It always seems like the first frost comes on a Tuesday morning.
You wake up to a small cloud of breath in the bedroom, a phone full of emails and a smart meter flashing a number you don’t want to read.
The heat comes on for “just an hour,” but then it stays on all day.
The bill in the app has gone up by another £20 by the end of the week.
You tell yourself you’ll “be good next week,” put on two sweaters, and maybe even take the old throw out of the cupboard.
Then the kids complain, and your partner turns up the heat, and the plan is ruined.
Now, imagine that you go to Lidl to get milk and bread, and in the middle aisle of temptation, there is a small, cheap gadget that Martin Lewis has approved.
One that will keep you warm without costing you a fortune.
You stop and put your hand on the tram.
Could that tiny thing really change your whole winter?
Martin Lewis is talking about Lidl’s new winter gadget.
Starting next week, Lidl will start selling a cheap heated airer that is already making energy nerds and cold students quietly excited.
At first glance, it looks like a regular folding rack with a plug stuck on it.
But this winter, that little electric frame could mean the difference between radiators that are too hot and a corner of the living room that is just right.
Martin Lewis and his team have said many times that heated airers are one of the best cheap ways to dry clothes and warm up a room without spending a lot of money on the boiler.
People start circling dates in their calendars when a supermarket chain drops one for a small amount of money compared to what premium brands charge.
One device.
A whole new way to get through the winter.
If you’ve ever had to walk through wet clothes in your hallway on a January night, you know how hard it is.
The windows were fogged up, the radiators were covered in jeans and school uniforms, and the couch smelt a little like “wet laundry.”
A heated airer takes care of all of that.
It dries clothes faster than a regular rack, but not as fast as a tumble dryer, which costs 50p an hour.
Families on money-saving forums say they cut their winter drying costs in half just by switching from a tumble dryer to a heated airer and using it when electricity is cheaper.
One mum in Leeds says that her airer paid for itself in just three weeks last year.
That’s the kind of maths that makes a gadget in the middle of the aisle a must-have for winter.
It’s easy to understand.
It’s like boiling a whole pot of water to cook one pea to run the central heating just to dry a load of laundry.
A heated airer directs energy to one small area, which is exactly where you need it.
Instead of heating every room in the house, you only heat the rails that are touching your clothes.
It uses a lot less energy than a tumble dryer, and you don’t have to pay to keep an empty spare room warm just because you hung shirts on the radiator.
Martin Lewis and other energy experts love these gadgets for one simple reason: they are cheap to use.
You’re trading in a lot of rough energy use for careful, targeted warmth.
Not perfect, not magic, but it will save you a lot of money.
How to use Lidl’s heated airer to save money
The key to using Lidl’s airer is to think of it as a small, controlled drying station.
Set up in the driest, most ventilated room you have, which is usually a living room or spare bedroom.
Keep it away from soft furniture.
Instead of stacking clothes, spread them out.
The low-level heat works best when air can move around the rails.
If your model has a cover, use it to keep the heat in.
But open a window a little bit to keep the glass from fogging up and the walls from getting wet.
Let it run for a few hours, then turn or flip the thicker things.
Think of it as washing clothes slowly: with care, patience, and a little bit of time.
One simple way to ruin the savings is to leave the heated airer on all the time, like a lamp in the background that you forget to turn off.
That’s when your cheap gadget turns into an expensive habit.
Put a timer on your phone or a plug for each session.
Instead of drying one T-shirt here and two pairs of socks there, dry them all at once.
We’ve all been there: you tell yourself you’ll “just leave it on a bit longer,” and then four hours later you remember.
Let’s be honest: no one really keeps track of every kilowatt they use every day.
People also often make the mistake of turning up the heat at the same time “for a boost.”
You miss the whole point.
The airer is supposed to take the place of that casual, low-level heating, not sit on top of it.
Martin Lewis has always been clear about winter bills: “If you can heat the person instead of the house, you will almost always spend less.”
- Look at the wattage
- Less wattage means lower running costs, even if it takes longer to dry.
- Use during off-peak hours
- If you have a time-of-use tariff, you can save even more by running the airer during your cheaper hours.
- Use with a dehumidifier or window venting.
- You will dry faster and the room won’t feel heavy and damp.
- Turn heavy things halfway around
- When you turn jeans, towels, and hoodies halfway through, they dry much faster.
- Keep it for real work
- One T-shirt that is almost dry isn’t worth the time it takes to run.
Why this “little” gadget is so popular this winter
This Lidl opening right before the cold really hits is almost like a sign of things to come.
For many families, winter 2024 doesn’t feel like a cosy holiday countdown; it feels like another round of mental spreadsheets and worrying about direct debits.
A heated airer won’t fix broken boilers or get rid of standing charges.
It’s a little tool that helps you feel a little more in charge of your own four walls.
It’s in that weird space between comfort and survival.
People in the middle aisle sometimes buy more than just metal bars and a plug; they buy a little bit of power over their next bill.
You can easily picture what will happen next week.
Someone in a fleece is looking at the Lidl flyer by the freezer aisle.
A couple doing the silent nod, which means “Yes, this will help us get through January.”
This is the kind of thing that gets people talking to their neighbours, ends up in WhatsApp groups, and changes how a street gets through the winter at night.
| Key point | Detail | Value for the reader: |
|---|---|---|
| Low cost of running | Uses a lot less energy than a full heating system or a tumble dryer. | Helps lower winter electricity bills without giving up warm, dry clothes |
| Warmth that is aimed at | It warms up clothes and a small area, but not the whole house. | You have more control over when and where you spend on heating. |
| The idea that Martin Lewis likes | Matches what experts say: “heat the human, not the home.” | Reassurance that this is a smarter winter buy, not just one that is trendy. |
Is it really cheaper to use Lidl’s heated airer than a tumble dryer?
Yes, most of the time. Heated airers use a lot less power than a regular tumble dryer cycle, especially if you use them for planned, timed sessions.
Can I use a heated airer instead of my central heating?
No. It’s not a full heating system; it’s a support tool. It can warm up a small area and keep you comfortable while your clothes dry, but it won’t heat up your whole house.
Can you leave a heated airer on all night?
Most energy experts say you should only use them when you’re awake. Use common sense: don’t cover the plug or cable, and don’t put bedding or curtains on top of the manual.
Will a heated airer make things wet or cause condensation?
If the room isn’t ventilated, it can. To keep moisture in check, open a window a little or use a dehumidifier with it.
How can I tell if Lidl’s version is worth getting on the first day?
Look at the price, wattage, and any features that let it fold or cover. If it’s a lot cheaper than other brands with similar specs and you currently use radiators or a tumble dryer, it’s probably a good investment for the winter.
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