Gift guide · 12 ideas
Gifts for someone who’s always cold
For the one in two sweaters with a blanket on their knees, asking whether the heat can go on yet.
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Every family has one: the person who’s cold in a room everyone else finds fine, who wears socks to bed and keeps a cardigan at their desk in July. The thermostat is a running argument, and they usually lose it. These gifts warm the person instead of the whole house, which is quicker and ends the argument: something for the couch, something for the bed, something for the feet, and a few for the cold outdoors.
Most ideas come with our pick from one of our top lists, chosen for the one who feels the cold rather than for a general shopper: the warmest option over the cleverest, and nothing that needs the heat turned up to work. Prices run from a hot water bottle to a real sheepskin slipper, so there’s something at every level.
A heated throw
For the one who watches TV under two blankets and a coat. A throw with its own heat means the thermostat can stay where it is and they can stop asking.
Westinghouse Sherpa Heated Throw, Dark Grey
$75–$100
Six heat settings, a timer that switches it off after two to ten hours, and a double layer of soft sherpa that holds the heat; when it needs a wash, it can go through the washer and then the dryer on low.
What owners say: Owners find it warm and quick to heat, soft and comfortable, and like the size, though a few find it big for a lap blanket; the weight gets mixed reports.
A closer look: Sherpa on both sides keeps it warm even unplugged, so it can stay on the couch as an everyday throw. After a wash, let it dry completely before plugging the controller back in; the controller also shuts it off if it ever overheats.
- 6 heat settings
- 2 to 10 hour timer
- Warm even when unplugged
An electric blanket
At bedtime the real complaint is cold feet, and a blanket switched on ten minutes early fixes it for the night, without heating the whole bedroom.
STHYTON Flannel and Sherpa Heated Blanket (Full)
$75–$100
A full-size flannel and sherpa blanket with nine heat levels, so there’s a setting between just taking the chill off and really toasty, and a timer of 2, 4, 6 or 10 hours that turns it off on its own. Overheat protection is built in, and with a single controller it’s made for one sleeper, or two who like the same warmth.
What owners say: Owners find it super soft and cozy and like the colour; how warm it gets varies from bed to bed, and views on the cord length and the blanket overall are mixed.
A closer look: Out of the box it sits on level 5 or 6 with a four-hour timer, a sensible place to begin before nudging it a step up or down. The large LCD screen on the controller is easy to read from the pillow at night.
- 9 heat settings
- 2 to 10 hour timer
- Shuts off if overheating
Rechargeable hand warmers
For the parent on the sidelines at a November soccer game, or anyone whose fingers go white on the walk to the car. These are warm in seconds, long before the car is.
KQPZ A402 Magnetic Rechargeable Hand Warmers (2-pack)
$20–$30
Two plain warmers that hold together on magnets or split between two pockets, with four heat steps, 40, 45, 50 and 55°C, each reached in about three seconds, and a small digital display of the temperature and the battery left.
What owners say: Warm and fairly quick to heat, owners say, with a size that suits any pocket, and some found them charged and ready on arrival. How well they hold up over time divides them.
A closer look: One two-headed cable charges both at once in about four hours, or one alone in three, from a single USB plug. The body is aluminum and fire-resistant ABS, and each warmer comes with a lanyard for hanging it from a wrist.
- 4 heat settings, 40–55°C
- 4–9 hours a charge
- Digital temperature and battery display
A small space heater for the desk
When they work from home, their hands go cold at the keyboard by mid-afternoon. With a heater of their own by the desk, the second sweater can come off.
DREO Space Heater with 60° Adjustable Tilt (1500W)
$50–$75
The head tilts back in steps from upright to 60°, so the warm air reaches your hands and face at a desk, or your legs from the floor beneath it. It has three heat settings and three fan speeds, and the fan runs on its own on muggy days.
What owners say: Owners notice how quickly it warms a small room and how little they hear it, some saying they never do. Setting the temperature and the angle is easy, and the remote and its compact size suit a crowded office.
A closer look: Tilt it upward when it sits on the floor under a desk and keep it level on a table, so the warmth lands on you rather than the wall. On a cold morning, start on the highest heat and drop a setting once you’ve warmed up.
- Tilts up to 60°
- 12-hour timer and remote
- Fan-only for muggy days
Sheepskin slippers for her
Hardwood floors in January are where the cold gets in. Real sheepskin is the warmest thing a foot can wear indoors, and they’ll live in these from October through March.
UGG Scuffette II (Sand)
$100–$150
Real sheepskin inside and a fluffy sheepskin collar around the ankle, on a suede upper and a moulded rubber sole: the pair to leave by the bed for cold mornings, in genuine sheepskin rather than faux fur.
What owners say: Super comfortable and toasty without making feet sweat, by owners’ accounts, and the choice of colours goes down well. Fit, durability and value all divide them, and a few doubt their pair was genuine.
A closer look: Keep it well away from the washing machine. UGG’s own method is a damp sponge with its cleaner and conditioner, a light brush to lift the suede, and a day’s drying away from heaters and direct sun. It comes in whole sizes only, from 5 to 12.
- Suede with sheepskin lining
- Moulded rubber sole
- Fluffy sheepskin collar
A hot water bottle
Tucked under a blanket on the couch or at the foot of the bed, it’s still warm at 3 a.m., when the house is at its coldest.
BICAREE 2L Hot Water Bottle with Cover
$20–$30
As much as eight hours of heat in the bed or on an aching back, BICAREE says, from 2 L of odourless PVC in a soft cover, with a wide mouth that makes filling from the kettle less splashy. Filled with cold water, it doubles as an ice pack.
What owners say: Owners find it works better than a heating pad and holds its warmth, and they rate how well it lasts; the seal is the one point they disagree on.
A closer look: Once the stopper is screwed down tight, turn it upside down over the sink to check for leaks before it goes into the bed. It isn’t made for the microwave, so fill it from the kettle every time.
- 2 L PVC bottle
- Soft cover included
- Wide mouth for easier filling
A sherpa weighted blanket
Weight and fleece together: the hug of a heavy blanket with the warmth of a sherpa side. For the one who sleeps best buried under every blanket in the house.
Wemore Sherpa Fleece Weighted Blanket (15 lb, Queen)
$50–$75
Queen-size, a full 6.8 kg (15 lb) and meant for one adult: soft fleece on top, fuzzy sherpa underneath and the beads held in seven layers so they don’t shift or rustle.
What owners say: Owners sleep soundly under it and love the fluffy softness and the weight, and find it warm on cool nights; whether the size suits their bed splits them.
A closer look: Wemore allows 30 days to return it if the weight doesn’t suit, and backs it with a lifetime warranty. Its care advice is a commercial-size washer and a low tumble dry, which in practice means a trip to the laundromat.
- 6.8 kg (15 lb), queen-size
- Fleece top, sherpa underside
- Beads stay put and quiet
A thermos for hot drinks
A hot cup to wrap cold hands around on a winter walk, at the bus stop or in a car with frost still on the glass.
THERMOS Stainless King Compact Bottle, 475 mL (16 oz)
$20–$30
A classic steel vacuum bottle for coffee or tea: it keeps drinks hot for up to 18 hours or cold for 24, with a cup on top and a stopper that pours with a twist, without coming out. The name goes back to 1904, when Thermos was founded in Berlin to make Reinhold Burger’s vacuum bottles.
What owners say: Compact and still hot hours later, owners say, and it does the job it’s bought for; the lid design and its lifespan are open to debate.
A closer look: At 475 mL (16 oz) it holds two good cups, enough for a commute or a morning out in the cold, and the cup on top means sharing without a second mug. Rinse the stopper’s thread after sugary drinks so the twist stays smooth. Thermos also makes it in 1.2 and 2 L (40 and 68 oz) sizes for a bigger crowd.
- Hot up to 18 hours
- 475 mL (16 oz) capacity
- Leak-proof when closed
A foot massager with heat
Cold feet and tired feet usually arrive together. A session with the heat on, after a day standing, and they’ll stop putting their feet on you on the couch.
Nekteck Shiatsu Foot Massager with Heat (NK-FM-100)
$50–$75
Six massage heads carry 54 rotating nodes that knead the soles, and the heat switches on and off as you like. It’s open on top, so any size of foot fits, and the buttons can be pressed with a toe, so there’s no bending down.
What owners say: Owners find it relaxing and say their feet feel much better for it, and the warmth goes down well. Durability is the complaint, with some units failing within days or months.
A closer look: It works the soles only, with no squeeze around the top of the foot, which suits anyone who finds air compression too much. Being low and flat, it slides under a desk or the couch when it’s not in use, and the built-in handle carries it to the next room.
- Takes any foot size
- Toe-touch buttons
- Six heads, 54 nodes
A heated neck massager
The warmth is half the point: it kneads the shoulders that hunch up against the cold all winter, and it’s the first thing they’ll want after shovelling the driveway.
Snailax Shiatsu Neck and Shoulder Massager with Heat (SL-632-CA)
$50–$75
Eight rotating nodes in a U-shaped pillow knead either side of the neck, with optional heat, and a belt with hand loops pulls them in for a firmer massage; this is Snailax’s SL-632 in its Canadian model. Its U shape wraps around the neck itself rather than sitting behind it.
What owners say: Owners say it eases neck and upper-back tension that had hung on for a long time, and that the heat warms up quickly. Some find it uncomfortable.
A closer look: It shuts itself off after 15 minutes, so there’s no need to keep an eye on the time. Lean back into a chair or the couch so the nodes press in without much pulling, and move it down to the upper back once the neck has had its turn.
- 8 kneading nodes
- Wall and car adapters
- Also works the upper back
A fleece robe
For the first cold hour of the day, between the bed and the shower, when the house hasn’t warmed up yet. It’s the layer they’ll reach for before the coffee’s on.
PAVILIA Zip-Up Sherpa Robe (Grey)
$50–$75
A full-length zipper in place of a belt, so it stays closed without retying, in thick, fluffy sherpa with two pockets for cold hands. It’s sized by US dress size, from S/M for 6 to 10 up to 2X/3X for 18 to 24.
What owners say: Owners find it cozy and comfortable, rate the length and the pockets, and like the colour. The zipper’s quality is where opinions split.
A closer look: PAVILIA asks for a cold wash on its own and a low tumble dry to keep the sherpa fluffy. The zipper makes it quick to pull on first thing, and with no belt there’s nothing to trail on the stairs.
- Full-length zipper
- Polyester sherpa fleece
- Two pockets for cold hands
A blanket for the bleachers
Cold metal bleachers drain the heat out of anyone by halftime, however many layers they wear. A blanket to sit on keeps the seat’s chill away, and pulls up over the shoulders once the sun goes down.
Tikroom Waterproof Fleece Outdoor Blanket (202 × 147 cm)
$30–$50
Extra-thick polar fleece on one side and a waterproof back of coated polyester, bonded without stitching so there are no needle holes for water to get through. Spread out, it seats two to four; wrapped around two people, it’s a warm throw at a ball game or a chilly campsite.
What owners say: Its owners pick out how light and soft it is, that it’s waterproof and well made, and that it suits camping and sporting events and is simple to carry in its bag.
A closer look: Over your knees, keep the waterproof back facing out so it blocks the wind as well as the damp. It rolls or folds into the stuff sack that comes with it, which has a carry handle, so it takes little room in a gym bag or the car.
- Polar fleece top
- Machine wash and tumble dry
- Doubles as a throw
Tips for buying for someone who’s always cold
- Look for an auto shut-off on anything electric, especially a blanket or heater that will be left on while they doze, and a Canadian electrical certification mark, such as CSA, cUL or cETL, on the product itself.
- Check the couch or bed size before you choose a heated throw or blanket: a 127 × 152 cm (50 × 60 in) throw is one person on the couch, and an electric blanket is sized to the mattress.
- Charge the rechargeable things and put the slippers somewhere warm before you wrap them. A cold present for a cold person is a bad start.
Photos are illustrative, some computer-generated. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. It costs you nothing extra. How we pick · How this works.
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