Last spring, my electricity bill was so unfeasibly high, I made an unholy, unBritish fuss. “I don’t care what the meter says, the bill is wrong – and until you get it right, I won’t pay,” I shrilled from my high horse.

“Think,” I continued, swapping the high horse for a soapbox, “of all the little old ladies who don’t stick up for themselves. You have a responsibility to all your customers to investigate this scandalous case of overcharging.”

A nice woman with a soothing phone manner then talked me through the checks citizens can make to discover why their meter readings sometimes go haywire. I turned off every electrical appliance in the house, then turned each on separately while watching the digits to see how much juice was consumed. My meter exhibited irrational behaviour (confusion between night and day), but the real culprits were three cheap electric heaters that cost more than £70 a week to run. It hadn’t been cold enough to light the stove, and they had seemed such a good buy for the odd half-hour . . .

This winter, with fuel bills rising yet again, we should all be looking for smarter ways to heat our homes. The most visually appealing option is the wood-burning stove – and good looks are not the only reason sales have trebled this year. “The sums are compelling,” says Simon Holden, chairman of Euroheat. “For the past year, oil has been expensive at 6.5p per kilowatt hour [kWh]. Electricity costs 12p and natural gas 4.2p. Compare that to logs, which cost 1.6p per kWh, or wood pellets, which are 2.9p if bought in bulk.” Heating a semidetached house with gas uses about 16,000kWh a year (£672); using logs could cost less than half as much.

The traditional vision of a stove is one burning cheerfully in a cosy, rustic kitchen, but the newest models also suit metropolitan tastes and lifestyle: many wood-burners have been approved for use in smoke-free areas.

Running even a small stove such as the 5kW Stanford 13 (£1,252, from Euroheat; 01885 491100, www.euroheat. co.uk) in conjunction with central heating will reduce energy costs if radiators are thermostatically controlled. Light the stove when you return home and the radiators will gradually switch themselves off as heat fills the house.

One of the favourite models for town-dwellers is the cast-iron Squirrel, by the Scandinavian company Morso. The 1412 and 1442, both 5kW, cost £780 and £1,064 respectively (01788 554412, www.morsoe.com). Or try the 12kW Cove 3, from Charnwood Stoves (pictured right; 01983 537777, www.charnwood.com). The extra-large window offers a great view of the fire, and the “airwash” system keeps the glass clean and emissions at a minimum. It costs £2,000 and is available in eight colours.

If you want your system to provide full central heating, however, the larger pellet stoves are your best bet. The 25kW HDG Pelletmaster PM25, a hulking beast best kept in a boiler room, feeds itself and cleans its heat exchanger and ashes (from £9,000, from Euroheat).

Another reason to love log fires is the charming accessories. This autumn, Toast has gorgeous wicker baskets (pictured far right). For a chic alternative, try a silver Scandinavian log tray (£24.95; www.fireside-accessories.com).

Even if you stick with central heating, you can improve energy efficiency with the latest ecofriendly radiators. Radiating Style (0870 072 3428, www.radiatingstyle.com) has launched some hot rads this year, including Flower Power (£1,887), an aluminium disc – 100% recyclable, natch – etched with floral motifs. And Bisque radiators combine witty forms with the latest money-saving advances. The B2 is a contemporary classic, punctuated with square holes, like colourful little Manhattan skyscrapers (from £886; 01225 478500, www.bisque.co.uk for stockists). Its most advanced radiator is the Seta (from £426). Barbara Payne, the technical manager, explains: “It’s a tube within a tube, in mild steel; the air is drawn through both the outer and inner tubes, generating more output from lower water content.” It emits 30% more heat than a conventional product and can save 25% in energy. But you won’t get the best out of your rads unless they’re part of an energy-efficiency drive. Payne’s top tip? “Insulation, insulation, insulation.”

The hole story from £1,339 In a well-insulated modern home, there’s no need to hide the radiators below the window. In fact, the Cheese, from Radiating Style, positively demands a prominent position. Made from aluminium, this lightweight radiator offers excellent levels of heat output. 0870 072 3428, www.radiatingstyle.com Perhaps the most convincing argument yet for choosing carbon-neutral log fires over fossil-fuel-burners – whereas coal scuttles are downright dowdy, who could fail to love these French curved wicker log baskets from Toast? Ideal for fireside top-ups, they’re also perfect for collecting pine cones and twigs for kindling on winter walks. 0844 557 5200, www.toast.co.uk

Circle of life from £1,750 From Platonic comes this circular burner, set into a limestone shelf. With a matching stone-clad hood that leads to an exposed stainless-steel flue, it’s tailored to a living room in a modern house without chimney. The company has also developed a range of energy-efficient Green Fires, with gas and electric models available. Platonic Fireplaces; 020 8891 5904, www.platonicfireplaces.co.uk

Grate expectations£6,639 Chesney’s offers a delightful assortment of traditional and contemporary fireplaces in natural stone. Some are inspired by antique originals, such as the Soane collection, based on drawings by the great 18th-century architect held in the archive at Sir John Soane’s Museum, in London. Others have been created by designers such as Jasper Conran, Jane Churchill and Kelly Hoppen. The Chillington, pictured, is a handsome Georgian-style chimneypiece in white statuary marble. Also shown are the Andover register grate (from £981) and black slate hearth (£206). 020 7627 1410, www.chesneys.co.uk

Times recommends

• Second homes: credit crunch casualty or money-spinner?
• How I built my own sliding house
• Top 10 incentives for house buyers