Use the Right Tool for the Job

If you’re looking for energy efficiency as your excuse to buy some new gear, you’ve come to the right place. More efficient new gadgets can even pay for themselves... eventually.

• Using your game console as a streaming box? Knock it off. A streaming stick or the built-in software of a smart TV can reduce that power draw by up to 15 times, according to EnergyStar. And if you’re watching alone, grabbing a tablet takes about seven times less power than turning on the TV.

• Motion-triggered light bulbs are more dad-tech than they are hip, but for basements and garages, they’re a simple, terrific convenience even beyond their energy savings. Brands like Feit Electric even build motion-sensing smarts right into the bulb — no smart home required.

• A smart thermostat is an upgrade no “dumber” alternative can beat. Google’s Nest is among the flashier options, but even rudimentary programmable thermostats are far better making calls than you are; the EPA estimates that any programmable option can save you as much as $180 per year.