Some of these devices, such as the freezer, should never be turned off even if they are an electrical drain, while others should never be left on standby.

If left turned on at the plug, these devices can end up sucking up electricity, thereby increasing energy costs, something that no one wants during a cost of living crisis.

Ian Palmer-Smith, appliance repair expert at Domestic & General, has named five of the biggest “vampire appliances” that can add to your electricity bills if they’re kept on at the wall, even if they go unused while you’re away on holiday.

He said: “These appliances continue to use power even when turned off and are sometimes referred to as ‘vampire devices’.”

Ian explained: “Appliances that need to heat water use a lot of energy – which is why dishwashers, washing machines and kettles score so highly on energy consumption. They use more energy than others on standby as they need to be ready to heat water instantly, on demand.”

Ian then suggested that these devices should be unplugged and/or turned off at the wall socket, adding: “Any appliance that’s still switched on or that stays plugged into a live socket, is using an electric current.

“Even in sleep or standby modes, some items continue to use energy for updates, connecting to remote servers, and recording data. The only way to ensure you’re not using any energy is to turn it off at the plug – or pull it out.”

However he then stressed that fridges and freezers should never be turned off at the wall, adding: “Whilst fridge freezers contribute around 12 percent to a household energy bill, you shouldn’t turn off or unplug this before a holiday as this will cause the fridge to defrost and also potentially result in a smelly kitchen.”