State pensioners this winter, just as energy bills soar by another 10 percent, are desperately seeking ways to pinch pennies in the frosty months ahead.

The consumer champion magazine Which? has come to the rescue with this winter - by pulling the plug on devices that quietly drain electricity and inflate your bill, even when they're idle. We all know the hefty price tag of running power-hungry appliances like tumble dryers, ovens, or boilers, but at least these beasts are doing something useful around the house.

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In stark contrast, some gadgets are notorious for sneakily adding to your expenses by lingering on standby without lifting a finger, reports . Which? warns that wireless speakers/smart speakers and sound bars are the worst offenders for sipping energy while on standby.

They revealed: "They're the most power-hungry gadgets in standby, costing around £6 per year (based on 20 standby hours per day)." Sure, £6 might not seem much, but remember, that's £6 for each speaker, and £6 for absolutely zilch. Nada.

It's also worth giving a once-over to other culprits like PCs, games consoles, and TVs. These devices are typically designed to never fully shut down, opting instead to hibernate on standby, ready to spring into action instantly.

However, due to contemporary design, a PC only takes a few seconds longer to boot up from a cold start than it does to resume from standby. Thus, leaving it on standby merely adds to your bills without any real benefit. This comes as state pensioners are set to lose their £300 Winter Fuel Payment unless they're on Pension Credit. According to , as many as 800,000 people aren't claiming this when they should be.