As temperatures plummet to below zero in parts of the UK, Brits have been putting on extra layers to keep the cold off their backs. But while some invest in extra blankets, others have bit the bullet and turned on the central heating, a luxury many people cannot afford this winter.
To try to help keep Brits warm throughout the cost of living crisis, we have been exploring other ways to keep the chill away as we enter the colder months. There's a number of products on the market that claim to heat up your home without having to rely on central heating - and we have put them to the test. One such product is Beldray's '700W Handy Plug In Heater' sold for about £20 to £25 from a number of retailers including Amazon, Argos and eBay.
With a shining 4.3 star review on Argos, the product has been recommended by 85 per cent of customers, who claim it has done wonders at heating up their home on a budget.
One customer said: "We have used it in the bathroom and the kitchen, it's really good for a short blast of heat to take the chill off.
"We closed the bathroom door and within five minutes we had a lovely warm bathroom.
"We had it near our legs at the kitchen table - nice and warm. We haven't needed to put heating on yet."
Another customer added: "This is a 700W hot air blaster. It heater up my small attic office quite quickly and cheaply.
"I switch it off after about 10 minutes. I think it's about 75 per cent cheaper to use this than a conventional 2kw fan heater."
A third user said: "I got it two weeks ago, it's very small about the size of a cupcake. But this little cupcake warmed up my 20ft x 25ft living room instantly and it's cheap to run."
When trying it out myself, I was shocked to discover how quickly it warmed up a small room after leaving it on for only 10 minutes.
However, as expected, it took a lot longer to heat up a larger room. I had to leave it running for about two hours to start feeling the benefits from it in an open-plan kitchen living room.
Due to its small design, it can be easily plugged into any wall socket. But it should be noted this product would need to be kept out of the reach of children, especially if it is plugged into a low-down socket, as its outward-facing casing gets very hot.
It comes with an instruction manual and is relatively simple to use with an on and off button on the side, plus and minus buttons that increase and decrease the temperature, and a timer.
In the manual, it states: "The plug-in heater is fitted with a thermal safety cut-off device, built in to prevent it from overheating. Should the plug-in heater start to overheat, the thermal safety cut-out system will automatically operate and the heat setting will switch off."
The only negative I have about the plug-in heater is it makes a loud buzzing sound when in use, which can be distracting if you don't like white noise while working from home or watching television on an evening.
This seems to be a running complaint about the product on Argos's website too, with another customer saying; "It warms up quickly. I am still getting used to the noise when it is on."
Overall, the plug-in heater is a great alternative to switching on your heating, especially due to its £20 to £25 price tag and the fact it doesn't hike up your electric bill.
It could be a great investment for those working from home through the winter months, university students who want to warm up their halls of residence, or anybody who simply wants to keep their central heating costs to a minimal this year.
Do you have a heating tip to share? We'd love to consider if for our series. Email us at paige.freshwater@reachplc.com.
