SHOPPERS are raving about an item from Argos that could help save money on your energy bills this winter.
The retailer is selling an electric blanket, which costs just pennies to run.
Keeping yourself warm can cheaper than heating your whole home
Argos is selling the Slumberdown essential warmth underblanket for just £25
That’s for a small double, and you can get a single for slightly less at £20.
You’ll pay extra for home delivery from Argos, which starts from £3.95, but click and collect is free.
Don’t forget to shop around and compare prices to get the best deal though.
We couldn’t find this particular make available for any cheaper, or another brand in this size.
We did spot B&M selling a Silentnight electric blanket in a larger double size for £30, in stores only, and Dunelm is also selling a double for £30.
The blanket has three heat settings and warms up in just five minutes, and can be kept on all night.
There’s also an overheat protection feature for safety and a two year manufacture’s warranty.
You can even chuck it in the washing machine if you need to
But best of all it’s cheap to run – and could help you keep your energy bill down this winter.
Customers who have bought the blanket have called it an “excellent alternative to putting the heating on” and their “winter wonder”.
Bills are set to rise from an average of £1,971 to £2,500 from October 1.
The exact amount you pay can still be higher or lower depending on your usage though.
The new Energy Price Guarantee has kept bills from rocketing any further, plus households are getting a £400 energy bill rebate.
But many people are still looking to cut back on the cost of heating their home this winter.
Slumbertown, which makes the blanket, claims that the device cost from as little as “1p per night” to run.
But it’s not clear if this takes into account higher energy costs .
We’ve asked the company how they calculated the savings and how much power the blanket uses and will update when we hear back.
How much does it cost to use an electric blanket?
The cost of using an electric blanket depends on a number of things, including the model, how much power it uses, how often you have it on and for how long, plus which setting you use.
USwitch estimates the average cost is 24p to run a heated blanket for one hour a day for seven days – so around 3.43p per night.
If you use it for an hour per night for the coldest four months of the year, that’s 91 nights and a total cost of £3.13.
But use it for seven hours a night over that period of time, and the annual cost would be £15.28.
Of course, every extra hour you use it increases this cost, and the exact cost will depend on your energy tariff.
It’s worth noting that an electric blanket sits on top of a mattress and underneath you, while a heated blanket or throw is one you can wrap around you.
You should always follow the instructions when using an electric blanket, and never use one for infants or anyone with a pacemaker.
Electrical Safety First ahs some advice on how to stay safe with the devices.
You should always buy an electric blanket from a reputable place too.
Another cheap option is a hot water bottle – though never use it at the same time as an electric blanket.
According to Which? you can get around three hours of heat from a hot water bottle and you’ll be paying only for boiling the kettle.
Popping your kettle on will cost around 9p per five minutes of use, though again it’s an average and depends on the model you have and how you use it.
We asked experts to crunch the numbers and they said it is considerably cheaper to use a hot water bottle.
Warning up yourself, or just the rooms you’re in, instead of the whole house by turning the heating on can you save you cash.