Shoppers rush to buy bargain winter gadget from Argos and Asda that costs from 1p an hour to run

SHOPPERS are rushing to buy winter gadgets like heated throws to help them stay warm without turning on the heating.

The blankets are flying off the shelves as energy bills continue to soar, and they cost just pennies to run.

For example, a Silentnight heated throw at Asda that costs £40 has sold out online.

It comes with three heat settings and is said to heat up in just minutes, and reviewers are loving it.

One said last week: "Gave as a birthday present - very well received & with winter ahead might get a bit of use."

And another added: "Brilliant throw, super soft and plenty big enough for cosy winter nights."

Meanwhile, Argos is selling a heated throw by Dreamland for a pricier £60 online.

This comes with six temperature settings and has a built-in heating sensor wire to detect the temperature 25 times per second.

According to Dreamland and the Argos website, it costs from just 1p to run and comes with a two-year guarantee.

One reviewer said yesterday: "Have used it a few times now and really enjoy it.

"Instead of warming entire room having this on for an hour or two does the trick."

While another added: "Bought a couple of weeks ago and well impressed with them.

"Connected it to a plug energy tester and was well pleased with the fact it only used a penny switched on setting three for an hour.

"On that setting it was lovely and cosy."

In contrast to electric blankets, which usually sit on top of a mattress and underneath you, a heated throw is one you can wrap around you.

There are plenty of heated throws on sale at the major retailers, with most prices starting from around £60.

However, Robert Dyas has listed one for £54.99 online, but this only has a one-year guarantee.

While Dreamland has listed another one in a mustard yellow colour for £59.99.

It's important to always shop around before you splash out and remember to factor in delivery costs too.

How much does it usually cost to use an electric blanket?

It's important to note that the cost of using a heated throw depends on a number of things, including the model, how much power it uses, how often you have it on, for how long, plus which setting you use.

Electric blankets and heated throws typically cost a similar amount to use.

USwitch estimates the average cost is 24p to run a heated blanket for one hour a day for seven days - so around 3.43p per night.

If you use it for an hour per night for the coldest four months of the year, that's 91 nights and a total cost of £3.13.

But use it for seven hours a night over that period of time, and the annual cost would be £15.28.

Of course, every extra hour you use it increases this cost, and the exact cost will depend on your energy tariff.

You should always follow the instructions when using an electric blanket, and never use one for infants or anyone with a pacemaker.

We asked experts to crunch the numbers and they said it is considerably cheaper to use a hot water bottle.

Plus, we tested if setting your washing machine to 20 degrees can help cut your bills.