Cold is one of the fastest things to become dangerous — hypothermia can set in well before it feels like an emergency, and the fix is usually simple if you're carrying the right small items.
We've picked air-activated hand warmers for instant, no-battery warmth, a compact emergency foil blanket that reflects body heat back at you, and long-burning candles that can take the edge off a cold room or tent without needing power.
Single-use or reusable heat packs that provide warmth for 6–12 hours. Critical for preventing cold injuries.
Look for at least 8 hours of sustained heat.
Average 55–60°C is comfortable. Higher can cause burns through thin gloves.
Can cause mild burns. Always use over a thin layer of clothing.
Air-activated hand warmers that give hours of gentle heat with no batteries or flame. Cheap, packable warmth to stave off cold hands in an outage or outdoors.
A multipack of reflective mylar blankets that reflect body heat back to fight the cold and shock. Cheap insurance to scatter through car, home and grab kits.
Broad, long-burning paraffin pillar candles that give hours of steady room light in a power cut, standing securely with minimal dripping and no batteries required.
A proper technical base layer from a trusted Norwegian outdoor brand. The Lifa fabric wicks sweat off your skin and keeps warming even when damp — the difference between staying comfortable and getting a dangerous chill when you're cold and inactive during a power cut or out in winter weather.
A simple, effective 2-litre hot water bottle with a soft removable cover. When the heating is off, a hot water bottle warms a bed or a chair using nothing but boiled water — the cheapest, safest way to stay warm through a cold night without power.
Air-activated single-use warmers that put out roughly 10 hours of gentle heat once you open the packet. A bulk box like this is the sort of thing you want stashed in a coat pocket, glovebox and grab bag before winter, especially if you're stuck at a cold bus stop, a match or a breakdown. They're disposable rather than reusable, so treat them as a backup rather than your only plan for staying warm.
A pair of rechargeable hand warmers with double-sided heating and three temperature levels, so you get lasting warmth without the waste of single-use sachets. Each also works as a small USB power bank in a pinch. Handy for cold commutes, touchline mornings and anyone who feels the cold when the heating is off.
A merino-blend long-sleeve top and long johns designed to trap warmth and wick moisture next to the skin. Merino stays warm even when slightly damp and resists odour over several days, which makes it a strong base for a cold power cut, a winter walk or a car left stranded in bad weather. Danish Endurance is a well-reviewed outdoor-basics brand.
A lightweight 100% merino wool top that traps warmth close to the skin and keeps insulating even when damp. The layer to pull on first in a cold house during a winter power cut, or under a coat when you're out in the wet.
A standard 1-litre natural rubber hot water bottle with a soft fleece cover, and one of the cheapest ways to stay warm through a winter power cut. Boil a kettle on a camping stove, fill it, and it holds heat for hours in a bed or on your lap without drawing a single watt. Simple, reliable warmth that belongs in every cold-weather kit.
A pair of USB-rechargeable electric hand warmers — a reusable alternative to disposable sachets for cold commutes, standing on the touchline or a chilly power cut. You get warmth on demand without a bin full of used sachets. Runtime is modest, though, so charge them before a cold spell rather than expecting all-day heat.
Air-activated adhesive foot warmers that stick to the outside of your sock and give hours of gentle heat, from the same brand as the widely trusted HotHands hand warmers. Cold feet are what drive most people indoors first in a winter power cut or a long wait outdoors, so a boxed supply is cheap insurance. Single-use, but they store for years and need no charging or fuel.
A simple, honest bit of warmth backup that needs nothing but hot water — useful when the heating fails or you're trying to keep a room's costs down. A full 2L bottle holds heat for hours in bed or on your lap, and the knitted cover stops it scalding. Cheap insurance for a cold snap.
A pair of rechargeable hand warmers with three heat settings that clip together magnetically, and each one doubles as a small 5,000mAh power bank for a phone top-up. Reusable is the sensible long-term choice over disposable sachets if you are out in the cold regularly or facing a winter power cut. Both charge and discharge over USB-C.
A budget top-and-bottoms thermal set (long-sleeve top plus long johns) with a brushed fleece-lined inside for immediate warmth against the skin. A sensible cheap option to stash in a car kit or grab bag, or to keep a household warm during a winter power cut without heating a whole house. Warmth comes from the fleece lining rather than merino, so it's bulkier and slower-drying than technical layers.
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