Whether you live in your own house or in a shared apartment, temperature control can be tricky — not everyone has the same tolerance for the cold. Thankfully, you’ll find plenty of options to keep you nice and toasty even if your roommate insists on keeping the temperature set at arctic levels. Or if it’s the middle of winter and your building still hasn’t turned your radiators on. (New York City problems.)
Keeping warm indoors
But first, here are some options for those who live alone. Obviously, the best way to keep warm when you’re at home is by adjusting your thermostat or cranking up the heater. Yes, we know you know this, but stay with us: There are ways to make all this a little easier. If you’re able to install a thermostat (i.e., you own your place or don’t have a strict landlord), we recommend the Nest Thermostat E. It’s the industry favorite, and for good reason. The physical controller is easy to use and set up, and the Nest app lets you set your home’s temperature remotely. You can also create schedules to turn off the heat when you don’t need it, which can ultimately save you money. Apple fans might consider the Ecobee 3 Lite, which plays nice with Siri.
If you’re unable (or don’t want) to install a thermostat, you can still have home-temperature control in the form of standalone heaters. Depending on your budget, you could opt for something as high end as the Dyson Pure Cryptomic air-purifying heater. It blows hot air all around your room while also removing allergens, pollutants and formaldehyde, which can cause irritation. If you don’t have $750 to spend on Dyson’s device, consider a WiFi infrared heater like the Heat Storm HS-1500-PHX ($146) that will still give you smartphone control over the device. You can also go even cheaper and pick one of dozens of space heaters available, including this one from Bayka ($40). Just don’t expect to be able to get super precise temperature control or be able to heat up a room before you get there.
Pro tip: If you get a dumb space heater (or dumb anything on this list), you can use a smart plug to easily add remote controls, schedule setting and, in some cases, voice-assistant integration. There are plenty of options available, and they generally cost less than $30. Make sure you look for ones that don’t need a hub — like the Belkin WeMo ($22), SmartThings smart plug ($17) and TP-Link products. Amazon’s own Smart Plug ($25) works with the Alexa phone app, so you don’t need a separate speaker to ask the assistant to turn your heater on.
If cold feet are of particular concern, consider floor heating. You can get an under-rug warmer for extra comfort for your feet like the $220 Woo Warmer. And since hot air rises, this has the added benefit of making your entire space a little warmer.
But if you live with other people who prefer colder environments, they might not appreciate you cranking up the heat in common spaces. You can still keep yourself warm and cozy in these areas by getting a heated blanket. There are plenty of options available, including this $40 microplush throw in a variety of cute patterns. Spend a little more money and you could find a bigger heated blanket like Biddeford’s ($63) that can cover your queen-size bed (or your giant sectional).
