As homeowners around the country dial down their thermostats in an effort to avoid catastrophic energy bills this winter, sales of hot-water bottles at department stores have more than tripled.
As consumers prepare to warm their mattresses instead of turning on the central heating when winter finally arrives, sales at John Lewis are nearly four times higher than a year ago.
With sales of electric heat pads and electric blankets also on the rise, the increase in sales implies that people are discovering cost-effective ways to prepare for a cold winter.
Martin Lewis, a consumer finance expert, estimates that keeping warm with a hot water bottle could cost only one-fiftieth as much as turning on the central heating.
Experts propose that homeowners reduce their thermostats by one degree to reduce their heating costs by ten percent.
Under the new energy price cap, homeowners may potentially save up to £375 annually by lowering the thermostat by three degrees.
Gareth Kloet, of the comparison website gocompare.com, told The Mail on Sunday, “According to the Energy Saving Trust, lowering the room temperature by just one degree can cut your annual heating expenditure by almost 10 percent.”
This might represent a big savings, depending on how much of your energy expenditure is spent on heating. Theoretically, you could save more money by reducing the thermostat setting by a few degrees.
Mr. Lewis, who argues that we should “heat the human, not the home,” sent out a special issue of his Money Saving Expert newsletter this month containing helpful tips on how to keep your body warm at home without turning on the heater. He stated that a full inbox of emails from individuals concerned about their bills persuaded him to act.
The cost difference between normal gas central heating and the use of a hot-water bottle is striking.
The team of Mr. Lewis calculates that a hot water bottle costs around 7 pence per hour in energy, or 56 pence for eight hours.
If you have a 33kW boiler, which is usual for a three- or four-bedroom home, it will cost you a startling £27.20 to keep the heating on full blast for eight hours.
This makes turning on the heater about 50 times more costly than snuggling up with a hot-water bottle.
According to Money Saving Expert, a 1.5-litre hot-water bottle costs approximately £5.50. John Lewis sells hot-water bottles with coverings for approximately £25, while Argos offers one for $4.25, the store’s all-time lowest price for the item.
However, not everyone who uses hot water bottles has the cost-of-living dilemma in mind. Consider the eye-wateringly pricey luxury options available.
A silk velvet hot water bottle with a replaceable lavender sachet is available for £130 at Harrods. The Royal Collection is selling a £115 hot water bottle with a cashmere cable-knit cover.
Anya Hindmarsh is selling three lambswool hot-water bottle covers for £175 each on her website. This price does not include the actual hot-water bottle.
There is a vast difference in the hot-water bottles that are keeping us warm this winter.