The Best Gifts for That Person Who's Always Cold

I'm always cold, so I know what I'm talking about.

The Best Gifts for That Person Who's Always Cold

I'm always cold, so I know what I'm talking about.

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Warm gifts

Credit: Amazon


We all know someone who is perpetually cold. I am, in fact, one of those people. I hate air conditioners. I hate the winter. I hate being more than 10 feet from a heater or blanket. As a result, I own all types of items designed to warm me up. Here's what I recommend as a gift if you know someone like me.

Cozy gifts for the perpetually cold

Before we dive into the tech of it all, I'll say that you can always get classic, cozy stuff for someone and it'll be appreciated. Usually, I consider gifts like fuzzy socks a little basic, but if you're tasked with secret Santa-ing that coworker who's always draped in a blanket at their desk, fuzzy socks suddenly become the best impersonal gift of the season. In the winter, I never wear normal socks. I am purely a fuzzy sock devotee from October to March. That's why I suggest a multipack:

Steer clear of blankets, though. It's a nice gesture, but it's been done; your cold friend is likely not short on blankets. What they might not have, though—and what I've been into lately—is fleece-lined shirts. I love regular hoodies and all, but I also love looking presentable, so finding these last month was a game-changer for me. You have a lot of options, mostly in the $20 to $35 range, and I can almost guarantee they'll love it.

Techy presents for cold people

Now it's time for the really fun part: The gadgets that heat you up. I've mentioned this before, but I have recently fallen in love with my little rechargeable heat pad. They're typically used for easing cramp pain, but I wear mine all the time. I wear it around the house and even under my coat when I go out. It's small and easy to conceal, but packs a big punch in terms of delivering serious heat directly to my body.

In a similar vein, consider gifting some rechargeable hand warmers. Sure, the single-use kind are fine, but this is a little more advanced and makes for a much better gift. Two retail for $21.99 and heat up to 130°F, so your recipient can slip them into their coat pockets and create the perfect safe haven for their hands on brisk walks.

Relatedly, I also own this heated vest, which is powered by a rechargeable battery pack and can be worn under a coat, too. It has more heating power than my little belt, so it's perfect for times I'll have to be outside a while, but it's not super bulky, so I can also wear it indoors if I feel the need. Bonus: The battery pack acts as a portable phone charger in a pinch.

For those who may commute by vehicle, why not a heated seat warmer? This car-sized cushion is $54.99 and could make trips to work or the store a whole lot more comfortable for someone who doesn't have built-in seat warmers. You may not understand why a heat vent isn't enough for your always-cold friend, but take it from me: It's just not (especially if other car occupants oppose being blasted in the face with the hot air).

If you want to be the real star of the holidays, though, I recommend a towel heater. I don't have one, but I want one, so if anyone I know is reading this, consider your Christmas duties sorted. Imagine stepping out of the shower on a bleak winter morning and being able to immediately wrap up in a hot towel instead of shivering in the middle of the bathroom. It sounds downright heavenly. Throw a blanket in there, too, to make it toasty before you curl up for movie night. This is more unorthodox than your standard electric blanket, so it reads as a more thoughtful and unique gift.

Lindsey Ellefson

Lindsey Ellefson

Features Editor

Lindsey Ellefson is Lifehacker’s Features Editor. She currently covers study and productivity hacks, as well as household and digital decluttering, and oversees the freelancers on the sex and relationships beat. She spent most of her pre-Lifehacker career covering media and politics for outlets like Us Weekly, CNN, The Daily Dot, Mashable, Glamour, and InStyle. In recent years, her freelancing has focused on drug use and the overdose crisis, with pieces appearing in Vanity Fair, WIRED, The New Republic, The Daily Beast, and more. Her story for BuzzFeed News won the 2022 American Journalism Online award for Best Debunking of Fake News.

In addition to her journalism, Lindsey is a student at the NYU School of Global Public Health, where she is working toward her Master of Public Health and conducting research on media bias in reporting on substance use with the Opioid Policy Institute’s Reporting on Addiction initiative. She is also a Schwinn-certified spin class teacher. She won a 2023 Dunkin’ Donuts contest that earned her a year of free coffee. Lindsey lives in New York, NY.

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