October chills return, and households face a familiar choice: stay warm, cut costs, or attempt both. Supermarket aisles now promise help.
With energy budgets under pressure, Aldi’s winter Specialbuys are back with a focus on keeping warmth where you need it. The headline draw is a £9.99 radiator reflector kit arriving on Thursday 23 October, a product type long championed by MoneySavingExpert founder Martin Lewis as a simple, low-cost win for draughty homes.
What’s landing in aisles and when
Aldi’s “heat the human, not the home” range drops in two waves. Shoppers get insulation and small heaters on 23 October, then bedding, heated airers and winter wear from 26 October. The standout for bill-cutters is the radiator reflector kit at £9.99, designed to push heat back into rooms rather than into cold external walls.
£9.99 radiator reflectors arrive in Aldi stores on Thursday 23 October. One pack can line up to three radiators.
Radiator reflectors and why they matter
Home heating leaks money when radiators sit on external walls. Hot water warms the panel, but a chunk of that heat radiates backwards and disappears through brickwork. Reflective backing interrupts that waste. Martin Lewis has repeatedly recommended fitting reflectors as part of winter prep, noting the gains when used behind radiators on outside walls.
Aldi’s kit uses a high-emissivity foil surface and foam-bubble core to bounce heat into the room. The supermarket says the film reflects up to 86% of infrared energy. The pack includes self-adhesive strips so you can fit panels without drilling or removing radiators.
Independent advice backs reflective panels on external-wall radiators, redirecting up to 86% of infrared heat indoors.
Where to install for the best results
- Target radiators on external walls first, especially in living rooms and bedrooms.
- Skip internal walls and already-insulated stud walls, where gains are modest.
- Ensure a small air gap between the panel and radiator to allow convection.
- Pair with draught-proofing on doors and windows for a stronger effect.
Fitting in five minutes
Measure the radiator width and height between brackets. Cut the foil to size. Stick the adhesive pads on the wall, not the radiator. Press the panel to the wall so it sits just below the top of the radiator and above the skirting. Leave a few millimetres’ gap from hot surfaces. Repeat across each section. One Aldi pack claims enough material for up to three average radiators.
How much could you save?
Savings depend on your home, wall construction and heating habits. External-wall losses from a single radiator can be noticeable in older properties with solid walls. Reflectors aim to reduce that loss, which can nudge down boiler run time or thermostat settings.
Here’s a simple scenario. A household spends £1,000–£1,400 on space heating across the cold months. If reflectors trim only 3% of that by improving room-side heat retention in key spaces, you’re looking at £30–£42 saved over the season. A £9.99 outlay pays back fast if you line a few high-use radiators. Better insulation, lower flow temperatures and thermostatic valves can stack further gains.
A £9.99 reflector kit can pay for itself within weeks if it helps nudge down boiler run time in busy rooms.
Other Aldi warm-up options and running costs
Not every room needs full central heating all evening. Aldi’s plug-in heaters and electric bedding target the immediate body-warmth approach. The supermarket lists indicative running costs at current rates.
Spot heating for small spaces
The Ceramic Personal Heater costs £14.99 and is aimed at small rooms or desks, with Aldi quoting around 32p per hour to run. Move up to the Oscillating Ceramic Tower Heater at £24.99 and the quoted running cost rises to roughly 53p per hour. These figures reflect typical unit rates and show why short bursts work better than all-evening use.
Electric bedding and blankets
Heated Mattress Pads start at £14.99 for single, £22.99 for double and £24.99 for king. The larger pads include two zones and three settings per side, plus detachable remotes. A Heating Blanket comes in four colours for £24.99, with four heat layers and a machine-washable design at 30°C. These products warm people directly, which often beats raising the thermostat.
Drying laundry and tackling damp
Aldi’s 2,000 ml Dehumidifier at £39.99 targets rooms up to 15 m², with a two-litre tank and quiet operation. Pulling moisture from the air fights mould, speeds up indoor drying and can make rooms feel warmer at the same temperature. Heated airers arrive on 26 October, with a winged model at £34.99 and an upright version at £79.99 for families who need more rails.
| Product | In-store date | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Radiator reflector kit | 23 October | £9.99 |
| Multi-purpose insulation wrap | 23 October | £9.99 |
| Ceramic personal heater | 23 October | £14.99 |
| Oscillating ceramic tower heater | 23 October | £24.99 |
| Dehumidifier, 2,000 ml | 23 October | £39.99 |
| Heated airer, winged | 26 October | £34.99 |
| Heated airer, upright | 26 October | £79.99 |
| Heating blanket | 26 October | £24.99 |
| Heated mattress pad (single/double/king) | 26 October | £14.99/£22.99/£24.99 |
Aldi lists running costs from 32p to 53p per hour for its plug-in heaters, based on typical electricity rates.
The MoneySavingExpert angle
Martin Lewis does not endorse specific brands, but he has long advised fitting reflective panels behind radiators on external walls. The approach aligns with a broader “heat the human” toolkit highlighted by his team, which includes low-power wearables and plug-ins.
- USB gloves and heated insoles for desk work.
- Reusable or USB hand warmers for commuting.
- Electric gilets and heat pads for targeted warmth.
- Microwaveable wheat bags for quick relief.
- Large 1.5-litre hot water bottles for sofa sessions.
- Electric footwarmers and single-size electric blankets for bedtime.
Practical extras to stretch savings
Check radiator basics before you spend. Bleed radiators that gurgle or feel cold at the top. Balance your system so all rooms heat evenly. Fit or adjust thermostatic radiator valves so spare rooms sit cooler than living areas. If you have a modern condensing boiler, lower the flow temperature to around 55–60°C so it runs more efficiently while still meeting comfort needs.
Tackle quick draught fixes. Seal gaps around letterboxes, chimneys and floorboards. Use lined curtains and close them at dusk. Move sofas a few inches off radiators to improve airflow. Dry washing in a room with extraction or a dehumidifier to cut condensation and mould risk.
Use electric heaters wisely. Heat the person and the zone you’re in, not the whole house. Keep a safe clearance around heaters. Avoid using extension leads with high-wattage devices. Do not leave plug-in heaters or heated bedding unattended, and switch them off before sleep unless the product manual explicitly supports overnight use.
If you try the £9.99 reflectors, start with your coldest external-wall radiator and log thermostat settings and boiler run time for a week. Small tweaks add up. A trimmed thermostat by 1°C, insulated pipework and reflective backing can team up to deliver meaningful savings without sacrificing comfort.
Once they’re gone, they’re gone: Aldi’s Specialbuys sell through fast, so plan your date if you want the £9.99 kit.
