5 cheap(ish) things to keep your bedroom cool |
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| Source photos by Riley, NYT Wirecutter |
Sweltering heat can make your daily routines more uncomfortable, whether you’re trying to get some exercise, grab the mail, or even just laze around the house without feeling sticky. But perhaps worst of all? Trying to sleep in a hot, muggy room.
Our home and cooling experts have some relatively simple and affordable tips to keep your bedroom cool — yes, even if you don’t have an air conditioner. And if you do have one, we have some smart ways to keep all that delicious conditioned air from escaping.
Including some crisp, cool, and on-sale sheets→
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Plus: You can actually save money by leaving your air conditioner on |
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| Image: NYT Wirecutter; source photos by iStock/Sergey Proskurin and Olivier Verriest |
Rising temps don’t have to mean skyrocketing energy bills. Writer and cooling expert Thom Dunn shares his strategies for the smartest ways to optimize your AC on The Wirecutter Show. One of his best money-saving tips? Don’t turn the air conditioner entirely off when you leave the house. Instead, just set the temperature higher and leave it running. Modern AC models don’t need as much energy to keep the temperature steady as they do to actively cool something down. Hot take. Cool fact.
How Thom runs his own AC — plus, what to consider when buying a new one→
Your daily deal: A bright, inflatable lantern |
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This inflatable light is highly portable — good for summertime camping — and easy to use. Its battery capacity, brightness, and weatherproof ratings were some of the highest among the packable lights we’ve tested. Use promo code WCTR20 to get it for $12 off.
Get the deal→ |
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Outdoor and backyard lighting we love→
One last thing: “This blanket keeps me cool through even the hottest Texas summers” |
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| NYT Wirecutter |
Sleeping under this comforter feels like being engulfed by the cold side of the pillow — perfect for hot sleepers who like the feeling of sleeping under something more substantial than a single, sweaty sheet. And it even once kept web production manager Nicki Koetting cool and comfortable after a storm left her without air conditioning for over 48 hours. She writes: “Since I’ve purchased this comforter, my life has truly changed. Not only can I sleep through the night, but I also feel far more prepared for any natural disasters or heat waves that might come my way.”
A cooling blanket for hot sleepers→
Plus: The cooling gear our experts recommend to keep your dogs and cats comfortable and safe through the heat of summer.
You can reach the Wirecutter Newsletters team at newsletters@wirecutter.com. We can’t always respond, but we do love to hear from you.
