13 best door draught excluders and stoppers to keep the cold out

From novelty designs to simple and chic, we’ve found the best door draught excluders and stoppers to suit any home.

A woman fitting a door draught stopper in front of her door

by Rosie Floyd |
Updated on

The rising cost of energy bills has got us all trying to find ways to make our homes more efficient at keeping the warmth. To ensure your rooms stay warm, you need to find a way to keep the cold out. This is where door draught excluders and stoppers come in handy. They’ll stop chilly gusts from coming in by blocking the little cracks and gaps that let the air in.

You may think draughts are something that just affects old properties, but even newer homes can experience problems with cold air sweeping through. Doors and windows can have even the slightest gap underneath, creating the perfect spot for cold air to slip through.

The simple solution to keep the air at bay is by using door draft excluders and stoppers to block the little cracks and gaps. They either attach to, slide under or sit in front of your door to stop the cold air from getting in, and more importantly, keep the warmth inside.

The best door draught excluders and stoppers will also keep noise, light, dust and odours from entering your home as well.

What to consider when choosing the door draught excluders:

Before you buy your draught excluder, there are some factors for you to consider, helping you to choose the best one for your needs.

How does the draught excluder attach to the door? Door excluders and stoppers can either be attached to your door with fabric loops, be fixed to the bottom of your door frame or simply put in front of the gaps to keep the draughts out. You need to consider whether you want one that needs to attach to your door or not, and also think about whether you’ll need to buy any additional hooks to fix it.

Can you clean it easily? Some fabrics are easier to clean than others. If being able to give your draught excluder a good clean is important to you, look for one that’s got a removable cover so you can take it off to give it a scrub. Or, better still, choose one with a cover that can be popped in the washing machine for easy cleaning.

What is the style of it? Of course, you’ll want to make sure you’re choosing a draught excluder to suit your style and personality. You can pick one that’s a cute animal to add some character to your home or you can pick one with a colour that matches the theme and colour of your décor.

Best door draught excluders and stoppers 2023

Best crushed velvet door draught stopper

This beautiful velvet door draft excluder from the Original Sleep Company will keep your home warm throughout the winter. The design keeps the cold air out and the warm air in, if you simply place the door draft stopper at the bottom of your door. It fits almost every doorway and it is still easy to open the door thanks to the product's lightweight design. It comes in a variety of plush colours, with champagne being our favourite. While it is durable, robust and made from high—quality material, to avoid fraying. This door draft stopper is also multi—functional, as not only does it stop cold breezes coming through your draughty doors, but it also helps reduce outside noises.

Review: "We had a pretty bad draft coming under the front door and this has helped stop it. Quality wise it is made from good materials and is heavy enough to do its job. Pleased with the purchase."

Pros

  • Filled with durable hollowfibre
  • Available in six colours

Cons

  • Some may not like the crushed velvet style

Best cotton covered door draught excluder

This door draft stopper from John Lewis is a stylish yet affordable option at £28. The striped grey and white design makes it suitable for almost any interior and the cotton draught excluder is practical and hard—wearing. It comes with a real leather strap too — which makes using it a total breeze! 

Review: "Just what I was looking for. Looks good, weighted for keeping the draughts out but easy to move out of the way when opening the door. Great price as well."

Pros

  • Comes with a leather strap to make it easy to move
  • Suits homes with neutral colour scheme

Cons

  • Lighter colour will show dirt up more easily

Best herringbone patterned door draught excluder

Wayfair has stock of this gorgeous Nicola Spring Herringbone fabric door draft stopper, and it's one you will want to get your hands on. The modern grey design makes drafty doors a thing of the past and this one comes with a unique feature, hanging loops, so that it can be easily fixed to a door at either end. The product is super affordable and it's also got the benefit of being weighted to stop doors from moving. Bring a touch of luxury into keeping your house cosy with this stylish grey Herringbone patterned draft excluder.

Review: "Very easy to put up. I thought the door hooks would come with it but they don't, which is fine as they're easily found! Heavy enough to keep draft out if placed properly. Covers width of my main double glazed door. Better to keep the hooks on door bit wider so it's taught. There's a gap in between the door and this when closing it back otherwise. Happy with purchase"

Pros

  • Stylish herringbone pattern
  • Lightweight

Cons

  • Need to buy hooks separately so you can attach the loops to the door

This beautiful teal door draft stopper from Dunelm has tufted detailing and a stylish geometric design. The excluder will easily add a pop of colour to any space which needs the draft kept out. The product is filled with recycled polyester fibre fill, giving it a plump look and feel.

Review: "Lovely colour, quality and effective draught excluder."

Pros

  • Boho feel
  • Available in teal and grey

Cons

  • May not go with every interior

Best cat door draught excluder

The ideal birthday gift or housewarming present for the cat lover in your life. Made by Dora Designs Limited, this cute kitty will keep draughts at bay as it has a quartz sand filling which will allow it to stay close to any gaps. It's made with high—quality fabric and filled with a polyfibre wadding so it's nice and soft too.

Review: "Love this draft excluder, even my cat approves. It's well made with lovely fabric. It is weighty but that's a positive thing. It fits perfectly within my door width."

Pros

  • Cute design
  • Keeps its shape well

Cons

  • Heavier compared to other draught excluders on our list

Best fox door draught excluder

If your home has a cosy, country feel, this fox draught excluder will be a fun addition to fit with the décor. This adorable character comes complete with stitched facial expressions and has been designed with soft—touch fabric.

Review: "I bought this for working from home. My flat is tiny and my computer desk is set up in my hall but there is a gale coming from under the door, which is I'll fitting, from the bedroom. I thought draught excluder saw this one and fell for it. It does the job nicely."

Pros

  • Fun addition to your home
  • Good quality for the money

Cons

  • Some reviewers wished it was heavier

Best door draught excluder two pack

Prevent cold air from creeping in under multiple doors with this two—pack. We love the cute heart print and the grey herringbone fabric will add a warm, cosy feeling to your home. This duo features hanging loops at either end which allows you to attach them to your doors with screws or hooks if you wish for maximum efficiency.

Review: "Very impressed with these draught excluders— look good, very well made and do the job well!
Would recommend ⭐️"

Pros

  • Two in a pack
  • Lovely pattern

Cons

  • Hooks and screws are not included

Best eco—friendly door draught excluder

Keep warm in style with this gorgeous safari—print draught excluder, featuring a luxurious flora and fauna print, including marvellous elephants and giraffes as well as exotic plants. It's got a plush velvet feel, which is made from 100 per cent recycled plastic bottles to ensure it's eco—friendly. The cover is removable and washable so it's easy to clean too.

Review: "Nothing not to like! The draught excluder is wider than the door so covering all draughts at the base of the door. The colours are rich — the sample colours do not do the fabric or colours justice. The cover is detachable for ease of cleaning. Great value for money — under £35 which is a lot cheaper than other products and thicker too. It can also hang on the back of the door when not in use. A UK company which I always try and endorse."

Pros

  • Choice of colours and lengths
  • Made with eco—friendly materials and processes

Cons

  • Some may prefer a draught excluder with a less busy print

Best double sided door draught excluder

Avoid cold air coming in from under your door with this double—sided excluder. It's got a hook—and—loop design with an elastic band so you can stick it directly to the side of your door and stretch it to help you attach it to the bottom strip. It's suitable for most door sizes as it comes with cotton rolls inside that can be cut down to be the perfect fit.

Review: "Was easy to fit, just need to measure foam and cut, and insert back in cover and jobs done. It has definitely stopped draught under the door and its good material. Only thing I'd say its not water resist and the material does attract dust if you have wooden floors. But otherwise it's great for its purpose."

Pros

  • Cover can be removed and machine washed
  • Length can be adapted to your needs

Cons

  • Some reviews found it hard to install

Best dog door draught excluder
Marwood Under Door Draught Stopper
Price: $20.99

Calling all dog lovers, this adorable pooch will easily keep the cold out and the heat in as it's filled with sand. It's got a durable knitted loop at the end so you can hang it on your door when not in use.

Review: "Well worth the wait, good quality really pleased and works well"

Pros

  • Can be used for doors and windows
  • A good gift for dog fans

Cons

  • Some reviewers were expecting it to be heavier

Best sheep door draught excluder

This baa—rilliant draught excluder is both fun and functional. Designed to look like a sheep, it'll block out the breeze while adding character to your home. The outer fabric is soft and filled with a hollow fibre so you can move it out of the way with ease when needed.

Review: "A quirky draft excluder! The draft excluder is lovely. The quality is good."

Pros

  • Soft fabric
  • Cute design

Cons

  • One reviewer wished it was more weighty

Best plain door draught excluder

Available in a choice of colours, there's bound to be one to match your home décor. Not only will it prevent cold air from coming in, but it also offers soundproofing qualities. Further practical features include a hook for easy storage and a removable cover that can be machine washed.

Review: "The draught excluder is well made and is doing its job beautifully. I chose a colour to compliment our decor. Really pleased that the delivery came earlier than expected."

Pros

  • Easy to clean
  • Prevents wind, dust, light and noise from coming in

Cons

  • Some may prefer a draught excluder to be more patterned

Best terracotta door draught excluder

Featuring both a stylish abstract design and a plain reverse in a stunning terracotta colour, this draught excluder brings versatility to your living space, as well as colour and style. Filled with polyester, it's got a soft surface so you won't need to worry about it damaging your floors.

Review: "This is a great draught excluder, it's well made and the material is lovely and a very good quality."

Pros

  • Made with durable materials
  • Adds warmth in terms of both practicality and colour

Cons

  • Sponge clean only

FAQs

How much difference does a door draught excluder make?

According to Just Value Doors, simply fitting a draught excluder to front doors, back doors and windows may reduce heat loss, on average, between 10-20 per cent, but could be as much as 30 per cent. So, if you’re conscious of wasting money on fuel bills because of heat loss, it’s definitely worth getting some for your home.

How to draught—proof your doors

Buying a draught excluder will certainly help to stop the cold from coming in the gaps at the bottom of your door, but there is more that you can do to stop heat from escaping. The Energy Saving Trust suggest three other areas for you to consider draught—proofing:

Keyhole

Buy a purpose—made cover that drops a metal disc over the keyhole.

Letterbox

Use a letterbox flap or brush. Just make sure you measure it first to make sure you buy the right size.

Gaps around the edges

Fit foam, brush or wiper stripes to fit the exact dimensions of the door’s edges.

Internal doors between two rooms only need draught—proofing if they lead to a room that you don’t normally heat during the winter months. Keep those doors closed to stop the cold air from moving into the rest of the house.

If there’s a gap at the bottom of the door, block it with a draught excluder. You can buy one from our list, or you can make your own cushion door draught excluder.

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