5 cosy must-haves to help you stay warm without putting the heating on
Faced with soaring energy bills, many of us are looking for ways to keep warm without turning the heating on. As temperatures drop, particularly in the evening and overnight, staying warm can be a concern, particularly if you’re of a chillier disposition.
Just as being too warm in bed can upset your sleep patterns, so can being too cold. If you’ve already invested in one of the best mattresses out there and followed our tips on how to keep your bedroom warm without putting the heating on, but you're still shivering through the night, these products are the way forward.
We’ve tried out a variety of products designed to warm you up, and these are the five we’d recommend. Let’s look at them in more detail.
1. Stoov Homey Electric Hot Water Bottle
Dutch company Stoov makes a small range of products that use infrared heating technology to heat you, without losing any heat to the air. The Homey is a rechargeable hot water bottle with a choice of three heat settings, ranging from 32°C to 42°C – even our most reptilian tester found the top setting extremely warm.
Although it’s designed to look like a hot water bottle, the Homey is quite rigid – if you want a softer feel, we’d recommend the Ploov (a heated cushion available in two sizes). The Homey heats up on both sides and will last for around 4 hours on its lowest setting down to 2 hours on its highest. You can use it while it’s charging and it’s safe to use in bed on the lower two settings, although you do need to turn it off before you go to sleep. We think it’s ideal for snuggling up on the sofa with and warming up your feet in bed. There is also a choice of velvet, knitted or polyester / acrylic fabrics to choose from and the Homey has automatic switch-off and over-heating protection built in, as well as returns within 30 days.
Homey cordless electric hot water bottle: £84.95 at Stoov
2. Woolroom Deluxe Washable Wool Duvet – Warm
Wool is naturally temperature regulating, drawing moisture away from the body and providing a breathable insulator to keep you warm. Woolroom specialises in bedding and mattresses made with wool that’s traceable back to the farmers and sheep who supplied it, and holds an Allergy UK certification for clean and allergy-free sleeping environments.
The Deluxe Washable Wool Duvet Warm has a tog rating equivalent to 11-14, making it the perfect choice for those who feel chilly overnight. The duvet is simply made, with a 100% British wool filling and a 100% unbleached 200tc organic cotton cover. This means it’s machine washable, although unfortunately not suitable for tumble drying. The feel of the duvet is extremely luxurious and, while it’s of a higher tog rating, it’s not oppressive to sleep under and does a fantastic job of keeping sleepers warm whilst still promoting breathability. It also comes with a 30-night sleep trial, meaning you can return for a full refund if you find it’s not suitable.
Woolroom Deluxe Washable Wool Duvet – Warm: from £125.99 at Woolroom
3. Lakeland StaySnug Brown Arctic Faux Fur Heated Throw
Heated throws are versatile – you can use them to drape over you on the sofa in the evening, before putting it on top of your bedding at night. Lakeland’s range of heated throws are, in our tester’s opinion, the best out there – combining luxury fabrics with heat settings to keep everyone happy. The Arctic Faux Fur throw is extremely cosy, but obviously made with synthetic materials as opposed to harming any animals.
The throw has nine heat settings, although do bear in mind that the highest settings are just for heating up the blanket – you’ll need to turn it down a little once it’s warmed up. There are also nine timer settings, meaning the throw will automatically cut out once the time is up. As you’d expect, there’s also built in overheating protection as well and the throw is machine washable (once you’ve detached the controller). The throw measures 160 x 120cm, but there is also an XL version available at 200 x 160cm. A three-year guarantee also protects against anything going wrong.
StaySnug Brown Arctic Faux Fur Heated Throw: £99.99 at Lakeland
4. Snuggledown Intelligent Warmth Heated Topper
This clever product combines a mattress topper with an electric blanket, making it an ideal choice if you want to soften up your bed a little whilst also keeping warm. The topper comes with nine heat settings and easy to use zone controls, making it easy to adjust to your own personal preferences. Of course, you can also use it in hotter months as just a topper with the washable zip-off 180 thread count cotton cover is breathable and designed to wick away moisture.
The topper attaches to your mattress with elastic straps to keep it secure and stop it moving around, and there’s a timer and auto shut-off for use as you’re falling asleep. As it’s quite thick, it does take a little while to warm up so worth turning on a little while before bedtime.
Snuggledown Intelligent Warmth Heated Topper: was
£80now from £50.70 at Sleepseeker
5. Dreamland 168 Organic Cotton Heated Electric Mattress Protector
We think the Dreamland style of electric blanket is superior, as it also works as a mattress protector. This helps to keep your mattress clean and free from dirt and stains, plus it’s machine washable and can be tumble dried, so you keep it clean easily. As opposed to a traditional electric blanket that attaches with ties, the Dreamland has a 38cm deep elasticated skirt to easily fit under any bed.
There are six heat settings, a five minute fast heat-up and an auto shut-off timer to make it safe to use at night. The blanket is made from a combination of organic cotton and polyester filling and is plush enough to prevent you feeling any wires when you lie down. If you love getting into a warm bed at night, this product is an essential.
Dreamland 168 Organic Cotton Heated Electric Mattress Protector: from £99.99 at John Lewis
And if you’re on a budget…
A good old fashioned hot water bottle can work wonders, just make sure to fill with a combination of boiled and cold water and check the rubber regularly for weakening or splits. Jazz yours up with a crochet cover from Dolly & Blue; it even comes with the hot water bottle included.
