By Snohomish County PUD
The holiday season is upon us as 2023 comes to a close. But before it does, you might be in the market for some cool gifts for friends and loved ones.
Because we at the PUD love to play Santa, we found some great energy-related gifts for those hard-to-shop-for people on your list — and maybe even for yourself!
Google Nest Thermostat (Charcoal), PUD Marketplace: $129.99 — but as low as $54.99 with the PUD’s instant rebates available at marketplace.snopud.com.
What better gift this holiday season than the gift of control? This fantastic deal on the Google Nest Thermostat, courtesy of the PUD Marketplace, can help decrease your monthly bill and minimize your environmental impact. This gadget learns your favorite temperature settings and adjusts when you’re not home, saving customers up to 10% on heating and air-conditioning bills.
Color-changing LED Light bulb, PUD Marketplace: $15.
Get the party started with this Wi-Fi-enabled, general-purpose LED bulb. Switch from the old halogen bulbs to these 65-watt bulbs that are ENERGY STAR-certified and provide up to 80% in energy savings. Also controllable with an app, the bulbs provide limitless (and customizable) color options and last up to 25,000 hours.
Basic 3-Day Emergency Preparedness Kit, Red Cross: $98.99.
Unfortunately, stuff happens. This kit is the perfect preparation for natural disasters such as an earthquake or severe weather. It contains basic supplies for one person for up to three days (so stock up for the whole family), including food, water, a crank-powered flashlight/radio/cell phone charger, multi-tool, first-aid kit and other survival supplies in a lightweight backpack with extra room for personal items.
RadRover 6 Plus Electric Bike, Rad Power Bikes: $2,099 — but look for continued holiday deals throughout the month.
If an electric vehicle is a little out of your price range, consider an electric bike. There are a variety of EBs, including the RadRover 6, one of the top-rated electric bikes by Bicycling.com. The RadRover’s fat tires make it comfortable to ride on city streets or mountain trails. It gets up to 45 miles per charge, can carry up to 275 pounds and can cruise around town at speeds up to 20 mph.
Zippo Rechargeable Hand Warmer and Power Bank, Amazon: $37.43.
Technology has led us to the hand warmer 2.0! This portable, rechargeable hand warmer has dual-sided heat up to 120 degrees with six adjustable heat settings to find the most comfortable level of warmth for the occasion. Along with reducing waste from individually wrapped packages, it also charges USB-compatible devices, including mobile phones, tablets, cameras and other gadgets. It has battery and heat indicator lights and a rechargeable lithium-ion battery with up to nine hours of run time.
TIDEWE Heated Vest, Amazon: Starts at $79.99.
Another device to help keep you warm this winter, this vest by TIDEWE was voted as the “Best Value Heated Vest” by Good Housekeeping. The lightweight polyester material provides a water-resistant shell and is machine washable. The rechargeable battery pack can last up to 10 hours and is easily accessible if you need to turn up the heat – or use it to charge another portable device.
EGO POWER+ Nexus 2,000-Watt Portable Power Station, Lowe’s: $1,499.
The holiday season does coincide with storm season here in the Pacific Northwest, so if you want to ensure the Christmas lights stay illuminated, a backup power source is critical. There are numerous options, including battery-powered alternatives to gas generators that deliver clean, quiet, portable power while being safe to use indoors (unlike gas-powered generators). The EGO POWER+ has three 120-volt A/C outlets and four USB ports, and can run up to 2,000 watts continuously.
Install a new heat pump, more information at snopud.com/save-energy/residential/rebates/heating/.
Compared to other common heating methods — like furnaces and baseboard heaters — heat pumps can offer energy savings of 25% to 50% annually. Oh, and they also cool! The Inflation Reduction Act offers tax credits of up to 30% on the total cost of buying and installing a new heat pump up to $2,000. In addition, the PUD offers rebates of up to $2,500 for qualified heat pumps installed by a PUD-registered contractor. For more information, and to see a list of approved contractors, visit www.snopud.com or call our Energy Hotline at 425-783-1700.
Holiday Bazaar
The PUD’s annual Helping Hands Holiday Bazaar will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dec. 8 at the PUD’s Everett Headquarters, 2320 California St. Learn more at snopud.com/hhbazaar.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.