As much as we covet them, grand, lofty houses do not a comfortable home make. The big country piles and expansive farmhouses of the shires struggle to keep in the heat – hence the year-round Aga and coal fires being lit on days when the mercury threatens to fall into the teens. In fact, most period homes in the UK under-perform in extreme temperatures; we do, after all, have the most poorly insulated housing stock in Europe.
So with a prohibitively expensive winter almost upon us, what are our options should we disconnect all energy-sapping devices and decide to Sellotape our thermostat at 18C? (According to research by Uswitch.com, households that turn their thermostats down by a single degree could save up to £128 on their energy bills.) The answer is heated gadgets. Powering out enough heat – on a thrifty cost-per-hour ratio – to make light of domestic chores and an evening sat on the sofa a near tropical experience, these six items may just become our AW 22/23 heroes.
