Gadget guzzle energy even when you’re not using them — if you leave them plugged in. Called vampire power, this useless waste of energy runs up your power bill and keeps plans for more coal burning power plants alive. That’s why smart strips — tech-savvy power strips that cut off power to gadgets when they’re not in use — have been getting a lot of attention from environmentalists who want to slay vampire power without bothering to unplug their gadgets.

I actually already have a vampire-slaying habit worked out, but I decided to give one of these smart strips a try. Honestly, I’m not all that enamored by this eco-smart gadget, but for the forgetful, smart strips may be the way to go. Here’s why one may work for you, even though they haven’t proved particularly convenient for me.

I tried out an iGo Power Smart Tower to see a smart strip in action. This tool has two types of outlets — “green” ones for those you want turned on and off, and regular ones for gadgets you need on all the time, like an electric clock. Plus, a couple USB ports at the bottom lets you charge mobile devices.

What I found the iGo Power Smart Tower most useful for was charging up gadgets with batteries. Plug in your cell phone, laptop, or iPod into a green outlet and the Smart Tower will recharge it — then cut off the power once the gadget’s juiced up, which saves both energy and your gadgets’ battery life. Every half hour, the Smart Tower boots up to check if anything requires energy, then turns back off if nothing does — thereby reducing vampire power by over 85 percent, according to iGo.

iGo also recommends the Smart Tower for gadgets like TVs and computer monitors, but I just don’t see myself using the Smart Tower for those items. Why? As I mentioned, the Smart Tower boots up just once every 30 minutes. That means that if I want to watch a DVD on my TV NOW, I have to press the Smart Tower’s “Instant On” button. And if I’m going to have to press a button anyway, I feel I may as well flick the switch on a simple, cheap, regular power strip than a bulkier though admittedly sleeker-looking Smart Tower that costs $79.99.

Of course, the Smart Tower does automatically turns OFF the power to the DVD player once it senses I’m not using it anymore — so if you’re the forgetful type, this smart meter might save you some money in the long run.

As I’m already in the habit of switching off my power strip once I’m done watching a DVD, this isn’t an issue for me. That, combined with my habit of charging all gadgets during the day when I’ll remember to unplug them once juiced up (I work from home), my slight annoyance with the small clicking sound the iGo makes when it boots up every half hour, and my reluctance to add yet another gadget to my life for extremely limited purposes, makes me think I’m not a smart strip kind of gal.

Still, for people who need to charge devices overnight, or who forget to flick off power strips despite their best intentions, the iGo could be quite useful.

Do you use a smart strip? What gadgets do you find are most convenient to use with these high-tech devices?

Update, 2/8/10: How I vanquished vampire power: 3 steps to home energy efficiency

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