Time for another collection of Stuff We Like, and this month, well, I’m getting a heckin’ big winter storm with snow and freezing rain and ice (?!) so all I can think about is Not Being Cold.
First, a few suggestions for when you have to go outside (UGH).
Base layers!
I wear them when I snowboard, but I also wear them when I’m going to walk the dogs. One extra thin layer can make such a difference. I have some from Lands’ End, some from Costco, and some from random sales I find online, but once it’s below 40F, I have at least two, maybe three, layers on.
My favorites are from Lands End, with which I have a conflicted relationship, but their Thermaskin tops and bottoms are wonderful, and come in a very wide range of sizes and patterns. I often look for what’s on clearance and buy in my size because it’s long underwear; who cares what pattern it has? So I have purple stripes and white snowflakes and some very vibrant fuchsia tops, and I wear them all together because LOUD is warmer, says I!
Amazon has a wide selection in a lot of price ranges, too, and we’ve bought some great options for the kids, as they grow on a daily basis at this point and it’s kind of alarming.
Women’s base layers are also plentiful.
For example, this set for women is about $20, and comes in a bunch of colors and sizes.
The thin base layers are my favorites because I don’t feel like I’m stuffed into my clothing. I used to love turtlenecks, but now I can’t stand having things around my neck.
Heaters!
Lasko 751320 Ceramic Tower Space Heater with Remote Control, $49
Amanda says, “For heaters, I have this one that I love. My favorite part is the timer. I can set it as I go to bed, so I fall asleep nice and toasty, but I don’t have to worry about it running all night.”
And of course, electric blankets, anyone?
Electric Heated Micro Mink/Sherpa Throw, $45
Amanda: “My roommate has one of these electric blankets on the reading chair and we all love it. Especially Linus.”
KateB, in the comments of our podcast on Reading Sanctuaries, had two recommendations as well:
Chanasya Faux Fur Throw Blanket, $36.
KateB: “I make an iced coffee or tea, turn on some music (right now the Coffee Shop Electronic playlist on Prime Music), get my reading pillow and this blanket, and I’m good to go.”
LOOK at that BLANKET. So much fluff! Wow, I like this plan.
Hot beverages!
I do not know what took me so long to hop on the electric kettle bandwagon (I blame not living in a tea culture) but wow, do I love my kettle. Mine was a gift and I use it constantly.
Cuisinart Stainless Steel Cordless Electric Kettle, $75
There’s also a $21 model from AmazonBasics if you’re not sure you want to make a massive electric kettle investment:
AmazonBasics Stainless Steel Electric Kettle, $21
What about you? What are your secret devices and reliable tips for staying warm?
When I lived in Singapore I discovered something better than the electric kettle. There it’s called an Airpot – it’s a type of urn (a stylish one) that holds about 3 litres, so you have no waiting on that cup of tea!
(At the time I had a six month old and it changed my life when it came to making bottles – no soothing / stressing whilst the kettle boiled – just ready almost instantly! Durability is also part of the design as I still have mine and it’s ten years later.)
I have never seen these in Australia, but maybe those elsewhere can find them.
Oh man, I’ve never seen an Airpot, but I got an electric kettle at the urging of some british friends and I have -zero- regrets. Mine is actually the Cuisinart one, and I love the temp buttons, it makes it super easy to get the right temperatures for tea, or the french press, and so forth, and it’s pretty quick!
I need to look into finding some base layer items though, waiting outside the school for them to release the kids (which they do in rounds, which never seem to take the same amount of time or logic, means a lot of standing around in a nice New England winter wind and it’s -miserable-. But then I apparently missed the line where people picked up the ability to retain body heat.
I heartily endorse base layers. Also fleece lined leggings, I had them under jeans and they made being outside on the weekend tolerable.
My home office is a 100sqft room in our basement, so it tends to be cold. Instead of just having a space heater, we got a little electric fireplace. Same effect, but nicer looking. Mine is similar to this one:
https://www.wayfair.ca/home-improvement/pdp/pleasant-hearth-electric-stove-psth1031.html
I run the heat on it about an hour in the mornings, and as long as I am diligent about keeping the door shut the room stays cosy.
Oh! And I forgot. Wool socks. There are machine washable options, and I throw all my hand knit socks in the wash then hang to dry. If my feet are warm I just feel better.
I have an electric kettle in the lab and I’m going to highly advocate everyone who can get one in their office should do so. Near-instant tea at desk is good (A scoop of Trader Joes Chai Latte Mix and a Tazo Chai teabag) but my snack drawer is now expanded to include Annie’s Mac’n’Cheese cups and Instant Miso and Kimichi soups. Hot food without leaving the lab? Lifesaving.
People who haven’t grown up in cold sometimes don’t know things that are so obvious to people who have, that we don’t think to mention it.
You need a coat that comes down well past your butt. It’s better to look like a walking sleeping bag than be miserable half the year.
Get it big enough you can also wear your thickest alpaca/angora/cashmere/Icelandic wool/go big or go home investment sweater.
And definitely have one of those. Haunt thrift stores if you can’t/won’t shell out for one.
Alpaca socks. Life-changingly cozy. The thick ones. A couple pairs of thinner wool socks are also good, but alpaca is the best.
Reusable hand warmers to put in your gloves/pockets. I have chemical reaction ones that you boil to reset, and also an electric one that is also a battery.
Moose-hunting boots are ugly af but they mean business if you have perpetually cold feet.
Base layers, idk how people function without them. I’ve found silk and wool are the least smelly options, and high quality merino is just about not unbearable next to your skin.
You can sometimes also find wool tights or leggings that aren’t torturesome, they’re great on their own in the fall and as a second base layer when winter gets serious.
So the thing about how animal fibers keep you warm, for me, pertains to knit goods, but ymmv and…I hate to say it, but… fur is the warmest option. I am a faux fur person myself, but no judgement. Informed consent and all: people who don’t know about living in cold often don’t understand what boycotting fur means.
Wool socks. Fleece lined socks. Fleece lined leggings. Flannel. Lots of tea/coffee.
I love the Patagonia and SmartWool base layers. A bit more spendy, but I have at least one pair of Patagonia Capilene that I purchased in the mid 1990s…so 20+ years old? Still keeps me warm.
And I couldn’t live without my electric kettle. I’ve now worn out two of them. This time I got fancy with a Breville variable temp one so I can heat water to different temps. Also great for quick warming stock when cooking (especially for risotto when there’s not a lot of space on the stove for another pot).
America’s Test Kitchen reviewed electric kettles recently and these were their two top recommendations:
1. OXO On Clarity Cordless Glass Electric Kettle (~$80)
2. Capresso Silver H2O Electric Kettle (~$50)
I also highly recommend snuggling with warm fuzzy pets (dogs or cats or both).
I’m a farmer in northern Wisconsin. If you live where it’s really cold, get a face mask. I have a wool balaclava, and while I look like I’m robbing a bank, my livestock doesn’t care. Neoprene works well too, and there are face masks that just cover your lower face and velcro behind your head. When the wind chill is -30 or so, I wear both when doing chores.
Be ye not afraid of snow pants. There is no looking cute when it’s really, really cold. Taking an extra three minutes to gear up will make your outside time so much more pleasant.
Meanwhile, my dog looks at me like I’m crazy because he doesn’t need any prep time before doing HIS job. Foolish, weak humans.
I love my electric kettle, and use it every single day. My friend whose mom was from Japan has a Zojirushi Water Boiler – it keeps water hot at a constant temperature, so no waiting for the kettle to boil. She makes her tea one cup at a time, so this works really well.
The other thing I can’t live without is Muji room socks, but ONLY the wool ones. I run them through the washer and dryer so they felt just slightly, and they keep my feet toasty warm. I’m disappointed that they did not sell them this year (only cotton ones, which did not work), but luckily my daughter had an extra pair that she gave me.
@kkw: I also have a long coat and it’s great!
If you like soup, Better Than Bouillon offers a variety of broth bases you can mix with hot water. They’re basically pastes that are sold in itty bitty jars, last 18 months in the fridge, and make a much more flavorful (and cheaper!) broth than canned and boxed broth. You dissolve a teaspoon of the base into a cup of hot water and bravo, instant tasty broth! But you can also dissolve it in a smaller amount of hot liquid and use that to add salt and umami flavor to any recipe. Lately, I’ve been making tomato sauce with their beef base, and I’m going to try it with mushroom soon. The downside is that Better Than Bouillon is extremely salty. They do sell lower-sodium versions of their chicken, beef, and veggie bases, but if you’re trying to control your salt intake, be careful!
https://www.betterthanbouillon.com
If there’s one thing I hate more than being cold, it’s being cold and wet. We’re currently having freezing rain, so… Yay!
My big bro is a mechanic, so my main goal when gifting him is stuff to keep him warm. I’m a big fan of quilted vests and quilt or fleece lined flannel shirts. One year I got him some woolen socks from Eddie Bauer and ever since when asked for Christmas suggestions, he’ll always give me the “you know” look.
For a long cold inside day I love to make a big pot of tea (electric kettle poured into actual teapot) and keep it warm over one of these: https://smile.amazon.com/Teabloom-Tea-Warmer-Stainless-Teapot/dp/B077T769XC/ Then I can pour a little bit into a mug at once and drink it before it cools off.
Also, I don’t have a specific brand but I live in a hoodie with the hood up during the winter.
Finally, a cuddly rescue cat is a necessity IMO.
@kkw, 100% with you on the long coat, but I’ll add: WITH A HOOD. I didn’t realize how important that is until I bought one without.
In college, my friends said they could pick me out across the quad because I looked like a purple sleeping bag with a snorkle. All you could see of my face was my glasses.
If you’re even a little bit crafty, make yourself a rice bag. Sew some flannel into a pouch (choose your size and shape) and fill it with uncooked rice, then sew it closed. Microwave and it’ll stay toasty for hours. My current one is hot pink with monkeys on it and weighs a hefty 7lbs (it was originally for when I have cramps). When it’s chilly out, it goes at the foot of the bed or I’ll snuggle with it on the couch while reading – this usually ends up attracting some cats, who also hello with the warmth.
Question: Can anyone suggest some really good ways to keep hands warm outdoors. I’m in the market for gloves/mittens that allow some actual finger or hand use and would like brand suggestions.
I really thought that model was wearing a thermal catsuit. First thought: Hot. Second thought: Is said hotness worth the bathroom inconvenience?
I used to swear by the silk base layers from Wintersilks. But I’ve become disenchanted with them after a couple of completely messed up orders. (Also, the non-basic-long-underwear offerings have drifted in directions that don’t appeal to me.) If anyone knows of a different company that offers silk long underwear in a variety of weights and colors, I’ll be all ears.
GIRL, get you a Zojirushi hot water boiler. I use it every morning to make my pourover coffee, and every evening to make a cup of herbal tea (now that I’ve given up weekday wine, it’s what I’ve transitioned to #thisisthirtysomething). It’s kind of a lot of money but I have no idea how else I lived before it. My friend uses hers to make overnight oats. I use the hot water when I’m making soup (boils way faster!) or risotto or a sauce that needs thickening.
As for long underwear, I like Uniqlo’s warming layers, especially the Heat Tech ones. They are thin and don’t make you feel like the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man.
I also like Uniqlo’s Heat Tech, though be warned: they tend to run small. Heat Tech tights let me keep wearing dresses all winter long, and the leggings over the tights are as warm or warmer than pants. Hue’s therrmal tights come in a wider range of sizes, and they’re not as bulky as fleece-lined tights (which I also wear, but reserve for when it’s absolutely freezing as opposed to just cold.)
@PamG – I like foldover/convertible gloves – used a basic fleece pair when I was working outdoors dictating data to a voice recorder one winter, and those gloves were necessary. Depending on how much mobility you want you could look into those, or maybe a liner glove with a thicker one on top? Or like someone mentioned above you can get checmical handwarmers too… As for brands I like Manzella and Outdoor Research, but really I just look for styles and materials more than anything else. Hope you find something that works for you!
@Jenn: My daughter made her rice bag by filling an old sock and tying off the end. No sewing required!
I have a Zojirushi water boiler and it is the best thing ever. Their appliances are expensive but they last for ages if they’re cared for properly.
Base layers so good. I teach skiing so very key. Fell in love with both smartwool and icebreaker base and midlayers. Can be a tad pricey but sales and price is worth it for me.
@sarah FW: A lot of my travel clothing is Icebreakers, and I LOVE them!
This thread is going to be so expensive for me in terms of fleece tights, layers, and warm things. THANK YOU!!
@DonnaMarie Hoods! Omg yes, I forgot winter coats even come without those. Which reminds me, the furry ruff around the hood? You tuck that *in* so it provides insulation around your head, otherwise wind makes a mockery of your efforts. And you still need a hat.
@PamG I was so frustrated with glove options I made some with hefty, hideously pricey cashmere (but more affordable than yak, I consoled myself) that cover two knuckles instead of one, and have that pullover mitten flap. And I slip handwarmers in them. Then my beloved cousin did one better and made me some lined with fleece! If you don’t knit/sew…look on etsy, maybe? Wish I knew commercially available ones!
The electric kettle is a must for those of us who suffer under the tyranny of the electric stove. (Give me gas or induction, but OMG you age waiting for electric to heat up!) Not only can your electric kettle get your tea water hot before you lose your patience, but it’s a shortcut for any and all cooking that needs hot water. Need to boil pasta or potatoes? The electric kettle shortens your heat-up time. Making soup? Add ingredients to the pot, top with hot water, rinse, repeat. (So my soups turn out mostly stews. This is a bad thing how exactly?)
WARNING: DO NOT HEAT ANYTHING BUT WATER IN THE ELECTRIC KETTLE!!! Every year during Christmas party season people end up in the hospital because some idiot heats up glögi in the electric kettle because “convenience” and the kettle adds a little extra metallic spice (read: the non-neutral glögi dilutes metals from the kettle) into the not-water that’s being boiled in it. No. A pot on the stove or a mug in the microwave for heating up other drinks, but water only in the electric kettle!
And let me sing you the song of teapot or mug cozies. I’m not talking about the awkward, chunky cozies of yesteryear (why do I have in mind the image of a stuffed pillowcase-like horror with a hen printed on it? childhood trauma?), but the fun, stylish pot and mug cozies of today. Cozies are sweaters for your beverage containers = they keep them warm for a long, long time! (I know this is an obvious statement to make, but the realization came late to me. I thought teapot cozies were old-fashioned and mug cozies were a hipster affectation, until I knit one. And my tea was actually still hot when I poured the second cup. *cue embarrassed lightbulb moment of understanding the obvious*)(Another obvious statement: Use lids on pots so the heat doesn’t escape.)
Stylish teapot cozy: https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/tea-mitten
Fun cup/mug cozy template (insert your own pattern): https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/steek-this-coffee-cozy
cuddl duds clothes
lots of throws around the house–various brands and handmade items
All props to @ma bookjunkie, but for those less craft inclined, I’ve been achieving the same effect by turning my insulated lunch bag upside down over my teapot/French press. It ain’t stylish, but it works.
Down with uni-taskers!
That Cuisinart kettle is too heavy! For years I’ve used Bodin’s Ibis electric kettle. My first one was when I lived in the UK. I bought one in orange, blue, clear and black when I came back home. All are about 25 years old and still boiling. When you travel in the USA there are coffee makers, when you travel in the UK the rooms have electric kettles, who knew one small appliance would change my life!
I have some Hanro long underwear that is also very old, the stuff is expensive, but it feels good on my skin where the synthetics used today feel awful, I hate it!
It is so challenging to find good cotton underwear and pajamas without paying a fortune!
I like that heater, it would be great for my office which is freezing year round!
I love silk for base layer. Very warm. Got some at REI (store brand even) years ago. I assume they still carry. Goose down is great, too. Much warmth will no weight. I super agree about the jacket going past your bottom! What a difference. And hoods are great – they are often lined with slick fabrics that don’t mess up your hair like knit hats do. Also, some new technology jackets have body heat reflecting materials. $$$$, though. For indoor cozying, we cuddle up on the couch with a sleeping bag! We already have them and they aren’t keeping anyone warm in the closet with the camping gear.
I got some hand-me-down flannel-lined jeans from my mother, and OMG they are amazing when it’s cold. I also have the 32 Degrees base layers from Costco. Those plus the flannel-lined jeans and I’m good to go for low temperatures!
For those that love merino- Icebreaker has at least one outlet in my home state and may have more? They are super nice, will call you when things you want come in and will be your personal shopper over the phone. I pay 50% off retail or more (they have sales on every holiday incl bank holidays.
I’m also a fan of hot water bottles wrapped in something cozy.
I have a question… I don’t understand the excitement around kettles. A kettle is a necessary and expected kitchen item anywhere I’ve ever lived so is it an American thing to not have one? How do you boil water otherwise? Do you not commonly have hot drinks? Questions, more than one, sorry. I am very confused and curious by this kettle conundrum. Cheers
@RayC: I just used to use a pot on the stove for most boiled water needs, though I had a non electric kettle for a little while, I just don’t like it as much as the electric one. Didn’t drink a lot of tea either so it hadn’t been a big deal until I started drinking more loose leaf and stuff, and then realized how versatile it was. /shrug
Next we need a review of pet friendly/kid friendly blankets…none of those blankets that unravel after my cat snags it while making biscuits. No Ma’am! I want durable, warm, washable, AND dryer safe blankets that I can quickly wash, dry, and have back in my favorite spot by the time my reading hour starts in the evening.
I have to sing the praises of an electric blanket. Turn it on before bed–some have a pre-heat option that reverts to a cooler temp–turn it off (or not) after climbing in between the FLANNEL sheets in your FLANNEL pajamas. We joke about better-than-sex, but I am here for this. It’s like a full-body shudder when you can finally unclench at the end of a cold day.
The second best purchase we made was a Woolrich cotton-covered down throw. Suspiciously light, but its astonishingly warm for sitting on the couch when you just need a little more.
Finally, I found 100% wool, fleece-lined fingerless gloves on Amazon for @ $18. They are long enough to cover well past my wrists and leave just the finger tips free for all my screen-swiping needs.
Much love for all the socks; don’t forget lined slippers that reach above the ankles.
I got the AmazonBasics Stainless Steel Electric Kettle for making tea at work. I put it in a place where others could share it, and it has worked great, even being used more often than the average person would at home.
My husband got me a Breville tea maker for my birthday a few years ago. It’s something I never would have purchased for myself, but I use it every morning and it does exactly what I want.
And yes to the wool base layers and long coats!
The weird trick that’s been working for me this winter is turning the thermostat at home down low enough that I can comfortably wear most/all of the layers besides my coat/hat/gloves while I’m inside. This has dramatically reduced my tendency to underestimate how many layers I need outside, and our heating bill is lower, so win-win.
I second the recommendation of Uniqlo’s Heattech leggings. Do order 1 size up if you’re not sure. They come in lots of varieties, regular, extra warm, ultra warm, pile lined, ribbed and cable knit. Machine washable.