11 Genius Essentials You Can't Live Without This Winter

Winter can be a cold and unforgiving season. But nowadays you can make it a little less harsh with some technology designed specifically to make winter bearable. There are all kinds of nifty new ways to stay warm and dry in the cold winter months to come, and some will even save you money and make your house more efficient.

Check out a few of my favorite winter tech tools to stay cozy and warm this season in the slideshow.

More Tech Products:

11 Tech Essentials You Can't Live Without in the Winter

180s Unisex Bluetooth Ear Warmer

If you spend a decent amount of time outside, these sleek earmuffs are a great idea. They pair with your phone so you can listen to podcasts and talk while simultaneously keeping your ears protected and warm. The Bluetooth pairing means you don't have to futz with cords that can get tangled and unplugged (so you don't have to take your gloves off to rearrange everything).

Buy it at Amazon, $49
Desktop Heated Mug Warmer

The minute my coffee hits the mug in the morning on particularly cold days, it seems like it's already too cool to drink. Snag one of these brilliant coffee heaters for your desk and keep your mug warm so you can sip at your leisure.

Buy it at Amazon, $10
Toasty Toes Ergonomic Heated Foot Warmer

Sometimes all it takes to keep warm when I'm working is to have my feet warmed up. For a while I'd rest my feet on a hot pad, until I discovered this handy gadget. It's ergonomic, so it helps you sit in a better position at work, and you just flip it on in the morning to provide heat for your feet under your desk all day long.

Buy it at Amazon, $50
Icedozer Mini 2.0

Scraping the ice off of your windshield can take forever, making you late to work or keeping you from getting home at the end of the day. This little snow-clearing accessory can help you out by packing all of your ice-scraping gadgets into one small and powerful tool. It's like a little bear claw scraping off your icy windows!

Buy it at Amazon, $11.95
Snow Wolf Snow Shovel

Shoveling snow is the worst and can do terrible damage to your back if you aren't careful. Meet an awesome new invention called the Snow Wolf, which puts a wheel on your basic snow shovel to take all of the pressure of lifting snow off of your back and put it back on the ground where it belongs. It tackles a driveway three times faster than a normal snow shovel and is a fraction of the cost of a snow blower. Save your back and get one this winter.

Buy it at Amazon.com, $160
Dyson AM05 Hot + Cool Fan Heater

If you live in a small space, or even if you just hate appliance clutter, this Dyson Hot + Cool Fan Heater is definitely for you. With no blade for tiny fingers to get stuck in, this one machine keeps a room warm in the winter and cool in the summer.

Buy it at Amazon, $338
Holmes HFH436WGL-TG Heater Fan with Bathroom-Safe Plug

OK, so if a $300 air manipulator isn't in your budget, this is the next best thing at a fraction of the cost.

I work from home, and heating the whole house all day seems like a waste of energy. That's where this handy heater from Target comes in handy: I filp it on in the morning, make a cup of coffee, and by the time I head back to my home office the room is nice and toasty. You can even set it to pre-heat the room if you know what time you'll be starting work.

Buy it at Target, $27
Nest Smart Thermostat

If you haven't upgraded your home thermostat to a smart thermostat yet, winter is the perfect time to do so. The Nest thermostat will learn your heating and cooling habits and save you a bunch of money over time on your utilities bill. Plus, you can turn the heat up from your smartphone in the morning before you get out of bed!

Buy it at Home Depot, $250
Holmes Ultrasonic Cube Humidifier

Another bargain offered from Target is the Holmes humidifier. It's low profile, and does a great job in the bedroom overnight. Plus, it comes in a variety of fun colors. With humidifiers, remember to clean them often so you aren't spreading mold and mildew into the air when you use them.

Buy it at Target, $30
Thermacell Heated Insoles

All that snow shoveling and ice scraping is bound to make your toes cold. Not anymore if you have these nifty heated shoe insoles. Battery powered and turned on with a remote, it helps you keep your feet warm all day long.

Buy it at Amazon, $85
Agloves Touchscreen Gloves

Your feet may be warm, but what about your hands? Be sure to get a pair of gloves that have touchscreen functionality built in. That way you can still answer your phone out in the elements without having to lose your fingers to frostbite while you play Candy Crush at the bus stop.

Buy it at Amazon, $6.58