Top Five...cold weather gadgets

Winter has truly started in Britain, with reports of snow and ice across the country, so be prepared and take a look at our pick of the latest gadgets to help you get ready for the big freeze!

USB heated blanket

Find yourself shivering away while working on the computer? Like a conventional heated blanket, it plugs straight into the USB port of your PC or laptop to keep you toasty warm. If you're the only one in you could just use one of these instead of putting the heating on, saving on the bills too!

Weather app

As the weather is so unpredictable, we're using all the technology we can to get an idea of what's going to happen next. Be prepared for a cold snap with the help of a decent weather app on your mobile phone - the Met Office Weather App is a good starting point, giving local or national forecasts and using satellite images and photos to display conditions.

Patio heater

Cold weather usually brings with it some clear skies and it seems a shame to waste a beautiful starry night. You might not want to sit outside all evening but with a patio heater you could at least spend half an hour or so, with a pre-dinner drink, enjoying the clear, sparkling skies.

Sledge

It doesn't come along that often so, when it does, you might as well get out there and enjoy it! You could go for a traditional wooden sledge, a simple plastic design, or why not splash out and get one with seats and a steering wheel!

Shoe grips

No matter how good your balance is, trying to walk on an icy road or pavement is tricky for everyone and can lead to serious injury. There's no need to be sliding around all over the place, however, with a pair of shoe grips - simple and cheap, they slip over your normal shoes and provide some much needed traction on the iciest of surfaces.

Date: 03/02/2012