New Delhi, Dec. 1 -- Most Indian households rely heavily on appliances for daily chores like running the washing machine before stepping out or letting the geyser heat water while finishing other tasks. But how safe is it to leave these appliances running when the house is empty? This is a concern many people dismiss until something actually goes wrong.

According to NYT Wirecutter's Annemarie Conte, who originally addressed this topic, the risk becomes real only when a malfunction occurs. But it is crucial to understand that appliances that involve heat, electricity, or water can pose hazards if left unsupervised.

Mechanical engineering professor Sangjin Jung, as cited in Wirecutter, notes that modern appliances include safety systems y...