diff --git a/src/torchpme/_utils.py b/src/torchpme/_utils.py
index 2ce9f68c..1656d88a 100644
--- a/src/torchpme/_utils.py
+++ b/src/torchpme/_utils.py
@@ -3,6 +3,17 @@
 import torch
 
 
+def _get_device(device: Union[None, str, torch.device]) -> torch.device:
+    new_device = torch.get_default_device() if device is None else torch.device(device)
+
+    # Add default index of 0 to a cuda device to avoid errors when comparing with
+    # devices from tensors
+    if new_device.type == "cuda" and new_device.index is None:
+        new_device = torch.device("cuda:0")
+
+    return new_device
+
+
 def _validate_parameters(
     charges: torch.Tensor,
     cell: torch.Tensor,
diff --git a/src/torchpme/calculators/calculator.py b/src/torchpme/calculators/calculator.py
index e9ee124c..1fef3e9a 100644
--- a/src/torchpme/calculators/calculator.py
+++ b/src/torchpme/calculators/calculator.py
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 import torch
 from torch import profiler
 
-from .._utils import _validate_parameters
+from .._utils import _get_device, _validate_parameters
 from ..potentials import Potential
 
 
@@ -46,11 +46,7 @@ def __init__(
                 f"Potential must be an instance of Potential, got {type(potential)}"
             )
 
-        self.device = (
-            torch.get_default_device() if device is None else torch.device(device)
-        )
-        if self.device.type == "cuda" and self.device.index is None:
-            self.device = torch.device("cuda:0")
+        self.device = _get_device(device)
         self.dtype = torch.get_default_dtype() if dtype is None else dtype
 
         if self.dtype != potential.dtype:
diff --git a/src/torchpme/potentials/potential.py b/src/torchpme/potentials/potential.py
index 8d0cada0..ae65f888 100644
--- a/src/torchpme/potentials/potential.py
+++ b/src/torchpme/potentials/potential.py
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
 
 import torch
 
+from .._utils import _get_device
+
 
 class Potential(torch.nn.Module):
     r"""
@@ -42,12 +44,10 @@ def __init__(
         device: Union[None, str, torch.device] = None,
     ):
         super().__init__()
+
+        self.device = _get_device(device)
         self.dtype = torch.get_default_dtype() if dtype is None else dtype
-        self.device = (
-            torch.get_default_device() if device is None else torch.device(device)
-        )
-        if self.device.type == "cuda" and self.device.index is None:
-            self.device = torch.device("cuda:0")
+
         if smearing is not None:
             self.register_buffer(
                 "smearing", torch.tensor(smearing, device=self.device, dtype=self.dtype)
diff --git a/src/torchpme/tuning/tuner.py b/src/torchpme/tuning/tuner.py
index 929b4616..1191b5a4 100644
--- a/src/torchpme/tuning/tuner.py
+++ b/src/torchpme/tuning/tuner.py
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 
 import torch
 
-from .._utils import _validate_parameters
+from .._utils import _get_device, _validate_parameters
 from ..calculators import Calculator
 from ..potentials import InversePowerLawPotential
 
@@ -91,11 +91,7 @@ def __init__(
                 f"Only exponent = 1 is supported but got {exponent}."
             )
 
-        self.device = (
-            torch.get_default_device() if device is None else torch.device(device)
-        )
-        if self.device.type == "cuda" and self.device.index is None:
-            self.device = torch.device("cuda:0")
+        self.device = _get_device(device)
         self.dtype = torch.get_default_dtype() if dtype is None else dtype
 
         _validate_parameters(
@@ -298,12 +294,8 @@ def __init__(
     ):
         super().__init__()
 
+        self.device = _get_device(device)
         self.dtype = torch.get_default_dtype() if dtype is None else dtype
-        self.device = (
-            torch.get_default_device() if device is None else torch.device(device)
-        )
-        if self.device.type == "cuda" and self.device.index is None:
-            self.device = torch.device("cuda:0")
 
         _validate_parameters(
             charges=charges,