10 best electric blankets and heated throws for a cosy, cost-effective winter
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journalism → support → readers
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The temperature has dropped, the evenings are darker, and I'm not alone in doing everything I can to avoid switching on the central heating.
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I → drop → heating
The best electric blankets promise to keep you warm for pennies – just what I need when Christmas is approaching, and household bills are already high enough.
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bills → promise → what
Swapping my tumble dryer for a heated clothes airer has made a difference to our electricity bills, so I was interested to see whether an electric blanket could save me money too.
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blanket → swap → money
I work from home, and putting the heating on for just one person seems such a waste.
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putting → work → person
There are two main types of electric blankets: underblankets sit on your mattress beneath the sheets, while heated throws are designed to wrap around you, making them useful for everything from working at your desk to watching TV.
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them → be → TV
Best heated blankets 2026 at a glance
Best overall – Dreamland cafe collection heated blanket: £69.99, Dreamland.co.uk
Best budget buy – OHS extra long heated hoodie blanket: £19, Onlinehomeshop.com
Best for softness – Silentnight luxury heated throw: £45, Silentnight.com
Best eco-friendly design– Beurer HD75 heated overblanket: £56.24, Boots.com
Best oversized design – Bedsure electric blanket bubble throw: £62.69. Amazon.co.uk
Most have adjustable heat settings and timers, and because they warm you rather than the entire room, they generally cost much less to run than a portable heater.
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they → warm → heater
With prices ranging from £19 to £150, I tested 10 heated blankets to find out which ones are genuinely worth the money.
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ones → range → blankets
How I tested
I used each blanket for two weeks while working from home and in the evenings.
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I → test → evenings
Noting how warm it kept me without turning the central heating on, I also assessed how comfortable each design was and how quickly they warmed up.
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they → note → heating
I considered any temperature settings and the spread of the heat.
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I → consider → heat
When it came to the design, I looked at how soft the fabrics felt, whether I could feel the heating wires and whether the blankets were large enough to tuck around my feet.
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blankets → come → feet
Finally, I checked the washing instructions, whether the controllers were removable and how practical each blanket was to care for.
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blanket → check → instructions
★★★★★
Best: Overall electric blanket
What we love: Super-soft fabric, thick and luxurious feel, heats up in five minutes, and is economical to run
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we → love → minutes
Take note: More expensive than some alternatives, darker colourway won't suit every living room
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colourway → take → room
Dreamland has really got the balance right between a luxurious throw and something that actually keeps you warm.
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that → get → you
The Café Collection all come in barista brew shades.
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Collection → come → shades
I opted for chocolate mocha, which is beautifully thick and soft, with a deep colour that looks lovely on the sofa.
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that → opt → sofa
It's the sort of blanket I'd happily use even without the heating switched on.
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heating → use → blanket
Taking just five minutes to fully warm up, it’s large enough to cocoon yourself in, and I didn't have to keep adjusting the temperature to stay comfortable.
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I → take → temperature
At £69.99, it's more of an investment than the Silentnight and Dreamcatcher throws, but it feels noticeably more substantial.
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it → throw → investment
Running costs are another bonus, with 0.15 kW working out to around 1p per hour, making this one of the more economical blankets to use to keep warm.
- Dimensions: 160 x 120cm
- Material: Faux fur
- Temperature settings: Six
- Timer: One, three or nine hours
- Energy consumption: 0.15 kW
OHS extra long heated hoodie blanket
★★★★☆
Best: Budget heated blanket
What we like: Excellent price, wearable design, handy for working from home, and no need to stay near a plug socket
Take note: Only the middle section heats up; ankles can stay cold, and a power bank is needed separately
The OHS heated hoodie is a more practical alternative to a traditional electric blanket, allowing you to type, move between rooms, and make a cup of coffee with ease.
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you → work → ease
It's wonderfully oversized, reaching well below my knees, and I found myself wearing it around the house as well as at my desk.
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myself → reach → desk
The sleeves left my hands free to work, while the separate power bank meant I wasn’t tied to a plug socket.
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I → leave → socket
Another bonus was that it heated up in just three minutes – a lot faster than traditional blankets.
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it → heat → blankets
The main drawback is that only the middle section heats up.
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section → heat → ?
My body stayed lovely and warm, but my ankles could still feel the cold, despite the extra-long design.
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ankles → stay → design
You'll also need a power bank, which isn't included in the price.
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which → need → price
It's not going to replace a traditional heated throw for snuggling up on the sofa, but for working from home and getting things done around the house, I think it's a brilliant buy.
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it → go → house
Temperature settings: One
- Timer: Not specified
- Energy consumption: USB power bank of min 15W required
- Care: Wipe clean with a damp cloth
Silentnight luxury heated throw
★★★★☆
Best: Soft electric blanket
What we like: Very economical to run, soft fleece, noticeable difference between heat levels, machine washable
Take note: The highest setting was too hot for me, and it's smaller than some alternatives
If softness is your priority, Silentnight’s heated throw features a fleece design that feels wonderfully gentle against the skin.
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that → specify → skin
I found myself snuggling into it even before switching the heating element on.
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myself → find → element
I can see myself using it in summer like this, covering myself in a lightweight layer of softness to take the edge off the day.
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myself → see → day
The lowest was perfect for taking the chill off, while the top levels were actually a little too warm for me.
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levels → take → me
If you're someone who really feels the cold, though, you might appreciate that extra heat.
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you → feel → heat
It’s also good for impatient people like me, as I timed that level four heated up in approximately four minutes.
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I → ’ → minutes
It doesn’t have a timer, so it's more suited to sofa evenings than nights in bed.
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it → have → bed
- Dimensions: 160 x 120cm
- Material: Polyester microfleece
- Temperature settings: 9
- Timer: No
- Energy consumption: 0.1 kW
- Care: Machine washable at 40 degrees
Beurer HD75 heated overblanket
★★★★☆
Best: Eco-friendly electric blanket
What we love: Thick and cuddly, recycled materials, six heat settings, and generous size
Take note: The highest heat setting can feel too hot, and it has a three-hour automatic shut-off
The Beurer HD 75 keeps you cosy without compromising on sustainability.
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HD → heat → sustainability
It’s wonderfully thick and luxurious; the top is slightly furry, and the underside is a soft velour.
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underside → ’ → ?
Both sides are made from 100 per cent recycled fabric, while even the plastic temperature controller contains 50 per cent recycled material.
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controller → make → material
…and 81 more, not listed.
The Aporia
