10 winter essentials to buy now before they sell out

Between impending snow piles and the coronavirus pandemic, we need to be more prepared than ever for the winter. Aside from the typical winter gear like snow shovels and boots, experts are worried that items like air purifiers and patio heaters will be in short supply come winter as people are trying to social distance indoors. That's why it's more important than ever to get these products ahead of time, so you're not scrambling when it's freezing outside.

Below, you'll find 10 winter essentials and other important items to have indoors before they inevitably sell out.

1. Space heaters

When it gets nippy out, space heaters are always a popular product to keep the less-heated areas of your home nice and toasty. Since we're all spending more time at home this year due to quarantine, they're likely to be even more sought-after. We recommend getting the De’Longhi HMP1500, which is the best space heater we've ever tested. It's incredibly powerful (it raised the temperature of a 1350-cubic-foot room six degrees in just an hour) and can easily be wheeled from room to room.

Get the De’Longhi HMP1500 Heater from Amazon for $93

2. Snow shovels

When you wake up and there is several feet of snow on the ground, you're going to regret not already having a snow shovel. Plus, experts believe this winter will be colder than usual. The True Temper is the best affordable snow shovel we've ever tested and has an ergonomic design to help prevent backaches and a durable metal strip and spacious scoop size that both make for efficient shoveling. Basically, you can shovel for hours with it (not that you'd want to).

Get the True Temper Aluminum Blade 20-inch Shovel from The Home Depot for $32.97

3. Outdoor blankets

Everyone is trying to stretch out patio season for as long as possible this year, whether it's in your own backyard or at a restaurant. That's why a good outdoor blanket will be key to have. Reviewers love this one from Brawntide, which offers a warm fleece side and a durable, waterproof polyester side that keeps it safe from the elements. It's also machine washable and comes with a carrying case, making it convenient to bring to a restaurant.

Get the Brawntide Large Outdoor Waterproof Blanket at Amazon for $36.99

4. Slippers

Everyone loves a cozy pair of slippers—and everyone will be buying them come winter. Ugg slippers are back in style thanks to quarantine, and will be a hot product this year. To avoid having to settle for a pair of less-than-comfy slippers or, worse, no slippers at all, grab a pair ahead of the season. The celeb-loved Fluff Yeah slide is one of the brand's most popular slippers for women, while the Ascot slipper is a great choice for men.

• Get the Ugg Fluff Yeah Slide at Nordstrom for $99.95
• Get the Ugg Men's Ascot Slipper at Nordstrom for $109.95

5. Patio heaters

Patio heaters are already hard to find—and will be even harder to find come winter. So it's best to snag one currently in stock before you're completely out of luck. That way you can still enjoy a socially distant hangout outdoors even when there's light snow on the ground. This one from Hampton Bay is a popular model that is still available on Amazon.

Get the Hampton Bay 48000 BTU Stainless Steel Patio Heater at Amazon for $299.99

6. Sleds and snow tubes

Pool floats are the hottest outdoor accessory in the summer, but fun and unique sleds and snow tubes will be all the rage this winter. So it's best to buy them now rather than waiting until the first snow. One of the top-rated sleds on Amazon is this one from Lucky Bums, with hundreds of reviewers saying it's durable, comfortable to ride in, and, best of all, super speedy. You can also find trendy tubes on Amazon, like this fun ice dragon from BigMouth.

• Get the Lucky Bums Kids Plastic Snow Sled from Amazon for $27.85
• Get the BigMouth Inc Ice Dragon Snow Tube from Amazon for $24.99

7. Ice salt melt

Preventing your driveway from getting too slick is a must in the winter, but you want to make sure you're using an ice melt that won't damage your (or your neighbor's) pet's paws. More than 1,000 Amazon reviewers opt to use this ice melt from Green Gobbler, which uses pet-safe magnesium chloride to melt ice. Get it before the first snowfall, so you can apply it in advance.

Get the Green Gobbler Pet Safe Ice Melt at Amazon for $34.99

8. Ice scrapers

Ice on your windshield is a huge culprit to running late. You can’t see through the ice and you definitely cannot drive with it to get various essentials (like hand sanitizer) on your windshield. If you park your car outside at any time during the winter, you’re going to need an ice scraper. This one from Subzero is long enough to reach your entire windshield from one side and has a brush to easily wipe away excess snow. Keep one in your car so you’re always prepared for unpredictable weather.

Get the Subzero Hopkins 532 Mallory 26" Snow Brush at Amazon for $7.13

9. Bean Boots

A pair of boots with warmth and good traction are going to be essential as we attempt to socialize outdoors this winter. Flannel-lined Bean Boots from L.L.Bean offer both. The duck boot is quite popular and have been known to sell out before the holidays, and with delayed shipping expected this year, it's best to order them sooner than later.

• Get the Women's Tumbled-Leather 8" Bean Boots, Chamois-Lined at L.L.Bean for $159
• Get the Men's Tumbled-Leather 8" Bean Boots, Chamois-Lined at L.L.Bean for $159

10. Air purifiers

People kept buying air purifiers on the West Coast to clean their homes of smoke due to the wildfires, but experts expect air purifiers to be a hot item again this winter as people want to clean the air as they spend more and more time inside. Look for an air purifier with HEPA filters like our best tested ones from Dyson and Winix.

• Get the Dyson Pure Hot + Cool Purifier at Walmart for $599.99
• Get the WINIX 5500-2 Air Purifier at Amazon for $159.99

The product experts at Reviewed have all your shopping needs covered. Follow Reviewed on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for the latest deals, reviews, and more.

Prices were accurate at the time this article was published but may change over time.