Most people probably have no idea how much energy is used to run various home appliances. My parents go around obsessively turning off the lights in every room of their house, but keep their television on nearly 24/7 and do tiny loads of laundry all day long. My gut tells me that this behavior is irrational, though I really can't claim to be much more aware. All I know is that my electric bill is highest in August when I run my air conditioning day and night, that my energy use went down dramatically when I moved into a smaller house, and that my refrigerator is an energy guzzler so I shouldn't open and shut it too many times a day (that's common knowledge, right?).

DIY Kyoto makes the Wattson which measures and displays energy use in your home. The Wattson's wireless sensor measures overall energy use as well as the consumption of individual appliances when moved around to different areas. Energy data, in terms of wattage or costs, is saved so you can keep accurate records of household energy use throughout the year. It's not cheap at £350, but may be worth the price if you put the information to good use.

Via Inhabitat