I have one outlet in a linen cabinet that I use for recharging the toothbrush, but I don't leave it plugged in.

@flopsycat1 I've had problems. I used to use a rechargeable waterpik (use at home and while traveling) and that battery had lots of problems. (went through multiple units). When I called waterpik, they schooled me on proper use. I couldn't do it and finally gave up and bought a regular waterpik (+ battery powered one for travel). My last cell phone started having battery issues too and the repair guy, again, said they should not be plugged in all the time. (and if I can't remember to unplug it when it's right at 100%, it's better to unplug at 90% than to leave it plugged in too long).

@scottie mom, thanks!

Not sure if this is a thing in the US — I’m Canadian and never see them here — but most outlets I saw on a recent trip to the UK had switches on them so they can be turned on/off. Installing this type of outlet might be a solution for the issue described.

There's no danger having a hairdryer plugged in and the cabinet closed. What would the danger be?!? As long as you turn the hairdryer off, no electricity is flowing and no heat is being generated.

And as far as batteries go, I think we are all still used to the way old rechargeable batteries worked. Battery technology has come a long way and there isn't an issue with keeping things 'charging' all the time because the technology turns off the charging when it's complete. Or a battery doesn't accept charging when it's full. Whichever way you want to look at it.

All those 'tech support' people that you call and talk to are just talking heads that read answers from a sheet or make things up and their real purpose is to get you off the phone in as little time as possible and stop bothering the company. So they will tell you a bunch of things to do that will "fix" your issue or prevent it from happening again to shift the blame to you instead of the faulty product. (And they may even believe it themselves, but that doesn't make it true)

And people's biases towards the old way batteries works is confirmed by these 'tech people' and by your own isolated experience.

But the fact is that batteries get worse over time whether you leave them plugged in or you don't. But when you leave it plugged in, you go "Ah ha! It's because I left it plugged in!"

When you don't leave it plugged in, you go "Wow! Imagine how much faster it would have failed if I had left it plugged in! Good thing I didn't do that!"

But they would have failed at the same rate.

IMHO

YMMV

As posted by others, what is the hazard in having something plugged in to a closed cabinet.

Before my remodel, my hair dryer was plugged into a wall socket and then the actual dryer was stored in a drawer which couldn't close completely because of the cord. My printer is plugged into a socket in the rollout drawer that I keep it in and my new desk has a compartment with a plug that houses my external hard drives so they aren't on the desk surface.

The question regarding rechargeable items seems to be a red herring - plugged in or not plugged in - what difference does it make where the base actually is? My toothbrush is rechargeable but I don't keep it on the stand except when it is charging which is relatively infrequent but that has nothing to do with my being concerned about battery longevity.

• @girl_wonder I don’t leave cell phones plugged in all the time, just the four toothbrushes we have. Never a problem. I think that @greg_2015 is probably correct on this one.

* Not sure if this is a thing in the US — I’m Canadian and never see them here — but most outlets I saw on a recent trip to the UK had switches on them so they can be turned on/off.

Sockets are not allowed in bathrooms or shower rooms in the UK (apart from shaver-supply units) unless they can be fitted at least three metres from the bath or shower. remember our voltage is higher than the US ...UK 230v....US 120v

There is no danger of being electrocuted by placement of a socket in a vanity drawer. Sockets in bathrooms and kitchens have CFGI per Code. Everyone has a plug or plugs along the backsplash.

I have one behind my toilet for the washlet which is Code compliant of course as it was installed when I remodeled and the bathroom was inspected multiple times for electrical and plumbing. All the plugs in my drawers were also inspected by he electrical inspectors and they are quite rigorous in Los Angeles.

I don’t think I have ever seen sockets along the floor in a bathroom though.

@greg_2015 thanks. I previously had a friend (electrical engineer; PhD from Ivy League) try to teach me about the science of the battery discharge etc. This was maybe 10+ years ago and I can’t remember the exact technology (NiCAD? It may have changed since then). I thought he was wrong and then I had the problems I described. FWIW, I’ve seen articles on strategies to extend battery life.

Yes, real question: what difference does it make where they are plugged in? I guess in my case, since I’m the odd man out, not wanting to charge 24x7, I need to have them visible so I remember to unplug them, lol! Also, like @Helen, I’ve heard it’s not great to leave things plugged in inside cabinets, maybe they could short out or something?

I’ve heard it’s not great to leave things plugged in inside cabinets, maybe they could short out or something?

The fact that it's in a cabinet is irrelevant.

If a hair dryer shorts out while it's sitting on a towel on the sink out in the open, it may start a fire.

If a plug works it's way loose from the outlet so that the prongs are slightly exposed and a bobby pin falls down and lands on the prongs and short circuits and a spark lands in the pile of tissues in the garbage can, it may start a fire.

If those same things happen when the hair dryer is in a cabinet, it may start a fire.

So if you were asking if you should unplug things when you aren't using them, then sure it's probably a little safer.

Whether it's worth the slight risk for the slight inconvenience? That's a personal decision.

It isn't a huge fire hazard and it has nothing to do with whether it's in a cabinet.

If you pile flammable things on top of the hair dryer and outlet in that drawer and have to use force to close the drawer because there is so much stuff in it, then I'd suggest not doing that. :)

I lived in San Diego, with one of the highest cost for electricity in the nation. ( Customers in a standard SDG&E tiered billing system pay 27 cents per killowatt-hour in the summer and 23 cents a kilowatt-hour in the winter. If usage exceeds 130 percent of the baseline, the price then goes up to 48 cents per kilowatt-hour in the summer and 40 cents in the winter for that tier.)

I have most of my outlets controlled by wall switches or on power strips and unplug or turn off the electricity to the outlets for most anything that is plugged in. Fire alarms and a few nightlights are the exception. Phantom use for most homes (the power drawn from electronics that are turned off, but still plugged in) is equivalent to one month's electricity bill for the year.

A non issue. Really. My dryer is hidden plugged into a GFI 24/7 and 365. Because I am lazy. And I don't want to see it unless I am USING it. Same with the dang toothbrush.

Worry about something else.

The issue is the drawers, and the wear and tear on the electrical wires to the outlet from opening and closing drawers. Worn wires are a fire hazard. This is why those are classified as an appliance, and must have protected rigid articulated metal supports. It should be inspected frequently. The other end is plugged into a standard outlet.

Give yourself some piece of mind and put in grounded outlets (GFCI) in the drawers.

Thanks everyone. @Jennifer Hogan yes that's what I was thinking--the phantom use. In addition to cost, I hate the idea of wasting (often coal-generated) electricity (I plan to install solar in 3-5 years, but I'm not there yet).

@User thank you for posting that picture and for clarifying what the potential hazard is. Plus your pic points out that I'd need to allow some space behind the cabinet. Plus buy that extra hardware and extra time for my electrician. I'm reluctant to do this (obviously) so I don't want to pay more for something I'm not even thrilled to have.

live_wire_oak,

I notice that your photo shows a "no hair dryer" icon. Any idea why that is? Maybe the cord on that specific unit isn't rated for the heavy draw of a hair dryer? Or it's just a CYA statement by the manufacturer so that they can point to it and say that it isn't their fault if a fire starts? :)

A stationary outlet in a cabinet (as opposed to a movable drawer) has less moving parts to worry about.

greg_2015 I happened to installed something similar from the same company that live_wire_oak posted. That company offers two types of outlets, one is lower current (3A max) for charging (cell phone, tablet, etc) and one is higher current (20A max) for hair dryer, flat iron, etc. The photo live_wire_oak posted is the charging outlet, that's why it has an icon that shows no hair dryer. I installed two powering charger, one in each bathroom. The powering outlets also feature a UL listed thermostat that cuts power to the outlet when surrounding temperatures exceed 120F. They also offer an interlock box (extra cost) that can de-energized the outlet when the drawer is closed (for Canadian users as their codes required this). After calling and talking to a representative, I feel very comfortable having these in my newly remodel bathrooms (for what it's worth, both my husband and myself are Electrical Engineers) Hope this helps!