Electric blankets these days come in many different styles – there are now lots of different types that are suitable for a range of different purposes! There are so many different electric blankets to choose from it can be hard to know which one is right for you. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all electric blanket that works for everyone, so if you’re thinking of picking one up, read the guide below! We’ll walk through some of the most common uses for electric blankets to help you decide which is the best for you.
Best Electric Blanket for Bedroom Use
You probably know that one of the most popular uses for an electric blanket is to keep warm in bed. In fact, this is what the first electric blanket was used for when it was invented over 100 years ago! Modern electric blankets can be used all around the home, but if you want one specifically for your bed, it’s best to pick one that’s been specially designed to fit your bed to ensure maximum comfort.
As a result, you should look at picking up a fully fitted electric blanket for your bed. These heated blankets are designed to fit to your mattress just like a fitted sheet, giving you a cosy heated surface to sleep on. Unlike electric overblankets, fully fitted electric blankets go underneath your duvet. This means they work with your bedding to lock heat under the covers, giving you a slightly more efficient heating performance and an all-around cosier nights’ sleep!
Fully fitted electric blankets also have the advantage of being, well, fully fitted! This makes them much more convenient to fit to your mattress as you don’t have to mess around with straps or elastic ties. It also means the blanket won’t crease up or move around through the night, meaning you’ll be more comfortable and your blanket will heat more evenly. Our fully fitted electric blankets all come with extra-deep elastic skirts, so you’ll find them much easier to fit – just pick the right size blanket for your mattress (double, king, and so on) and slide them on.
Best Electric Blanket for Sofas and Living Rooms
Fitted electric blankets are perfect for use in bed, but you can’t use them anywhere else. If you want to keep cosy on the sofa or in your living room, you’ll need something that’s a bit more versatile. In this case, a heated throw is the best way to keep warm.
When looking at a heated, throw, it’s best to get one that’s slightly bigger than you think you need. Heated throws are great for swaddling yourself in or for snuggling up with the family on a cold night, so you want something with an oversized design. There’s nothing more infuriating than trying to get cosy under a blanket only to find your toes are poking out into the cold, so when it comes to a heated throw, size really does matter!
Another important factor to consider is the thickness of the material. Heated throws need to use a little more energy to warm up than a fitted electric blanket does as they aren’t kept underneath a duvet, so some of their heat will escape into the air. If you get a thick heated throw (like our plush reversible heated throw), you’ll find it’s much cheaper to run as it’ll retain more warmth. Going for a thick throw also comes with the added bonus of giving you a luxuriously comfortable blanket that’s soft to the touch!
Affordable Electric Blankets
It’s easy to say what the ideal electric blanket would be if money were no object, but for a lot of families, affordability is a big consideration. However, picking up the cheapest electric blankets you can find usually isn’t a very good idea. These blankets are generally cheaply-made, uncomfortable, and heat up inefficiently. This leads to increased electricity bills and hot and cold patches all over your blanket rather than an even, cosy heat, and can be so unpleasant that you’ll probably end up storing your blanket away and never wanting to use it again!
A better approach is to balance between affordability and quality. Some blankets – like these fitted electric blankets – are affordable while still being comfortable as they’re made from a thick fabric. This gives you a much better value product that you’re likely to get more use of. Affordable doesn’t have to mean cheaply made – remember that golden rule and you should be fine.
Best Electric Blankets for Memory Foam Mattresses
Having worked with electric blankets for over 20 years, it’s a question we’ve been asked a lot. Can you use an electric blanket with a memory foam mattress or mattress topper? The answer is… yes and no.
It’s usually said that you can’t use electric blankets with memory foam mattresses, which leads to the misconception that it’s somehow unsafe. This isn’t true, and it’s perfectly fine to use a heated throw over a memory foam bed – the only issue is when you use an electric underblanket (like a fitted electric blanket or a heated mattress cover) on top of your memory foam mattress. The thickness of the electric blanket coupled with the wires inside it can affect the shaping of your memory foam, meaning you won’t feel any benefit from your memory foam mattress.
If you want to use an electric blanket with your memory foam mattress, you should make sure it’s a heated throw or an electric overblanket. You should place this throw over the top of your duvet – this will ensure the heat from the blanket doesn’t affect the memory foam you’re sleeping on. For most memory foam mattresses, this should be fine, but you should double check with your memory foam mattress’ manufacturer to make sure.
