The best home energy monitors of 2026 to see your electricity use live

Not necessarily: if your utility has installed a smart meter, its app or online account may already show your usage by the hour or by the day, at no extra charge. An energy monitor adds what the utility's app usually doesn't: live readings, alerts and appliance-level readings when paired with smart plugs. Some monitors can read data straight from a compatible smart meter, so there's no clamp to install, but whether that works depends on your utility.

Multiply its power in kilowatts by the hours it runs, then by your rate per kWh: a 2 kW appliance running for 1.5 hours uses 3 kWh. At an example rate of 10¢ per kWh, that's 30¢. For appliances that cycle on and off, such as fridges, freezers or dehumidifiers, the rating plate overstates use, so measure a full week with a smart plug and multiply by 52. Your rate depends on your province and utility, so check your bill; fixed monthly charges stay the same however much you use.

Use a smart plug to find out what one appliance uses, and a clamp monitor to see your whole home's consumption in real time. A plug only works for appliances that plug into a standard outlet, so it can't measure a range, a dryer, an electric water heater or any other 240 V appliance. A clamp monitor installed in your electrical panel, around the main service wires, captures everything, including those big loads. Many people use both: the clamp to spot when usage jumps, then plugs to track down the culprit.

Be careful: the clamps themselves don't cut or disconnect anything, but they usually clip on inside the electrical panel, where the main wires stay live even with the main breaker off. Electrical work rules are set by each province and territory; when in doubt, hire a licensed electrician. Never open the meter or break its seal, as it belongs to your utility. Keep the transmitter's batteries fresh, as dead batteries are a common cause of gaps in readings.

Usually the monitor has lost its link to your Wi-Fi or to its sensor. First move the gateway closer to the router, check it's powered and restart it. For a clamp monitor, check that the clamps are still fully closed around the cables and that the transmitter has fresh batteries. If your monitor reads a smart meter directly and the link has never worked, ask your utility whether the meter needs to be paired or authorized first. In the meantime, your bills still show your actual usage.