Does your electricity bill creep up in the cold-weather months? Our solution: an electric blanket. Aside from the coziness factor, electric blankets can help save money on your energy bill and can help you sleep better at night, too. Just turning your thermostat down a few degrees — or completely off — at night can significantly decrease your energy consumption over time. Plus, electric blankets don’t use much energy themselves. Every blanket comes with a wattage listed on the manufacturer’s tag, and the higher the wattage and heat setting, the more energy it uses. (FYI: The average single electric blanket requires about 60 watts.) The cost to use an electric blanket versus running central heating? Pennies. This makes it a particularly appealing solution during the winter months.
There are a few notable features we considered to make our recommendations below: automatic shut-off, machine-washable material, easy-to-use remote control settings and aesthetics (does it look good?). Automatic shut-off is the most important factor to consider if you plan on using your electric blanket in bed. (Never leave your heated blanket on overnight, as it can become a fire hazard.) We recommend warming up your bed with your electric blanket before you get in, so you can turn it off before falling asleep. From ease of use and care to cord length, we considered all of these things and more when choosing our top electric blanket picks.
Sunbeam Heated Throw Blanket
A bed-sized electric blanket is perfect for those who want to share the heat with their partner but still maintain control over their preferred level of warmth. The Sunbeam Quilted Fleece Heated Blanket features an extra-soft channel design with a ThermoFine warming system that senses and auto-adjusts heat throughout the blanket to deliver cozy, consistent warmth. Sunbeam’s EasySet controller includes 10 heat settings so you can choose just the right amount of warmth for cold nights. Queen- and king-sized blankets actually come with dual controllers so each person can control their own side of the bed. Both controllers attach at one point on the blanket which can make the extra controller a bit cumbersome if one partner doesn’t want to use heat. We found that the low setting (one or two) was just enough to provide soothing warmth to fall asleep, but the medium settings would be perfect for those ultra-cold winter months. We love how lightweight this blanket is compared to other heated throws, making it perfect for year-round use. You can buy this blanket in four sizes, including twin and full, and it comes in seven neutral, earthy hues like acorn, mushroom, seashell and walnut.
Our Editor Says: “I really like how lightweight this blanket is (I’m not a weighted blanket person). It’s probably the thing I like best about it! It’s light yet the warmth makes it feel like it should be heavy. If you don’t like having a lot of bulky bedding on or around you when you’re sleeping, this blanket works great for that.”
Serta Luxuriously Soft Plush Electric Blanket
