If you sleep a bit better under the warmth of a good blanket, then you may love the added heat that an electric blanket can provide. The safety and technology behind the electric blankets on the market today have really advanced in the recent years, so you may find yourself at a loss of where to start or what features you should watch for. Even if you’ve had bad experiences with electric blankets in the past, you shouldn’t rule them out before you take a look again. And if that’s the case, then fear not – We’ve done your homework for you.
We reviewed dozens of electric blankets to identify the best of the best. We found the throw electric blankets that are perfect for snuggling on the couch with a cup of hot cocoa, and the plush blankets that fit your bed. We looked at electric blankets that will give dual control to each you and your partner to make sure you’re both sleeping comfortably and the Sherpa blankets that will keep you extra toasty in even the coldest homes.
Early in our research we easily determined that the SoftHeat by Perfect Fit Luxury Fleece Electric Heated Blanket was the clear winner for our top spot. With luxurious fabric and
In This Article
The 5 Top-Rated Electric Blankets
| Editor's Picks | Brand | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Best Electric Blanket Overall | SoftHeat by Perfect Fit Luxury Fleece Electric Heated Blanket | 4.0 |
| Best Throw Electric Blanket | Sable Electric Throw | 4.4 |
| Best Budget Electric Blanket | MaxKare Electric Heated Throw Blanket Polar Fleece | 4.1 |
| Best Dual Controlled Electric Blanket | Sunbeam Heated Blanket Microplush | 4.1 |
| Best Plush Electric Blanket | Biddeford Comfort Knit Fleece Electric Heated Blanket | 4.2 |
*Ratings are from Amazon at the time of publication and can change
Best Electric Blanket Overall: SoftHeat by Perfect Fit Luxury Fleece Electric Heated Blanket
The SoftHeat by Perfect Fit Luxury Fleece Electric Heated Blanket is a safe blanket that will use low voltage to keep you warm without posing the common risk of overheating or fires. You’ll especially appreciate that it won’t even heat to the point of harming your animals if they lie directly on top of it. It has an automatic shut-off after 10 hours, so you can enjoy your warm bed all through the night, but not worry about whether or not you turned it off in the morning.
The single heat control is connected with soft heat warming wires that are thinner and more flexible than that of its competitors and they’ll be undetectable while giving you a consistent heat throughout your blanket. A giant backlit display on the control allows you to see the setting even in the dark of night and the soft micro-fleece will allow you to snuggle in comfortably all night.
Well over 3,500 customer reviews on Amazon have given this electric blanket an overall rating of 4.0 stars and that’s plenty enough to imply a high-quality.
SoftHeat by Perfect Fit Luxury Fleece Electric Heated Blanket Key Features:
- Machine washable
- 4 color options
- 4 sizes available
Best Throw Electric Blanket: Sable Electric Throw
If you find yourself colder than you find comfortable while you’re sitting in your den or on your couch, then you may want to take a careful look at the Sable Electric Throw. This red blanket has a digital controller with a backlit display to make sure no matter how dark your room, you’ll still be able to easily operate the heat settings. The ten heating levels will allow you to range from 68 to 122 degrees Fahrenheit, making sure you’re nice and toasty. It also has a timer that you can set for one, two, or three hours, making sure you’ll never forget to turn it off after you get up and leave it behind. (Which could save you on your electric bill!)
The Sable throw is also machine washable – you’ll simple detach the controller and pop it in the washer, ensuring it’s soft and clean for years. It also features overheating protection that comes with a certification from ETL (Electrical Testing Labs) to make sure it’s safe.
Sitting on Amazon with right around 1,400 customer reviews, this electric blanket has a more than respectable overall rating of 4.4 stars. Not too shabby for a blanket that will keep you comfortable and comes with lifetime customer service.
Sable Electric Throw Key Features:
- 50″ x 60″
- 10 heat levels
- Includes lifetime service
Best Budget Electric Blanket: MaxKare Electric Heated Throw Blanket Polar Fleece
The MaxKare Electric Heated Throw Blanket Polar Fleece is a lightweight blanket that you can snuggle into whether it’s actually on and heating or off and just giving you the added warmth of the cozy flannel design. The power cable for this blanket is nearly ten feet, which means you’ll be able to take this even more places with you and still reach the wall plug (reminder: always plug your electric blanket directly into the wall and avoid a multi-plug to prevent overheating and shorts.)
You’ll operate this electric blanket with an easy-to-use controller that lets you change between the four temperature settings with a press of a single button. You can have this blanket on and heating for up to three hours, and then it will automatically shut off to save you money on your electric bill and to make sure you don’t have to worry about it ever overheating.
There’s plenty to celebrate with this blanket; even the ratings on Amazon are solid. Over 500 customer reviews have earned it an overall rating of 4.0 stars. But the best number by far is the cost. You can pick this electric blanket for right around $30.
MaxKare Electric Heated Throw Blanket Polar Fleece Key Features:
- 4 temperature settings
- 60″ x 50″ (roughly twin sized)
- Lake green color
Best Dual Control Electric Blanket: Sunbeam Heated Blanket Microplush
The Sunbeam Heated Blanket Microplush will give you and your partner all the comfort you want, while still allowing you to sleep comfortably with each other. While there are smaller sizes available from Sunbeam with the same design, you will only get the dual controls with the queen and king-sized blankets. This listing is for the queen and will offer you a preheat setting that you’re sure to love if you enjoy climbing into a bed that’s already warm and ready for you.
The digital display comes with push-button controls and allows you to operate this blanket on each side with merely a push of a few buttons. It even has an auto-off safety function that will allow you a full 10 hours of use before shutting off, ensuring you’re warm all night long.
Nearly 2,000 customer reviews on Amazon have given this electric blanket an overall rating of 4.1 stars. Combined with the dual control, these assurances of quality are surely enough to tempt you to purchase.
Sunbeam Heated Blanket Microplush Key Features:
- 100% polyester micro plush
- 10 heat settings
- 6 color options
Best Plush Electric Blanket: Biddeford Comfort Knit Fleece Electric Heated Blanket
The Biddeford Comfort Knit Fleece Electric Heated Blanket offers the warmth you’ll love from an electric blanket, and the quality you have come to expect from Biddeford. You’ll get plenty of quality in the plush design and the And you’ll definitely appreciate that this blanket, though you can machine wash it, you won’t need to in order to get rid of any unappealing smells that other electric blankets often have.
The warmth of the blanket may just help your overall aches and pains, too. The heat can act as a full-body heating pad to ease your sore muscles and joints as well as relaxing your body all over. The extra weight of the electrical unit within the blanket can even give your body just enough pressure that it can act as a sort of weighted blanket, giving you anxiety relief as well as warmth.
With an overall rating of 4.2 stars on Amazon, earned by over 550 customer reviews, you have loads of justification for this purchase and to suggest the rating and quality mentioned in those reviews is to be believed.
Biddeford Comfort Knit Fleece Electric Heated Blanket Key Features:
- 5-year warranty
- 7 color options
- 3 sizes available
Who Should Buy an Electric Blanket
Are you a cold sleeper? Then an electric blanket may very well be the solution to troubles sleeping. Whether your room is cold for a lack of proper ventilation or just because you prefer it that way – you could mitigate any of the circumstances (at least to an extent) with a good electric blanket that will help you ease to sleep in a nice, warm bed. One added benefit that you may appreciate is that the weight provided by several electric blankets can have a calming effect, without you even realizing it. The pressure of the weight many leave you feeling held int a tight embrace and that, much like weighted blankets, can ease your worries and allow you to enter a deeper sleep more easily. Be forewarned, though: it may be more difficult to convince yourself to get out of bed in the morning when your bed is as warm as it will be with an electric blanket. For couples who sleep best with drastically different temperatures, a dual-controlled blanket may be the saving grace that keeps them sleeping together.
If your home has a room that stays colder than the others, then rather than cranking the heat up, it may be a bit more efficient to simply sit with an electric throw. If it seems too early in the year to turn the heat on, an electric blanket can keep you from doing so, or make your monthly electric bill more manageable by offering a tactic to stave that jump into winter operations too soon.
For those with the complete opposite problem and find themselves often over-heated while they sleep, you may want to check out The Best Cooling Mattress Pads.
Important Features to Consider
An electric blanket should do several things well. Here’s what to consider when selecting an electric blanket for the home:
- Sherpa. Not only is Sherpa incredibly warm, but it’s also so comfortable you’ll love how easy it is to nestle into your blanket so deeply you’re much more likely to sleep amazing. One word of caution, though – Sherpa is really warm. It holds heat in so well, you may not need the electric heating all the time. Even if you do, you may only need it at the beginning of the night, rather than all night. You could also keep the room at an even lower temperature and still sleep comfortably with this material.
- Auto-off. You’ll want to check for the safety features on your electric blanket to make sure you’re using it as you should and not risking your home and life just to keep warm. If you aren’t comfortable sleeping all night with the electric blanket on, you’ll appreciate the auto-off feature that comes with several blankets. You can find plenty of electric blankets with timers, as well. The primary take-away is that you should feel safe in your blanket – otherwise you won’t get the kind of sleep you should be.
- Plush. The soft texture of a plush blanket will have you snuggling in nearly as easily as the Sherpa but it won’t be as likely to overheat you. And, you’ll often notice, the plush is a bit more cost-friendly.
- Machine washable. You’re going to want to watch for instructions on how you can wash an electric blanket, lest you accidentally fry, and ruin the electric components. Washing blankets these days is much easier, but you still want to check before just tossing it in the washer without consideration.
- Dual controls. Just because you’re cold doesn’t mean your partner is – and that’s been a problem for couples, probably since we shared rock beds in a cave. If your partner sleeps hot and can only handle cool temperatures in order to get to sleep, and you still want to sleep next to each other, finding an electric blanket that has separate controls for each side could make sure you’re sleeping comfortably with your partner and no complaints from anyone! (Or at least none about the blanket!)
- Throws. If your family room is in the basement, or you have to keep one room cooler than the others to make sure that the whole house is a comfortable temperature, you’ll probably appreciate the added warmth of a throw on your couch. Add a mug of tea or hot cocoa, and you’ve created an entire environment you’ll love.
- Others. While you may not, strictly speaking, call heating electric alternatives “blankets,” they may still be the winning product for you. For example, you can find a shawl or wearable wrap that you may be able to wear at your desk to keep you warm, even if the office is always cold. Of course, you will want to check with your office manager to make sure that’s not breaking in safety regulations the building has, but if you get the okay (or work from home), then the shawl or wrap could be just the ticket.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an electric blanket and what does it do?
An electric blanket will plug into an outlet in your home and use electricity to create heat, warming you and your bed. There are heating elements run throughout the blanket so that you can turn the blanket on fifteen to twenty minutes before you get into bed so that when you crawl under the covers, you’ll be instantly coaxed to comfort. You can also opt to only turn it on after you get into bed so that the gentle transition to heating will help you soothe into a sleep-state.
Is it safe to sleep with an electric blanket on?
Modern electric blankets will generally have plenty of safety features to make sleeping with the electric blanket on relatively safe. However, it’s still generally not recommended you sleep all night with your electric blanket heating. You can mitigate that recommendation most easily by setting a timer to make sure it won’t stay on all night. You may find that you sleep better with the heat only on long enough to ease you to sleep and the coolness of the night to keep you in a deeper sleep. You may want to look for an auto-off feature in your blanket, for added security and protection against overheating.
Do electric blankets use a lot of electricity?
Not really, no. You can expect to spend less than a quarter for each night’s use. They’ll typically use around 200-watts and if you, for math simplicity’s sake, use it for 10 hours a day (you’ll probably use much less, though), then you will use 2 kilowatt-hours, and depending on your area, that’s somewhere between 15-30 cents daily. To put it in perspective, an electric space heater will go through a similar cost of the 10-hour electric blanket operation in an hour or less!
Can you plug an electric blanket into a power strip?
You don’t want to push it when it comes to safety, so it’s recommended that you only plug your electric blanket directly into the wall outlet. No extension cords or power strips – you just want to make sure that you’re limiting the potential of overheating.
While thinking of what you shouldn’t do with an electric blanket, you want to make sure you’re considering other procedures you should avoid with it. For example, don’t fold the blanket when it’s in use to avoid overheating. Don’t continue to use it if the blanket’s wires fray or there are any charred marks on the wires. Don’t place the blanket on top of furniture that can start a fire (I.E. wood furniture, for example) or leave it unattended.
Other Electric Blankets We Reviewed
We looked at 20 other electric blankets. Even though they didn’t make our 5 best electric blankets list, they’re the best of the rest and each is still a great option for your home. The information you’ll need to compare each one is included with the listing.
- Dual Control Electric Blankets
- Plush Electric Blankets
- Sherpa Electric Blankets
- Electric Throw Blankets
- Other Electric Blankets
Dual Control Electric Blankets
Pure Warmth MicroPlush Sherpa Electric Heated Blanket Queen
These dual controls will let you and your partner sleep in your ideal temperature.
Key Features:
- 4 size options (king and queen with dual controls)
- 5 colors available
- 5-year warranty
Cost: $80
Serta Luxe Plush Fleece Heated Electric Blanket
Operate the heat settings on this electric blanket with an easy-to-turn knob.
Key Features:
- 4 size options
- 3 color options
- Machine washable
Cost: $200
Well Being Plush Electric Heated Blanket
The one-button operation will allow you to control the four temperature settings on each of these dual controls.
Key Features:
- 100% polyester design
- 4 size options
- 3 colors available
Cost: $50
Westerly Queen Size Microlight Electric Heated Blanket
Operate the temperature and timer on each of the two sides via their individual controller.
Key Features:
- LCD digital display
- 5 size options
- 17 colors and patterns available
Plush Electric Blankets
This electric blanket heats quickly and has a safety auto-off function that will turn the blanket off after four hours.
Key Features:
- 3 temperature settings
- Machine washable
- 122′ power cord
Cost: $30
Pure Enrichment PureRelief Radiance Deluxe Heated Blanket
With simple controls and ultra-soft feel, this blanket is one that will allow you to get to sleep warm and cozy.
Key Features:
- 4 size options
- Auto-off after 10 hours
- 5-year warranty
Cost: $100
Pure Warmth Fleece Electric Heated Blanket
The incredibly warm fleece material this blanket is made from will allow you to snuggle in all the easier as it heats.
Key Features:
- 4 size options
- 7 colors available
- 5-year warranty
Sherpa Electric Blankets
Best Choice Products Electric Heated Reversible Sherpa Blanket
This blanket only weighs 3.3 pounds, so you won’t feel the pressure of any of the wires and electrical components.
Key Features:
- 3 color options
- Removable power cord
- 2-hour auto shut-off
Cost: $45
Biddeford MicroPlush Sherpa Electric Heated Blanket
This micro plush electric blanket will keep you warm without the heating, but extra toasty when you operate one of the ten heat settings.
Key Features:
- 100% polyester with Sherpa fabric lining
- 5 colors available
- 4 size options
Cost: $85
Biddeford Velour Sherpa Electric Heated Warming Blanket
This soft and cozy electric blanket comes with ten temperature settings to ensure each time you use it, you’re as warm as you like.
Key Features:
- Machine washable
- 5-year warranty
- 6 colors available
Cost: $65
With ultra-plush sherpa lining and a flannel covering, this blanket feels just as luxurious as it feels.
Key Features:
- 4 colors available
- Auto-off after 10 hours
- Machine washable
Cost: $60
MaxKare Electric Blanket Heated Blanket
You’ll be able to reach the temperature you love with the four temperature levels, ranging from 95 to 113 degrees Fahrenheit.
Key Features:
- Safety auto-off after 3 hours
- 50″ x 60″
- Machine washable
Cost: $40
Pure Warmth Velour Sherpa Electric Heated Warming Blanket
Safety certified and third-party tested, you can be sure that this electric blanket is a safe one to operate within your home.
Key Features:
- 6-hour safety shut-off
- 5 color options
- 6 heat settings
Electric Throw Blankets
Dr Relief Electric Heated Throw Blanket
With a high, medium, and low heat setting, you’ll get just as warm as you like, and no more.
Key Features:
- 50″ x 60″
- 100% satisfaction guaranteed
- 4-hour safety shut-off
Cost: $35
This reversible buffalo plaid and sherpa blanket is ideal for your couch or recliner.
Key Features:
- 2 color options
- 50″ x 60″
- 3-hour safety shut-off
Cost: $60
Tefici Electric Heated Blanket Throw
With three heat settings, you’ll appreciate this machine washable electric blanket all the more for it’s versatility.
Key Features:
- 2 size options
- 5 styles available
- 10′ power cable
Cost: $35
Zircon Electric Blanket Heated Throw
This quick heating electric blanket has an overheat protection and is machine washable.
Key Features:
- 6′ power cord
- 50″ x 60″
- 5-year warranty
Other Electric Blankets
MP2 Fleece Heated Blanket Wrap Shawl
If you just need a little extra warmth while you’re sitting upright, this shawl may be just the answer to your problems.
Key Features:
- 6 color options
- 60″ x 64″
- 5-year warranty
Cost: $50
Pure Enrichment PureRelief Plush Heated Shawl
This shawl even comes with pockets to make sure you’re not forgetting anything you need, even if you’re buried under this cozy heated blanket.
Key Features:
- Automatic shut-off after 2 hours
- Machine washable
- 4 settings available
Cost: $190
Shavel Home Products Thermee Micro Flannel Electric Blanket
Short paragraph describing the product.
Key Features:
- 13 color and style options
- Heat in 40 seconds
- 10 settings available
Cost: $190
