when hot water is in demand.
- Load distribution.
- Most boilers keep water hot for up to 48 hours. This means you DON'T need to run it constantly.
- Better to “blast” it once at night than small doses during the day.
- Control via smartphone.
- The app shows real consumption.
- You can check how much your boiler “ate” today.
- Automatic scenarios.
- Set a rule: turn off the plug when you go on vacation or away for a long time.
- This increases your savings even more.
Why this really works
- Energy is twice as expensive during the day.
- The boiler consumes the main portion during the day.
- By shifting the load to night — you get a double win: less kWh + cheaper kWh.
I must admit: the idea was suggested by my AI assistant (yep, my virtual partner, smarter than half the “experts” in kitchens). And I’m amazed — the numbers really match the bills!
If someone had told me earlier…
Honestly, if someone had told me a year ago, I would have bought Tuya Smart Plug on TEMU with free delivery — and already saved enough for a nice beach vacation. The difference between the expensive brand Tapo and cheaper Tuya — that’s a few more dollars saved.
Link to Tuya Smart Plug 👉
Conclusion
The boiler is necessary, but it eats like an athlete on a mass gainer. However, with the right strategy and a small smart gadget, you can:
- Save half of your expenses,
- Pay off the purchase within a month,
- And put an extra $150+ on the table in a year.
So — tame your boiler!
Otherwise, it will tame your wallet.
💡 While you’re wondering if you really need this smart gadget, I’m already dreaming where to spend those saved dollars… Maybe on coffee and dessert, or maybe on a new home gadget that feeds me (just kidding… for now 😏). Meanwhile, you continue paying unnecessarily for electricity!
Share in the comments how you fight “energy vampires” at home, or what savings idea you’d like to try — I’m curious to hear all your life hacks!
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