SHOPPERS have been rushing to buy a household essential that heats the home and is on sale for over 50% off.
Dunelm is selling an electric stove that was £179 for £47.
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And one happy shopper posted the find in Facebook’s Extreme Couponing & Bargains group.
She said: “Fab bargain from Dunelm today!
“Even better as my son works for them and got an extra 15% off, but even without that a great bargain!
“Just put it in my lounge and it looks great. I don’t intend using it for heat, so for the price, I’m fine with just using it for the flame, this was from the Stoke on Trent store and they had them in either graphite or black.”
Other customers took to the comments to rave about the item.
One said: “I bet they won’t have these in Hull or Scunthorpe.
“Moving into my new house so I’d love one of these.”
While another wrote: “Even just having the light on makes the room feel warmer.”
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Of course, do shop around for the best deal and make sure you consider how much it’ll cost to run (see below for more info).
For example, at the time of writing Aldi was selling a similar electric heater for just £39.99, down from £49.99.
And remember, it’s only a bargain if you were planning on buying it (or something similar) anyway.
You should also factor in delivery costs, though we couldn’t see the item online at the time of writing.
You may have to check at your local Dunelm to see if they’re selling in store.
You can find your nearest one by searching “Dunelm store locator” on Google and typing in your location.
How much to run an electric heater?
According to Uswitch, the gadgets use 100 watts of energy to warm a double bed – that’s 3.4p an hour.
Over five hours, that’s 17p, which is significantly cheaper than the Kirkton stove.
Plus, an electric stove will just heat up one room and not the entire house. So it could be cheaper to run the central heating on low.
However, if you want a cheaper alternative, a log burner might be a cheaper solution.
Or you could cosy up under an electric blanket.
We have also revealed how to use a thermostat to save on your bills.
Risks to keep in mind
Just because electric heaters might cost you less, there are still risks to consider when using them.
Because the hot bars on electric heaters are exposed, they could easily spark a fire if they come into contact with household items.
Here are some points to consider first if you’ve bought an electrical heater and plan to use it:
- It should be on a level surface – you don’t want it to be knocked over or fall off
- Keep it well away from flammable objects like paper, furniture or curtains
- Never use it to dry your clothes
- Don’t leave it unattended for long periods of time, especially when you’re asleep
- You should never power it from an extension lead – they can overheat and start a fire fast
- Always check your heater for damage and deterioration – do not use it if it’s not in good condition
- Make sure you buy from manufacturers or retailers that you know and trust – second-hand heaters could be faulty
- Double check your appliance is registered and hasn’t been recalled
- Have somebody check your smoke alarm or make sure you know it’s working – it’s imperative to detect anything that goes wrong about the house
Other ways to cut your energy bills
There are ways to reduce your energy bill without having to resort to unsafe practices.
This includes a few easy tips to remember, like closing your curtains in the evening.
So when temperatures naturally drop, you should draw them to keep the heat in, and then open them in the morning when the sun comes out.
You can also buy draught excluders which can be cheap – we spotted them on Amazon for £7.99 – but you should always shop around for better offers.
And always think about how much money you’re spending on household appliances – the kettle is ranked one of the costliest, after the shower, heating and a fan-assisted oven.
You can read about how much they cost and how to keep prices down in our guides – like this one here.
Also, Energy Saving Trust estimates that between 9-16% of electricity used in homes is through appliances in standby mode.
On a bill of £500, this could account for as much as £80. We’ve rounded up the worst devices to leave on standby.
And remember installing a smart meter is free and usually provided by your energy supplier.
They keep a real-time record of your energy consumption so you can keep an eye on what you’re using.
There are also a handful of new cost of living payments to help with bills coming – including the Warm Home Discount and £900 one-off payment.
You can read more about those payments in our round up here.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing [email protected]
