Hasta La Gadget!

I’m a big fan of the electric blanket. Back in cold, rainy England I used one every summer and would leave the thing running through the day so my cats had somewhere warm to sleep. Now I’m in Spain, the problem is often that its too hot to sleep, but in the winter things still get chilly. What to do?

The ChiliPad takes care of both hot and cold, warming or cooling your bed by pumping water through a network of pipes beneath you. Think of it as an electric blanket that won’t electrocute you if you wet the bed.

Because it uses water, it needs a pump, but the makers say that it runs quiet, at under 20dBa (certainly a lot quieter than a fan). And if you don’t always sleep alone, you might opt for the dual-zone pad which lets you adjust both sides independently, perfect if you regularly share your bed with a polar bear or basking lizard.

The only thing that might stop you snapping one up, or just throwing on an extra blanket in winter, is the price. The smallest will cost you $400, rising to a king-sized $650. It might just be cheaper to burn the money and warm your hands on the fire.

Product page [Chilipad via Coolest Gadgets]