Energy bills are set to rise even higher than last year for millions this winter, despite the price cap falling, a thinktank has said.

Due to the increasing price of energy bills, many households are seeking a cheaper alternative to heat their homes – including installing log burners.

Although citied as a form of pollution, in specific circumstances wood burners can save consumers money. In fact, suppliers of both stoves and wood to fuel them have reported huge leaps in sales in the past 12 months… and let’s be honest, the joy of listening to a cosy crackling fire isn’t bad either.

So, as the number of homes with log burners is forecasted to see a steady increase, we’ve picked out our best wholesale fireside essentials and accessories for you to stock up and boost your sales this winter season – including products with amazing sustainability credentials.

Best wholesale fireside essentials

Certainly Wood Ltd KindleFlamer Pack 18 (114617)

KindleFlamer is the ultimate firelighter flamer, due to the high quality of its manufacturing process and the fact it requires no kindling when used between two kiln dried logs. This 17cm long natural, odourless, easy to light firelighter is made of natural wood wool shavings and coated in wax to provide an extra-long burn.

Natural, clean and odourless, KindleFlamer provides a clean burn that’s perfect for wood burners and cooking.

Made in Britain on their sustainably run farm in Herefordshire from untreated wood shavings, KindleFlamer products are dried in kilns using solar power and wood waste for added sustainability.

Ecoal Smokeless Coal 20kg (141320)

Unique, low smoke and low CO2, Ecoal smokeless coal appeals to eco-conscious consumers who aren’t willing to compromise on heating performance.

Ecoal50 is special because it complies with smokeless regulations, emits up to 40% less carbon dioxide than house coal and at the same time burns hotter and for longer than house coal.

Bryant & May Extra Long Safety Matches 45 Box (377371)

Long lasting and ideal for candles, open fires and log burners, these Bryant & May extra-long safety matches are a household winter essential.

Winter home heating essentials

Aside from wood burners, there are plenty of other household heating essentials to help combat energy bills this winter. Make sure to keep stock of everything your customers need to protect themselves from the cold.

Hot water bottles

Hot water bottles provide a cost effective and easy way to stay warm in winter. The average hot water bottle is 2L in size, but you shouldn't fill it to full capacity for safety reasons. So, if you were to fill the hot water bottle with 1.5L of hot water, that would cost only 7.8p to boil that water – and it stays warm for between 3-6 hours.

Product pick: Hearth & Home Hot Water Bottle 2L (344015)

Electric blankets

According to research from Uswitch, these gadgets only use 100 watts of energy to warm a double bed before switching to a sleep setting or being turned off. So, a 100W electric blanket that runs for seven hours a week would use 0.7kWh – and based on the current energy price cap, it costs 24p to run a 100W electric blanket for one hour a day for seven days.

Product pick: Daewoo Electric Heated Blanket  (115278)

Portable heaters

Halogen heaters tend to be the cheapest radiant heaters as they have a low power rating (but also produce less heat), while oil-filled radiators are often the cheapest convector heater because there is a thermostat to control the temperature. However, the biggest benefit of halogen heaters is they provide ‘instant on, instant heat’.

Product pick: Supawarm Halogen Heater (329857)

To take a look at our stock of wholesale winter heating essentials, head over to your local Stax cash and carry branch or browse online at www.staxtradecentres.co.uk