4 Best Electric Blankets For Keeping You Warm At Night
You can't get a good night's sleep if you're too cold. Sometimes, even though the room might be quite warm, your bed will be cold and it will take a while for you to get comfortable enough to drift off to sleep. An electric blanket may be the answer to your problems, helping you to snuggle down in a warm and cozy bed even on a freezing winter's night, sending you happily into your slumbers. It is a quick, easy and safe way of heating your bed to the perfect temperature. You can use one just to take the chill off the sheets, or to heat the bed up, so it is as warm as toast when you climb in.
Today's electric blankets are nothing like the heavy, ugly electricity guzzlers of yesteryear. There are under-blankets that are slim and designed to slip snugly between the mattress and bottom sheet, although the most popular ones are soft and fleecy and lie on top of the topmost sheet.
They use no more power than an average light bulb and work out much cheaper than turning up the bedroom heating; in fact, you might find yourself turning your room thermostat down and saving on heating bills. An electric blanket has the extra benefit of applying heat directly to your body: great for easing those stiff, tired muscles and lessening the aches and pains of arthritis.
We have reviewed the best electric blankets to keep you warm while you sleep, and tackled frequently asked questions about this topic. We also offer advice on what to look for when you are buying. Whether you prefer a mattress pad or a heated throw blanket, a fleece, micro flannel or cotton feel, there will be one to suit your needs!
The Best Electric Blanket
1. Biddeford Blankets MicroPlush Electric Blanket - Best Choice
HIGHLIGHTS:
Microplush heated blanket
Sherpa bottom
100% polyester
Machine Washable
Automatic shut-off
Digital controller with ten heat settings
Extra-thin wires for added comfort
Dual controls for larger sizes
Twin, full, queen and king sizes available
Five-year guarantee
1.
Biddeford Blankets MicroPlush Electric Blanket - Best Choice
The Biddeford MicroPlush Sherpa electric blanket puts the accent on softness and comfort, with extra-thin internal wiring throughout to help make it more comfortable. If you like the feel of a fleece heated blanket then this is worth a try.
Made from 100% polyester, it is machine washable, and while you might not think that polyester is especially good for snuggling under, this heated blanket has a Sherpa bottom which makes it super soft. Sherpa material is a polyester fabric that mimics the wool used inside in the Sherpa's clothing in Nepal to keep them warm. It's an eco-friendly version of fleece .
With this electric blanket you will find a digital controller that gives you a choice of ten different heat settings and, for added safety, an automatic shut-off that will turn the blanket off after 10 hours. While you should ideally turn it off before you go to sleep, this gives you the peace of mind that you won't be in any danger should you forget.
This microplush heated blanket is one that acts as a throw blanket and comes in four sizes: twin, full, queen and king. Both the queen and king-size options come with two controllers, meaning you and your partner can each have a different heat setting.
AS the Biddeford Microplush has six colour designs; beige, brick red, cloud blue, sage, natural and blue plaid, you should find one to suit your colour scheme. During the warm season, if you want to store this away, it comes with a reusable zipper bag, so you can wash the blanket, dry it thoroughly and then fold it safely away. When it comes to colder weather, unpackage it, and you still have a soft, fleece-like covering in great condition.
The blankets have a five-year guarantee and should last for much longer than this.
Learn more about Biddeford Blankets MicroPlush Electric Blanket
2. Perfect Fit Luxury Fleece Electric Blanket - Premium Pick
HIGHLIGHTS:
Patented Safe & Warm non-hazardous low-voltage technology
Automatic shut-off
Large backlit display with auto-dimming
Two controllers
Easy to use
Machine washable
Queen-size: 84in x 90in.
Five-year guarantee
2.
Perfect Fit Luxury Fleece Electric Blanket - Premium Pick
The SoftHeat blanket is designed to provide a steady, gentle warmth without ever getting too hot, even on the highest setting. It is an electric heated throw blanket that sits on top of your bed, gently heating it for a comfortable nights sleep. Its patented Safe & Warm technology uses a small box that converts power from the mains into non-hazardous low voltage, like a battery, which is safe even if the blanket gets wet. This technology also ensures that no EMFs are emitted, so there is no danger of being over exposed to radiation, even with continued use.
If you are looking for a very easy to operate yet fully functional product, then this could be one of the best electric blankets for you. An easy to read, giant backlit display with auto-dimming means you can make night-time adjustments without turning on the lights. The adjustment knob is easy to grasp and whenever you change the temperature settings it will do so silently.
There are ten heat settings that can be personalised according to your needs and a pre-heat and hold feature also ensures your bed is warmed up when you get in. Made from a super-soft plush fabric that is soft to the skin, the SoftHeat by Perfect Fit uses micro-thin wires to spread heat evenly through the blanket.
With the King and Queen sizes, you will get twin controllers that provide individual settings on either side of the bed so if your partner wants to warm just one side of the bed you won't be disturbed. An automatic cut-off turns the blanket off after 10 hours, in case you should forget and fall asleep and this electric blanket is guaranteed for five years.
There are only four colour options for this heated blanket; slate blue, beige, grey and natural. All are subtle, elegant colours.
Learn more about Perfect Fit Luxury Fleece Electric Blanket
3. iTeknic Electric Blanket - Best Value
HIGHLIGHTS:
Ten heating levels
Auto shut-off settings
ETL certified
Throw blanket
Machine washable
Flannel material
Blue colour
Two year warranty
3.
iTeknic Electric Blanket - Best Value
The iTeknic Electric blanket comes in a solid blue colour and is a multi-purpose heated blanket. It can lie on the top of your bed, be a throw blanket for your sofa , or as a wrap around your shoulder to keep you snuggly and warm whatever the weather.
This blanket measures 60 x 50 inches, and comes with a 9ft power cord, giving you flexibility on where you use it, even if the size and colour options are limited compared to other electric blankets.
There are ten heat settings that are all preset, so you don't need to worry about programming anything and there are three auto shut-off times to choose from; 1hour, 2hour and 3hour. The temperatures ranges from 68 degrees Fahrenheit up to 122 degrees Fahrenheit.
The iTecnik electric heated blanket is made with super soft flannel material, which can be machine washed and even tumble dried at low levels. Just remember to remove the controller before washing! You can also remove the controller if you want to have a non-heated, but cosy blanket to curl up under and stay warm.
This product has been ETL certified for safe use and has a two year warranty.
Learn more about iTeknic Electric Blanket
4. Sunbeam Heated Blanket Microplush - Budget Pick
HIGHLIGHTS:
Ultra-soft polyester fabric
10-setting controllers
Auto shut-off
Quilted channel design
Body temperature senser
Self-adjusts for consistent warmth
Queen and king size
Five-year guarantee
4.
Sunbeam Heated Blanket Microplush - Budget Pick
The Sunbeam heated micro-plush blanket uses the exclusive Thermofine warming system, which senses your body temperature and adjusts to provide you with consistent warmth and comfort through the night. This is another throw blanket style that you can place on the top of your bed to pre-heat your chilly bed sheets then climb in for a good night's sleep.
This is made with 100% polyester, which is ultra-soft, in a micro-plush style. It is available in six different colours and in twin, full, queen and king blanket sizes. Sunbeam also offers a heated mattress pad or a throw as alternative comforters.
The controller has ten different heat settings, a 10-hour automatic shut-off, LED display with night-time dimmer and a pre-heat function. The blanket is machine-washable and dryer safe and comes with a five-year guarantee. There have been a few reports of faults after a short usage period, but the guarantee will protect you against any issues.
Learn more about Sunbeam Heated Blanket Microplush
Things to Look For in Electric Blankets
Size
When you are reviewing the range of best electric blankets, make sure the one you choose is the right size for your bed! That may sound obvious, but not every manufacturer makes electric blankets in every bed size. In most cases, a full-size double mattress measures 54in x 75in; queen-size is 60in x 80in; king-size is 76in x 80in. You may think you know what size bed you have, but it might be a good idea to measure it before buying your blanket. This is especially the case if you are jumping between US and UK products as King or Queen dimensions differ between countries.
The size of the power cable is another important aspect to consider when purchasing an electric blanket, and whether the cable is located towards the top or bottom of the blanket. This will determine whether you can easily plug it in from your bedroom wall without any extension leads.
Features
Every electric blanket will do its basic job: make your bed warmer. Beyond that, you need to decide which other features you need and check whether your chosen blanket provides them. For example, do you want to have twin or independent controllers to set each side of the bed to a different temperature? Is the number of heat settings important to you? Does your preferred blanket have an automatic shut-off after a certain number of hours? If instant warmth is important to you, choose a blanket with a quick-start or pre-warming function.
There is also the option of a multi-zone feature which means you can control the temperature of different parts of the blanket independently: just the thing if your feet need particularly warming up.
A thermostat in the blanket will adjust the temperature to prevent it from getting too hot. Otherwise, you will have to turn the temperature down yourself or turn the blanket off, so you don't get overly hot during the night. If you only want to heat the bed up before you get in, a thermostat is not necessary.
As part of the features of a blanket, it is worth considering the weight. The heating element adds to the weight of the blanket, which you may want to consider if you intend to sleep under it; weights go from less than 2kg (4.4lb) to 3.5kg (7.8lb).
If your over-blanket is going to be part of your design statement, you will have to consider the colour; that will reduce your options since some blankets give you no choice while others offer a range of shades.
Ease of Use
You will only be happy with your electric blanket if it is easy to control and fortunately they aren't that difficult to use. They have a mains cable and a hand-held controller with an on/off switch and three heat settings at the basic level. You just plug it in and go.
The more sophisticated models of electric blankets have extra temperature settings, thermostats, zonal controls and LED displays with variable dimming. Having more controls may make them less easy to use, so bear this in mind if you are not used to digital gadgets. Remote controls can make using them more straightforward, but you may need to program them first, which will require a bit of patience. Some of the instruction manuals may appear daunting, but no electric blanket is any more challenging to use than an average microwave oven.
Materials & Feel
Electric blankets are made from one of three materials: polyester, cotton or wool.
Polyester fibre is lightweight, offers good insulation and is machine washable. This fabric is used in most under-blankets. Some under-blankets are made from cotton as they offer good insulation, are machine washable, but are more expensive than their polyester counterparts; hence they are not as popular.
For over-blankets, brushed polyester is a popular material. Brushed polyester has a fleecy feel. This adds extra comfort to the over-blanket and makes it soft and more luxurious to the touch; these products are also machine washable.
Wool is the most luxurious option. It provides better insulation than the synthetic materials, and it is better at wicking moisture away from sleepers overnight. These blankets are the most expensive to buy and cost more to maintain since they are not machine washable and must be dry-cleaned.
Temperature Range
Electric blankets can be set to a range of temperatures, according to your preference. In general, they will go from 18C to 25C (64 to 75F) at the lower end of the scale, and up to 48-55C (110-130F) at the hottest.
At the basic level, you will get a choice of three heat settings, whereas the more expensive models offer greater control, up to 10 heat settings and thermostats. If you plan to use your blankets for most of the year, then the more settings may be better for you, as you can adjust the temperature more specifically to suit the changing climate.
Electric Blanket Safety
Today's electric blankets are very safe to use and present minimal risk. Even so, you should be sensible and follow these do's and don'ts.
Do
Follow the manufacturer's instructions before using an electric blanket, and keep the instructions somewhere handy to refer to in future.
Check it regularly for any signs of wear or damage; if in doubt, don't use it.
Use the blanket the correct way: an over- blanket must lie above the top sheet; an under-blanket or mattress pad must be positioned below the bottom sheet and on top of the mattress.
Follow the manufacturer's instruction for cleaning or washing your blanket. Most are machine washable and can be tumble dried at a low temperature if the power cables are removed.
Check for the European and British safety labels; beware a circular BEAB mark - this means the blanket is at least ten years old and won't meet recent safety standards.
Don't
Use the electric blanket while it is still folded or creased.
Use a hot water bottle at the same time as the blanket. Hot water plus electric wires is not a good combination, especially as they can overheat.
Touch an electric heated blanket with wet hands or feet, or use the blanket if it is wet or damp.
Turn the blanket on in an attempt to dry it out after being cleaned in a washing machine.
Use any fasteners or pins to keep it in place on your bedding.
Keep the heated blanket switched on overnight unless it has a thermostatic control or auto shut-off and is designed to be left on safely.
Be tempted to buy second-hand; the blanket may be faulty or old and won't have the necessary safety features or guarantee.
Look out for frayed or worn material, any burn marks, signs of visible wires poking through the fabric, damaged electric cord, loose connections, a buzzing noise when you turn it on. If you notice any of these things, don't use it, however desperate you are to get warm.
Safe Storage
When you're not using your electric blanket, leave it on the bed all year round or leave it flat on top of a spare bed. This will ensure there is good ventilation around it at all times and will prevent the wires from being squashed or twisted. If you want to store it away, make sure the blanket has cooled down first. Roll it up, don't fold it, and keep it in a dry place; don't put anything heavy on top, to avoid creasing the blanket or crushing wires.
