Picture this: You move into a new house and start unpacking. As you enter the kitchen, you look for a place to put your belongings. air fryerbut there is a problem. Your kitchen only has one wall outlet, and it’s nowhere near where you want to put your appliance.

If you’re thinking of unplugging the extension cord to fix this problem, think again.

“A lot of people don’t know about extension cords,” owner Paul Martinez said. Electric New YorkIt says in Brooklyn, New York. “If extension cords are 14-gauge and you’re running an appliance with a heating element, such as a toaster, microwave, or dishwasher, a 14-gauge cord will not be able to hold the amperage and could burn the extension cord. This is the cause of the fires in New York City.”

Fourteen- and 12-gauge extension cords are some of the most common extension cords sold, with the 14-gauge extension cord capable of handling up to roughly 1,800 watts (or 15 amps (the same as a standard wall outlet in the U.S.). But Martinez warns that any device over 1,500 watts should always be on a dedicated circuit.

“No extension cords of any kind,” he says for such devices.

Here are seven high-risk examples that you should never plug into an extension cord in your home.

1. Air fryer

Air fryers are great for cooking and heating food quickly. full meals And garnishesbut it is not a good idea to connect them to an extension cord or extension cord. Large air fryers can draw up to 2,000 watts of power, although they vary in wattage depending on their size; This creates a major fire hazard when connected to an extension cord. So if you don’t have the counter space to keep your air fryer outside all the time, it’s best to pull it out and plug it into a dedicated wall outlet when needed.

2. Microwave

While my dream is to move into a house with built-in appliances microwaveWe’re not all that lucky. If you need to find a place to connect it to your kitchen, this is another heavy-duty appliance that needs to run on its own dedicated circuit due to the high wattage.

Read more: Best Microwave of 2024

3. Refrigerator

Although refrigerators consume less electricity than some other kitchen appliances, it is still not recommended to use an extension cord because they operate constantly. Even if the extension cord does not cause a fire when plugged into the refrigerator, there is a possibility that it may cause the refrigerator to malfunction.

4. Toaster and toaster oven

Although toasters are on the smaller side when it comes to kitchen appliances, they consume a lot of energy and pose a fire hazard when connected to an extension cord. Toaster ovens need even more power to operate, with wattages ranging from 1,200 to 1,400 watts.

5. Extension cables

Plugging extension cords into other extension cords is another big “no!” in the electrician world. When this is done it is called “daisy chain.” This can cause the circuit to overheat, causing the wiring to overheat.

6. Space heaters

It has long been known that electric heaters are a significant cause of fires. Consumer Product Safety Commission It was previously estimated that between 2017 and 2019, portable space heaters were involved in 1,700 fires per year, some of which resulted in fatalities.

“Let’s say you plug it into a space heater (extension cord), the plug will melt and start a fire. That’s why you can’t use an extension cord and/or power strip for any appliance, because they must only be used for electronic devices.”

Read more: Never Put a Heater in These 9 Places

7. Air conditioning unit

AC units use too much power for an extension cord or power strip, so they need to be plugged into a wall outlet as well. Martinez also emphasizes the importance of purchasing the right air conditioning unit for your space. You can use a online BTU calculator To calculate the type you’ll need to effectively cool your space.

“People buy a 5,000 BTU air conditioner because it’s $99 on sale and they think it will cool (their home), but it doesn’t,” Martinez says. “(AC units) have to turn on and off, so they don’t draw as much energy. So if you make the unit smaller, the compressor will work 10 times harder.”

This can result in your home never cooling properly, a higher electric bill, and possibly a fire if that AC unit is connected to an extension cord.

The ultimate when it comes to extension cords

“There are no tools,” Martinez says of extension cords and extension cords.

It also says that you should only pair extension cords with electronic devices, and that extension cords should not be used for anything over 15 amps (1,800 watts), regardless of where and how the product operates.

For more home tipslet’s see how much you can do save money by using a space heater and find out where you need to Never install a home security camera.