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ZDNET Highlights
- Heavy-duty appliances overload the wires, causing dangerous overheating and risk of fire.
- Appliances over 1,800 watts require a dedicated wall outlet for safety.
- Daisy-chaining extension cords are a major fire hazard and should be avoided.
While extension cords are a standard fix for reaching a distant wall outlet, they’re not a universal solution for everything that needs to be plugged in. There is an important difference between low-power “electronics” and high-draw “appliances”.
Although items like refrigerators and toaster ovens are technically electronic, they operate on a different level in terms of amperage requirements. Because these devices draw so much power to function, standard extension cords can quickly become a safety hazard rather than a simple convenience.
Why shouldn’t you plug everything into an extension cord?
Extension cords are manufactured with a maximum current-carrying capacity, which is determined by the wire gauge used in the cord. For example, a 16-gauge extension cord can handle up to 13 amps, while a 14-gauge cord can handle up to 15 amps (or 1,800 watts), the same as a standard American wall outlet.
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When an appliance draws more power than the extension cord can handle, it causes overload which can lead to overheating. You really don’t want your cord’s insulation to melt, exposing the electrical wires and potentially causing a fire.
Any appliance requiring more than 1,800 watts must be on a dedicated circuit – never connected to an extension cord. And the following are seven home appliances you’ll definitely want to connect directly to an outlet.
1. Refrigerator
Refrigerators do not have heating elements and use lower wattage than other kitchen appliances, but they still draw a lot of electricity because they run constantly. Although the risk of refrigerator fire is slightly lower, an extension cord can still interfere with the refrigerator’s power control and cause a malfunction.
2. Toaster or toaster oven
Despite their relatively small size, toasters consume a lot of energy and can be a fire hazard when plugged into an extension cord. Toaster ovens are larger and require even more power, typically 1,200 to 1,400 watts. Keep your toast making and small baking projects safe by choosing a wall outlet.
3. Air Fryer
Air fryers are excellent for crisping up leftover French fries. But this requires a lot of heat, and larger models can consume up to 2,000 watts—there’s considerable risk of fire when plugged into even a 14-gauge cord. The same applies to power strips.
To ensure safety, it’s best to place the air fryer on a countertop and plug it directly into a dedicated wall outlet during use, even if that means taking it out of the cabinet only when needed.
4. Microwave
The microwave is another heavy-duty appliance that must have its own dedicated circuit due to its high wattage. Compact microwaves, like the ones you find in hotel rooms or RVs, have an average wattage of 600 to 800 watts. Standard microwaves, commonly installed in homes and workplace breakrooms, use 800 to 1,000 watts.
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While the latter will often be installed between cabinets with a dedicated circuit, some homes provide only counter space for such bulky equipment. If this is your scenario, make sure to plug it directly into a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) outlet in your kitchen.
5. AC Units
AC units, whether portable or window-installed, use a lot of electricity thanks to extension cords or power strips. So, make sure to connect them directly to a wall outlet as well. Before doing this, be sure to use an online BTU (British Thermal Unit) calculator to determine what type you will need to effectively cool your space.
A typical bedroom – about 150 square feet – requires a unit capable of using 6,500 BTUs or 1,905 watts to cool. This amount of draw is too much for an extension cord to handle and could result in a fire.
6. Space Heater
As nice as it is to be able to turn an electric space heater on and off instantly, it is considered one of the riskiest home appliances for causing a fire. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), portable space heaters are involved in an average of 1,700 fires per year in the United States, some of which are caused by the use of extension cords.
That’s because they typically produce about 5,120 BTUs per hour, which is strong enough to easily melt an extension cord plug.
7. Extension cord
We’ve all done it: connecting one extension cord to another in an attempt to daisy-chain one device to a power outlet. This is a big number in the field of power distribution. This can cause the circuit to overheat, causing the wire to overheat and burn. Although a cord is not technically a device, it is important to know that there is an inherent danger in connecting one to another.
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The bottom line is that an extension cord should not be used for any apparatus that draws more than 15 amps (1,800 watts), regardless of what it is used for or where the appliance is located.
