Yahoo News 10 best electric blankets
As the nights draw in and your bed feels chilly, there’s only one thing for it – an electric blanket. Choose from under-blankets or over-blankets, throws or duvets, or even a blanket that focuses on your feet.
Electric blankets can soothe aching muscles and joints, and reduce dust mites, making an electric blanket particularly beneficial for those with allergies.
Electric blankets have to meet strict safety standards so that they don't overheat. You can keep some on all night; others turn off automatically after a set time. If you have a pacemaker, check with the brand or retailer whether it is safe to use the blanket –many are fine, but some come with a warning.
Think about whether you'd like the heat to come from under or over you, and whether you might want your blanket to double up as a throw when you’re sitting on the sofa. If you go for an under-blanket, do you want it to have an elastic skirting that fits onto your bed like a mattress protector (easier but pricier) or to have straps you fit under the mattress corners (cheaper but they might slip off). How many heat settings do you want? Would dual controls be useful, so that you and your partner can pick your own heat settings? What about a blanket that responds to your body temperature? Or one you can use with an app? Can you put it in the washing machine and tumble dryer?
We've found 11 of the best.
You can trust our independent reviews. We may earn commission from some of the retailers, but we never allow this to influence selections. which are formed from real-world testing and expert advice. The revenue helps us to fund journalism across The Independent.
Dreamland Boutique Hotel Mattress Protector: from £69.99, John Lewis
This is latest electric blanket from Dreamland, with the 200-thread-count cotton percale ensuring it feels particularly luxurious.
The elasticated skirt is extra-deep, so fitting it over the mattress is quick and easy, and it’s sumptuously thick yet breathable, so it keeps you as cool in summer as it does warm in winter, responding to your temperature while you sleep and helping to protect your mattress.
It comes with dual controls and a "ready for bed" pre-heat button to warm it up in five minutes. It’s machine washable and tumble dryer safe. Available in single up to super king.
Mongram Smart Electric Blanket: from £179.99, Argos
This soft, fleecy blanket is new this season and can be operated by Bluetooth. You can also operate it using Alexa. The free Beurer CosyNight app is easy to use and also shows how much energy it's using up.
Available in double or king (both dual control).
Relaxwell Luxury Heated Throw: £49.99, John Lewis
This microfleece throw comes in black, grey and teal, and can double up in the lounge and the bedroom. It’s soft, lightweight and surprisingly large at 120cm by 160cm. It has six settings, and responds to changes in temperature, making sure you don't get too hot and reducing energy consumption. It costs from 1p per use and reaches the required temperature in just five minutes.
It's machine washable at 40C. You can also tumble dry it on a low setting.
Dreamland Intelliheat Faux Fur Mattress Protector: from £59.99, John Lewis
This has a soft, furry feel that was quite unlike any other electric under-blanket we tried. We liked the IntelliHeat function, which enables it to respond to temperature changes while you sleep.
The side panels stretch easily over the mattress without slipping off every time you make the bed. It also heats up in five minutes, has six heat settings and can switch off automatically after one or even nine hours.
It washes well and can also be put in the tumble dryer. Available in single up to king size.
Beurer AllergyFree Heated Mattress Cover: from £55, Amazon
This is our top recommendation for those with allergies, asthma or sensitive skin as it has a heat setting that protects against house dust mites (and their eggs), bacteria and mould.
The cotton is breathable, making this particularly good for using all year round. It's comfortable to sleep on, too – although it's not as deep quilted as some. It stays securely on the bed, thanks to the deep elasticated skirt. It warms up in eight minutes, has six temperature sets and turns off automatically after one, three, six or even 12 hours.
Available in single up to super king.
Lloytron Superior Underblanket: from £25.95, Amazon
This is the cheapest electric blanket in our round-up. It heats up in 15 minutes, has three settings and there are dual controls for the double version. The thin wires mean you that can't feel them when you lie down (a flaw of other cheaper blankets).
It doesn't get as hot as some blankets, the ties can be a bit fiddly and it's not machine washable, but it's great value for money.
Available from single to king.
Lakeland Luxury Fleece Fitted Electric Blanket: from £66.99, Lakeland
This is a great all-rounder. It takes five minutes to heat up, has six heat settings, offers graduated foot warmth, has dual controls and feels well made. You might even find that you only need to warm the bed up, then turn it off when you get in, as the fleecy cover retains heat really well.
There are no annoying tapes as it fits over the whole mattress (including over a mattress topper, if needs be). We imagine it would last many years.
Available in single to king.
Relaxwell Slate Grey Deluxe Faux Fur Heated Throw: £119, Lakeland
This is a very furry blanket that looks as good draped over your sofa as over your bed. It warms up in five minutes, has six heat settings and turns off automatically. It's also machine washable.
Dreamland Intelliheat Harmony Dual Control Heated Overblanket: from £84.99, John Lewis
You can drape this satin-trimmed blanket over your bed or slot it inside your duvet cover. It responds to your body temperature, so there’s no need to worry about getting too hot, and works well if you have memory-foam mattresses that already do the job of keeping you warm underneath.
This one is thicker than previous versions and has dual controls and if you have an unusually sized bed, it’s ideal because it can simply drape over. Available from single to king.
Slumberdown Wonderfully Warm Electric Blanket: from £39.99, Amazon
This soft, quilted fleece blanket has nine temperatures and a "foot warm" setting. It has elasticated straps, which work well, although they aren't quite as good as elasticated skirts. It feels snug, but doesn't give out quite as much heat as some of the other blankets we tested.
We found it washes well and comes out as good as new from the tumble dryer.
Lakeland Alaskan Husky Faux Fur Heated Throw: £99.99, Lakeland
You might expect to find this sort of throw in a luxury ski resort. You can set the electric heating element to run between one and nine hours. It's also machine washable.
The Verdict: Best electric blankets
The Dreamland Boutique Hotel Mattress Protector is great for anyone who feels the cold. Combining comfort and warmth, it’s easy to operate and quick to heat up.
We also love the new Mongram Smart Electric Blanket as you can turn it on from afar.
