7 warming gadgets that will keep you warm without turning on the heating, tried and tested
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With energy bills still a concern as temperatures drop, I put seven warming gadgets to the test to see which ones could help me stay warm and cosy at home without having to turn on the central heating.
A new month has just begun, and the morning and evenings in particular are definitely feeling much colder. As someone who feels the cold pretty quickly, I’m always on the hunt for ways to stay warm and cosy when the temperature drops.
However, energy prices remain a concern so I’m reluctant to switch on the central heating on too much throughout the day. Instead, I’ve been testing gadgets designed to deliver warmth exactly where I need it, without having to heat the entire house every time I feel the chill.
Whether it’s keeping my body warm while I sit and work at my desk, making the sofa a more inviting place to relax or adding an extra layer of cosiness to my bed before I settle down to sleep , there are plenty of options to choose from.
From rechargeable hot water bottles to heated cushions and electric underblankets, these are the seven warming gadgets I’ve put to the test and will be reaching for as we head into autumn and winter 2026.
VonHaus Heated Throw Blanket
For those evenings when I’m curled up on the sofa watching TV, which is most nights when the nights draw in, a heated throw is one of the easiest and quickest ways to add a little extra warmth without having to heat the whole room.
The VonHaus Pink Heated Throw Blanket measures 160cm by 130cm so it’s plenty big enough to cover one person entirely or could lay across the laps of two people. It has nine heat settings, so you can choose anything from a gentler warmth to something much toastier, and that means it can be adapted to use as the seasons progress. Right now, I don’t need it any warmer than the fourth heat setting, but it’s good to know that the warmth level can still more than double, so I’m certain it will also keep me cosy on those actually freezing nights.
It also has a nine-hour automatic shut-off and built-in overheat protection, and it’s great to know there is this safety feature, just in case I get some comfy I drop off to sleep.
I particularly like the pink colourway, which makes it a cosy home accessory that fits in well with my decor choice. There’s plenty of other colour choices too, including berry, cream, grey, olive and teal.
It’s also machine washable at 30°C once the controller has been detached, which is really helpful in case of any cup of tea spills. It’s currently £34.99 directly from VonHaus, reduced from £39.99, and comes with a two-year warranty.
OHS Adjustable Ribbed Hot Water Bottle Belt
A traditional hot water bottle is already one of my go-to cold-weather comforts. In fact in the colder months I often try to work with a hot water bottle on my lap, but it proves to be a struggle as it will slip off my knee. So, the idea of being able to wear one was very appealing to me.
The Online Home Shop Adjustable Ribbed Hot Water Bottle Belt comes with a 1-litre hot water bottle tucked inside a soft ribbed fleece-style cover, with an adjustable strap designed to sit around your waist, and it does sit securely. It stays in the position I attach it, whether I’m sat, getting up or stood making my lunch. It measures 133cm by 19cm, so it can be wrapped around the body while you’re lounging, working from home or just trying to warm up.
As a bonus, it has also proved useful when I’ve had pain in my back or stomach. I’ve been able to position the hot water bottle belt just where I need it, and because of it’s flexibility it’s much better than my traditional hot water bottle which I have previously struggled to get to sit just where I need it.
Even better, its currently £5.50, reduced from £10, making this one of the more budget-friendly ways to keep warm. It’s available in multiple colours including pink, cream, black and brown.
Medisana HC 100 Heated Cushion
Everyone has cushions of some description in their house, but a heated cushion was new to me. But now that I have it, I can’t imagine being without it as it stays with me during the day.
The Medisana HC 100 Heated Cushion measures 40cm by 40cm and has three heat settings, so you can adjust the temperature rather than simply having an on-or-off option. I have it behind me throughout the day as I’m working, and then it moves with me to the sofa, and even sometimes to bed if sit up reading before I go to sleep.
It’s USB powered and needs to be connected to a power bank to work (which is not included), which means it is quite an expensive buy because it is £79.99 and if you don’t already own one you will need to buy a power bank. However, what makes this purchase worthwhile is that it can be used throughout the year as it doesn’t have to have the heating function switched on and can be used as a regular cushion.
The cushion and plush, with sherpa-like material on one side and a soft coloured material on the other. The colours that are available are rose, blue, green and sand. There’s a USB connector for a power bank hidden discreetly on the inside of the bottom of the cushion, easily accessed by a velcro pocket, and this can not easily be seen when the cushion is in use. Plus, the cushion is so plump that you can’t feel the power bank during use.
As a much appreciated safety feature, it has an automatic shut-off after 20 minutes. I’ve found it will last for around one to two hours when using a fully charged power bank, but this depends on the heat setting chosen and the capacity of your power bank.
Wellbeing Rechargeable Therapeutic Soft Heated Belt
This Wellbeing Rechargeable Therapeutic Soft Heated Belt is great the idea of a heated gadget appeals to you but you don’t want to be filling a traditional hot water bottle with hot water. Instead, this generates heat entirely through an electronic approach and that makes it a safer option for people of all ages.
Sold by Menkind, it has three temperature settings of 45C, 50C and 55C and is powered via USB. Again, it requires a power bank which is not included, but it does mean that it can be quickly and easily re-heated any time and any place.
What I really like is that this has a built-in pocket which has been specifically designed to keep your hands warm, which means I’ll look forward to taking this out and about with me on those really cold days when my hands become very cold and gloves aren’t enough. It’s stylish and compact, so I know it’ll fit comfortably on top of my clothes but beneath my coat and won’t look or feel out of place.
It’s currently £15 at Menkind, reduced from £20, making it another relatively inexpensive option for adding portable warmth around your body.
Daewoo Rechargeable Hot Water Bottle
The Daewoo Rechargeable Hot Water Bottle is essentially a modern take on the classic hot water bottle, without the need to boil a kettle and carefully pour in hot water. Again, it works entirely through electrtical charge so it is a safer option.
But, what sets it apart from other electrical gadgets is that it doesn’t require a power bank so you don’t need to make an additional purchase to be able to use this. Instead, it comes with everything you need, including a specially created charger that can be plugged in directly to the mains and then detached when the water bottle is warm.
It comes pre-filled and sealed, and it takes around 15 minutes to fully charge and then provides up to five hours of warmth. I do find that the heat starts to cool off within an hour or two, unless it’s used under a blanket or duvet and then the heat is held for longer.
There’s a soft-touch fleece exterior, a hand-warming pocket and a built-in safety thermostat, while its cordless design means I can take it where needed. I charge mine quickly before bed, and then keep the charger by my bed so that if I wake cool in the night I can easily lean over and recharge it while remaining as cosy as possible in bed. It’s so much better than a traditional water bottle in this way because it means I don’t have to get out of bed and wait for the kettle to boil while I’m half asleep.
At £19.99, it sits in the middle of the more traditional hot water bottle and heated-gadget options. Available in pink or grey.
Dreamland Pure Comfort Bamboo Plant-Based Textile Underblanket
When it comes to keeping warm overnight, I’d much rather warm the bed itself than climb into freezing cold sheets and an electric blanket has become a must for me in recent years.
The Dreamland Pure Comfort Bamboo Plant-Based Textile Underblanket is one of my favourites. It’s made using bamboo fibre and is designed to be soft and moisture-absorbent, plus it’s vegan and has elastic straps to keep it in place. I love that, unlike many other electric bed underblankets on the market, it covers the whole bed rather than just part of it.
The King size is currently £99.99, reduced from £139.99, although other sizes are available for varying prices. The dual controllers could also be useful for couples who don't necessarily want exactly the same level of warmth on each side of the bed, if any at all. If you’d rather have control of the whole underblanket, however, there is an option with one controller too.
There’s six temperature settings, which can easily be moved between on the controller, so you can quickly and easily move between the different levels and can have mild warmth or something much snugglier. As the temperatures haven’t dropped too low yet, I have found the third heat setting provides plenty of warmth, but I am confident that I’ll be enjoying level six later in the season, and it’ll keep me nice and warm every night.
Helpfully, it heats up in just five minutes, so I turn it on when I come upstairs and then by the time I’ve done my night-time beauty routine my bed is warm, cosy and inviting. Another feature I love is that it has an auto safety control and you can set it to turn off automatically after one, three or nine hours. That means I no longer have to worry about the blanket staying on if I accidentally fall asleep before I’ve manually turned it off, and in turn that means I have been able to settle down for sleep much easier and comfortably.
I’ve tested two Dreamland blankets and found this one to be the best option if you (or your partner) are a natrually warmer sleeper and will only want a milder heat, especially this early in the season, as the blanket itself does add heat to the bed even when it’s not turned on.
Dreamland Hunker Down Scandi Sherpa Underblanket
For the ultimate cosy-bed feeling, the Dreamland Hunker Down Scandi Sherpa Underblanket takes things a step further with a fluffy sherpa finish.
The Double version measures 190cm by 137cm and has dual controls, while Dreamland's Intelliheat technology is designed to monitor and adapt to body temperature during the night. It also covers the whole bed, and is reversible so you can turn it over if you don’t need the super warmth that Sherpa provides. It also has six heat settings, a timer auto safety function and elasticated corner straps.
It’s currently £114.99 for the Double with dual controllers, making it one of the pricier options in this round-up, but it’s also the sort of gadget designed to transform the entire bed rather than simply warming one small area. Again, other sizes are available, as well as options with a single controller, and prices will vary for all of these.
If I had to choose, this is my favourite of the two Dreamland blankets. This is because it is by far the warmest heated bed blanket I have used over the last decade or so (I have used five in total). At the moment, when it’s just a bit chilly, there are nights when I don’t feel the need to turn the blanket on at all. Right from the first night, I was pleasently surprised when I got into bed just how much warmer and cosier I felt.
With temperatures set to drop, I like the idea of having warmth available no matter where I am. The most important thing for me is that I have the option to warm myself rather than automatically reaching for the central heating every time I feel a chill.
- Please note, delivery charges may apply to all of these items.
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