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By Chris Haslam , Daphne Bugler and Esat Dedezade
Arm yourself with one the best electric blankets, and bask in the warm glow. From Silentnight to Dreamland, these are our favourite electric blankets and heated throws to get you through the winter chill.
If you're planning on snapping up one of the best electric blankets this winter, we don't blame you. After all, there comes a time — and a cold spell — when your bog standard blanket just isn’t enough. It’s just too cold, you can’t seem to warm your bed up, and you end up spending a good while shivering away as you wait for your body heat to warm up your sleeping environment. Enter: the electric blanket.
By no means a new invention, electric blankets have been around for a good while now, helping to heat up your bed or your sofa before you tuck yourself in. And in this day and age when our bills have gone through the roof (thanks cost of living crisis), it’s by far one of the most essential items we’ve come across for the winter. Turn it on while you brush your teeth, set a time limit, and by the time you’re under the covers it’ll be nice and warm for you.
Now, don’t let electric blankets of the past deter you: unlike models of the 20th century, these are now safe and secure, incorporating measures like automatic switch-off settings to ensure you don’t have a fire issue on your hands. Their bad reputation has long been squashed, but just make sure you’re using the blankets for a healthy amount of time (most will advise you on this), and setting it up safely.
The best electric blankets now have plenty of features to choose from, and we’d recommend looking for one that has multiple heat settings, timers, and good safety features. You’ll also notice that some are designed to go under your fitted sheet to heat you from below, while some are more multi-purpose and can be used as a throw blanket on top of your bed and on the sofa. Both have their perks, so just have a think about what’s right for you, and where you want to be using the blanket. We’ve included a range of electric blankets below, with different styles, designs and price points to get you started. Make sure to keep an eye out for products that have had their prices reduced in the Black Friday sale. In fact, if you want to save a bunch of cash elsewhere, you're also welcome to check out our other articles on the best Black Friday deals on everything from 4K TVs and smartphones, to fashion deals and even mattress deals.
With a delightfully cosy, soft, and warm sherpa and flannel finish, this snuggly electric blanket is warm even before you flip the power on to take advantage of its 10 heat settings.
Silentnight Yours & Mine Electric Blanket
Designed specifically for couples, this electric blanket is split into two sides, each of which can has its own unique temperature and is controlled by a separate remote. Say goodbye to nights spent arguing about whether or not it's too hot or too cold.
Far more than just an electric blanket, the Eight Sleep Pod is designed to give your sleep a complete overhaul. From temperature regulation to tracking your sleep and even an in-built alarm, it's a whole new level of electric blanket bliss.
While we've included plenty of detail about our favourite electric blankets below, here's a quickfire guide to the best electric blankets.
There are two types of electric blanket to choose from – an under blanket that sits on your mattress but under your fitted sheet, a bit like a mattress cover, and then there’s a classic comfy electric blanket that can either be used as a fleecy eiderdown on top of your duvet, or just for indulgent loafing on the sofa.
The average minimum temperature of an electric blanket is typically around 25°C, while the maximum it'll generally warm up to is roughly around 45-50°C. It doesn’t sound very hot, but once you’re under a duvet and the blanket is running at full steam, you’ll be seriously toasty.
If you’re looking for a heated blanket for the bed, you have a choice of either a classic heat pad that fastens to the mattress with ties, or a more modern design that is integrated into a fitted sheet. They can often double as mattress protectors, too – the ones we’ve tested have a generous amount of cushioning to add to your overall comfort.
Available in all bed sizes, from double beds right up to super kings, but one of the key considerations is if you’re sleeping with a partner. Single heat options keep the whole bed at one temperature, which is great if you both have the same internal thermostat, but if one of you runs hot and the other cold, you need to invest in a dual heat zone design that can disperse different temperatures to each side of the bed. It’s also worth spending extra on electric blankets with multiple heat zones so that you can choose only extra foot warmth, for instance.
Most electric blankets can be washed in the washing machine at 40 degrees and are also tumble dryer safe, but obviously you need to disconnect the power cables first.
Every electric blanket will have a rating in wattage. If you then know what your electricity costs (typically around 20p per kWh), you can do the maths. So a 100W electric blanket would cost 2p to run at full power for an hour. Some use more, and it greatly depends on how long you have the blanket on for, but the best designs have an off timer or automatic shut-off for peace of mind and have reduced power to help make them more energy efficient.
As well as keeping you warm, electric blankets can also aid recovery from exercise, relieve muscle tension and reduce stiffness thanks to an increase in blood circulation. It’s worth noting also that if you have a memory foam mattress, it is recommended to use an electric over blanket, not a traditional heated under blanket, as a heated blanket will compromise how the foam moulds to your body, somewhat defeating the point of it.
Our decision about which electric blankets deserved a spot in our guide was based on a few key criteria. To start with, we looked at the types of electric blankets available, in order to make sure we had a range which included both under blankets (the more traditional form of electric blanket) and the electric blankets which you lie under (a better option if you want something for the sofa or if you have a memory foam mattress). We then looked at the range of temperature options, the sizes available, and whether or not they benefited from any additional features like zoned temperatures.
Having slept on a Dreamland electric blanket ourselves for a good year now, we can confirm that they are everything your cold, shivery self is after and more. Designed with dual controls, which mean you and your partner can each set their own temperature preferences (or if you have the bed to yourself you can keep one side cooler and one side warmer), it’s not only super fast heating (we’d say it pre-heats in the amount of time it takes to brush your teeth), but has six different heat settings and three different time options. The sherpa cover helps hide the feel of the wires through your sheets, although you can still just about feel them which can be a bit annoying, while also adding a bit of extra softness and helping to keep the bed warm after you turn off the heat. £98. At lakeland.co.uk
It’s hard to find fault with a blanket that will warm you up in a mere matter of minutes, but electric blankets can actually be a bit uncomfortable sometimes if you can feel the wires underneath your sheets. Thankfully, Silentnight has the solution for this, managing to heat you without the need for any plugs or wires, while instead focusing on the kind of comfort you’d expect from the best mattress toppers. The key here is that rather than using electricity to heat you up, the Heat Genie is designed to trap body heat, using a heat reflecting foil layer, as well as a 7.5 tog construction, to keep you warm without the need for any wires. This also means you’re bound to be more comfortable, with the softness of the material and the extra cushioning helping you drift off to sleep without any interruptions or annoyances. Think of it as an electric blanket, just without the actually electric part. £40. At lakeland.co.uk
For an affordable heated blanket that still has many of the settings you'd find in the more premium models, Slumberdown's electric blanket is one of the best for anyone who isn't too bothered about smart controls. Easy to fit onto your mattress, it works as an under-blanket, with nine heat settings that allow you to adjust the temperature, as well as one which focuses entirely on your feet. To give you some extra piece of mind as well, auto shut-off helps make things safer alongside a timer that you can set to prevent anything from going awry. Better still, the fleece quilted cover can also be removed and popped in the washing machine to help you keep everything as hygienic as possible. £52. At amazon.co.uk
When we think of affordable homeware, the first brand that comes to mind is Silentnight. So who better to look to for an electric blanket that won't set your bank balance too out of whack? Especially given that electric blankets are all about saving you a bit of money this winter with their 1p costs, it makes perfect sense that you wouldn't want to invest a fortune in them. Keeping things nice and simple in design, the ‘Comfort Control’ is the brand's staple electric blanket, with three heat settings that mean you can personalise the temperature to your preferences and a fluffy fleece design that feels warming and soft underneath your sheets, even when the blanket isn't turned on. And as far as hygiene goes, it's also machine washable so you can keep it feeling clean and fresh, and hypoallergenic for people with allergies. £30. At amazon.co.uk
This rather affordable offering might not have the soft fleece-like finish of some of its more expensive competitors, but that's fine by us. Rather than being designed to lounge around on the couch, it has convenient straps to help keep it in place on top of your mattress, letting you take advantage of its three heat settings to pre-warm your bed on those cold winter nights. It's also washable, letting you keep your slumber sanctuary clean and pristine. £37 £35. At amazon.co.uk
Another bargain, this time with you and your partner in mind, this dual control heated sleeping blanket has three heat settings and two controllers so nobody needs to overheat (or freeze) during the night. At less than £50 it is, unsurprisingly, not loaded with features, and unlike the more expensive designs doesn’t come built into a fitted sheet, so you’ll need to attach it using the corner straps provided, but it is cheap to run (around 1p per night depending on your energy tariff, according to the brand), is very soft, machine washable, and boasts more versatility than most at this price. £65 £45. At amazon.co.uk
Thick, soft and ridiculously snuggly, this 160W heated throw (120x160cm) is ideal for cuddling up on the sofa with, while knocking the thermostat down a few degrees, or lying over the bed on cold nights to keep you comfortable. In truth, the sherpa style fleece will be too hot for some people before they’ve even switched it on, but if you or your partner love it toasty you’re in for a treat. It comes with nine heat settings, it will switch off automatically (there are nine time options to choose from via the hand controller) and it also has built-in overheating protection and can be slung in a 30-degree wash without issue. £90 £54. At amazon.co.uk
Taking sleep comfort to the next level, this app-controlled dual-zone fitted sheet design can heat and cool you as you slumber at any temperature between 12°C to 43°C. You can schedule times and temperatures for each sleeper from the app, but unlike the rest, the separate water pump pushes warm or cold water through a layer in the mattress topper to adjust the temperature. What’s more, it’s loaded with ambient sensors on each side enabling you to track sleep stages, sleep time, nighttime movements, plus offer analysis of respiratory rate, resting heart rate, and heart rate variability. There are even two vibration and temperature alarms for individual wake-ups. £2,345 £2,245. At eightsleep.com
Made from flannel and sherpa material, this electric blanket delivers on its promise of a soft and luxurious feel, while keeping you warm even before you switch the heat on. Once it is powered on, you've got 10 levels of heat to choose form, letting you dial in your perfect amount of toastiness. There's also a nine-hour -auto-off timer to avoid wasting any power, and it's even machine washable to help keep things fresh and soft. Available in a range of colours for a rather attractive price when on offer, it's a deal you won't want to miss out on. £90 £39. At amazon.co.uk
Yes, the idea of even artificial dog fur is a bit dubious, but we’re happy to look past this indiscretion because fake huskies make exceptionally soft, decidedly luxurious blankets. Most overblankets –while considerably cheaper – have a bit less of a vibe about them, but this one manages to be considerably more Scandi hygge, so you can snuggle up in some style. It measures a couple cuddling L120 x W160cm, is machine washable and there are six heat settings, a pre-heat button and an auto shut-off feature that can be set from one to nine hours. £130 £104. At lakeland.com
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