Hate winter? Don't! It's the perfect time to indulge in the latest personal-care heating products.

Winter officially arrives this weekend, and while many of us dread the colder months, there is an upside. It’s the perfect excuse to grab a great book, brew a hot toddy, and cosy up to the latest in luxurious heating products.

“Staying warm in winter isn’t just a practical thing,” Danielle McConnell, Sunbeam Australia’s category manager for home care, told ConnectedWomen this week. “It’s also about comfort, contentment and indulgence.”

We couldn’t agree more. Here are our hot pamper picks for winter 2008:

Nice throw

Sunbeam's Safe & Sound Heated Throw drapes like a rug but heats like an electric blanket. Toasty!

Sunbeam’s Safe & Sound Heated Throw combines the toasty warmth of an electric blanket with the convenience of that favourite rug in your loungeroom.

The throw is made of a plush, micro-fleece fabric, and has a soft, flexible heating wire “that’s been designed especially for this style of product, so it drapes perfectly,” McConnell said.

Another surprise is that the throw is machine-washable, and can even be put through the dryer. The controls are detachable and the wires are water proof.

This product also features nine heat settings and Sunbeam’s SleepPerfect Technology, which keeps the blanket at a constant temperature.

The throw is available in chocolate brown at major department stores and retailers, as well as in red at Big W stores only. The recommended retail price (RRP) is $99.95.

Pillow talk

This heated cushion from Breville offers controllable and targeted warmth.

Breville’s Bodyzone Heat Cushion has a soft-touch cover and thick cushioning for maximum comfort and support.

According to Breville, the heated cushion is easy and convenient to use, and offers targeted, controllable warmth courtesy of its two heat settings. The cushion also has a removable and washable cover.

You can snuggle into this little slice of heaven for an RRP of $79.95.

Wireless heat
If you’re tired of fumbling down the side of your bed for the electric-blanket controls, DeLonghi has the answer.

The company, best known for its coffee machines, has debuted a range of high-tech electric blankets - some of which come with wireless digital remote controls.

The remotes are back-lit with a blue LCD panel, making them easy to find and use in the dark. Each blanket comes with two controls, allowing you to create personalised settings for your side of the bed.

DeLonghi's debut range of electric blankets features high-tech functions such as dual wireless remote controls.

Product manager Helen Finlayson told ConnectedWomen that DeLonghi’s electric blankets also incorporate a technology called ActiveSense.

“This is a patented thin-wire technology with graphite heating core, for a safer, faster and more constant heat,” Finlayson said.

The blankets even have intuitive bed and room temperature sensors that constantly adjust the blanket to your chosen comfort level.

The wireless-control models range from an RRP of $149 for a single-bed cotton electric blanket through to $449 for a woollen king.