For those who dread the cold of winter, this Bosch 10.8V Heated Jacket ($169) is like wearing a comfy electric blanket with the bonus of also being able to charge your devices.

The jacket takes the edge off the cold to make a chilly day less miserable. Designed for people working outdoors in low temperatures, I would have loved this for my early morning starts when I worked on a building site. These days I wouldn't know what six in the morning  looks like, but the garment is also useful for spending more time on a winter's day doing the gardening or walking the dog.

There are three heat zones: one on the back and two smaller ones on the front. A cable with a battery adaptor is integrated into the jacket and connects the heating elements to a 10.8 volt battery in the lower inside pocket. There are also three heat settings, high, medium and, yep, low.

The jacket doesn't look bulky and is surprisingly light, considering it has a battery in it, and in basic black looks reasonably stylish, even though it's a work outfit.

In addition to powering the heating, the battery also has a USB port to charge your phone or small device. The power-pack is small enough that it doesn't make the jacket feel uncomfortable, and it is easy to take it out and use as a separate unit.  

It's a well-made sturdy piece of clothing, windproof and water-resistant. There's a dedicated, if small, phone pocket inside, and cables can be conveniently run inside.  

The only downside is that the jacket is hand wash only, because machine washing and drying could ruin the heating elements.