Winter is well and truly here. For most of the country, December brought snow, ice, and too many cold snaps to count. So, it is no wonder people have been searching for ways to keep warm for less while the cost of living crisis rages on.
Among the many popular products that have emerged - like Primark's £16 Oodie dupe - there's a Marks and Spencer standout shoppers have been going wild over. The shop's thermal range is said to be so good customers have not needed their heating to stay warm while wearing the goodies.
Keen to see just how cosy she could be by layering up, Manchester Evening News' Dianne Bourne put the thermals to the test.
The money-saving premise is simple. She followed Martin Lewis ' MSE's suggestion to "heat the human, not the home", in the hope she'd feel warm enough she'd not need to turn her heating on. To do so, she selected a range of products from M&S' thermal line, including clothing with Heatgen™ technology.
The Japanese Heatgen™ technology fabric is said to "lock in" warmth when you wear it, and it features a "brushed" material on the inside which is said to "keep you extra warm when the weather gets chilly".
Glowing customer reviews include the feedback: "Save on heating costs. Been buying Heatgens for years. Wash well and dry quickly. Wouldn't be without them."
Meanwhile, another shopper raved: "Once your body warms up with them, they form a lovely cosy layer, perfect for working from home without the heating on! Good amount of warmth for me but you may need a thicker pair if you prefer to be very warm. Lightweight and very comfortable so also easy to wear under a number of layers if wished."
So, how did Dianne get along? The writer wasn't convinced the thermals would be much use for her as she works from home in a "very cold old house". But she soon changed her mind, as the thermals saved her from turning on the heating for several hours.
The reviewer opted to try a selection of the different Thermal Heatgen™ Plus options, which included a long sleeved thermal top for £16 and thermal leggings for £16. She also picked up a pair of their traditional thermal leggings for £12.50, a two pack of thermal turtleneck tops for £25, and thermal socks.
Here's how she got on in her own words. "I particularly liked the Heatgen long-sleeved top which came in a sparkly black colour option.
"It was so snazzy you could actually wear this as a going out top - and was a refreshing change from the old stereotypes of thermals as holy cream vests and long johns," wrote Dianne.
"I also thought the turtleneck two pack was good value for money - I bought mine in two different colours of black and a black and beige stripe - and working out at £12.50 per top. Both were smart enough for workwear when worn on their own, or as decent base layers for when you need to wear extra layers.
"But the biggest hit for me was the Thermal Heatgen™ Plus leggings. These were like a normal comfy legging, but with a soft brushed inside which kept me super warm and cosy throughout the day.
"I felt that I benefitted from going a size up than what I would normally wear in these to make them a less tighter fit and more useful for everyday lounging."
She added: "While the more traditional thermal leggings, with knitted stripes, would be best worn under trousers, I felt with the Heatgen leggings I would happily wear these out just as they are as they were so thick and warm.
"In fact I need to buy another pair because I literally don't want to take them off now they're just so flipping warm and comfy."
Diane began her test at 9am - the start of her work day - and she was soon impressed by the thermals after pulling on the thermal top, leggings, and a pair of socks.
"The temperature was 9C outside, and I managed to continue working until 2pm before I started to feel the cold inside a bit without any heating. I added an extra jumper layer, but I caved in by 2.30pm and put the heating on for an hour to warm things up a bit," she explained.
"The main problem I found was the part left uncovered by the thermal wear - eg my hands - which started to get cold as I typed away while the rest of me was staying pretty warm in the layers. But overall, the thermal layers, underneath a fleecy jumper, did keep me really nice and warm."
Dianne concluded that the range could be improved with the addition of a "thumb hole" in the tops but she was nonetheless happy with her investment.
She wrote: "Overall, I was pretty impressed with the M&S range - particularly the Heatgen items with their super cosy fleecy interior. All of the items I felt offered a reasonably-priced way to try and keep yourself warm this winter.
"They are all really easy to wash in a standard washing machine, and as they're created with stretch they are also particularly comfortable and practicable items to have at hand.
"The real test will be if and when the temperatures plummet back to below zero again like they did earlier this month. But at least I feel a bit more prepared to layer myself up for a cold snap now."
Do you have a heating tip to share? We'd love to consider it for our series. Email us at amber.oconnor@reachplc.com
