If you spend the evening in one room, heating the whole house is money up the chimney. Warming just the room you're in is far cheaper. Here's how to do it well.
Use a portable heater with controls
A portable heater with a thermostat and timer warms your room and switches off when it's cosy — cheaper than running the central heating for the whole house. Pick the wattage to suit the room size, and an oil-filled radiator for steady, lasting warmth.
Warm the person, not just the air
- An electric blanket or heated throw warms you directly for pennies.
- Infrared/halogen heaters give instant spot warmth where you sit.
Keep the heat in
- Close the door to the room you're heating.
- Draught-proof the door and window, and close the curtains at dusk.
- A dehumidifier helps too — dry air feels warmer than damp air.
Final thoughts
A controllable portable heater, a heated throw and a bit of draught-proofing make one-room heating genuinely cheap. Browse heaters and electric blankets online, or ask in any of our 60+ stores.
Next in The autumn edit · Part 2Heaters Buying Guide: Which Type Is Cheapest to Run?Read part 2 · 2 min
