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Electric blankets are a great way to stay warm without running up the heat bill. If you’re the person in your house who wears at least three layers on them at all times, they can also keep you warm without having to put on half of your coat closet at once. They’re also a surefire way to get a cat on your lap, thanks to their enticing coziness that makes felines go feral. Cordless and smart electric blankets allow you to bring all that heated goodness with you to football games and other chilly outdoor events. They also can be controlled with your phone for ultimate temperature customization. Some even have two controllers so you and your blanket partner can set your perfect temperature. The best electric blankets let you sleep, watch TV, and read a book without having to turn up the thermostat.
Best overall: Pure Enrichment PureRelief Radiance Deluxe Heated Blanket
Best wearable: Westinghouse Electric Snuggle Throw Blankets with Foot Pocket
Best smart: Warmee Smart Heated Blanket
Best cordless: Cozee Portable Battery Powered Heated Blanket
Best for couples: Westinghouse Electric Blanket
Best budget: Sunbeam Premium Soft Velvet Plush Electric Heated Throw Blanket
How we chose the best electric blankets
I hate to brag, but I am PopSci’s resident reporter on all things warm and heated. I’ve worked on stories about heated clothing, heated gloves, heated socks, hand warmers … if it involves heating up something, my freezing hands have probably touched it in some way, shape, or form. I also am a girlie who runs cold, so I also have personal experience to pull from. To separate the tepid from the truly warm, we combined this first-hand testing with critical reviews and user recommendations.
The best electric blankets: Reviews & Recommendations
It’s a tough life, testing all this, but I’m … warming up to it. And whether you’re wearing your own personal electric blanket around the house or sharing one with your honey on the couch, one of our picks can help heat up your night, too, with far less hassle than lugging around that infrared heater.
Best overall: Pure Enrichment PureRelief Radiance Deluxe Heated Blanket
Specs
Sizes: Twin, Full, Queen, King
Heat settings: 10 heat settings between 87°F-105°F
Timer: Turns off automatically after 10 hours
Machine washable?: Yes
Pros
Two controllers for Queen and King sizes
Lots of heat settings
Soft
Cons
Long auto turn-off time
If you want a blanket that’s a worthy addition or even replacement for your space heater, look no further than this luxe heated blanket from Pure Enrichment. It heats up in only five minutes, and a 5’9 cord means you can use it from plenty of spots in your home, from the couch to the bed to your office chair. Four different size options mean there’s a blanket for all heights. If you’re a fan of sleeping with an electric blanket, an easy-to-read LCD display and 10-second auto-controller lights prevent late-night fumbling. A 10-hour auto shut-off means you don’t have to worry about causing a fire if you sleep in. When it’s time to wash your blanket, simply throw it in the washer. Its anti-pill mink fabric keeps it soft wash after wash. This blanket was a favorite among all the people and pets in the house, thanks to its snuggliness and heat.
Specs
Sizes: One size (70 x 50 inches)
Heat settings: 6 heating levels
Timer: 2-10 hours
Machine washable?: Yes
Pros
Built-in pouch for feet
Overheat protection
Can be worn multiple ways
Cons
Heavy
Do you remember the Snuggie, everyone’s favorite white elephant gift for a hot minute? We certainly do. And we also wish it came with more features. The Westinghouse Electric Snuggle builds upon the legacy of wearable blankets with souped-up additions. You can wear it like a robe, in front of you like a traditional blanket, or you can ditch the sleeves completely and use it as a regular throw. A pocket for your feet keeps your tootsies toasty, and six heating settings give you lots of temperature choices to pick from. You can adjust the length of the auto turn-off timer, and built-in overheat protection means you’re the only thing warming up—not your entire apartment. This blanket is better for lounging—it’s a little too heavy to wear while walking around the house.
Best smart: Warmee Smart Heated Blanket
Specs
Sizes: Twin, Full, Queen, King
Heat settings: 5 levels
Timer: 30-minute increments from 30 minutes to 10 hours; One-hour increments from 10-12 hours
Machine washable?: Yes
Pros
Works with multiple voice assistants and phone operating systems
Thin wire
Has a luxe, plush feel
Cons
Need WiFi and app to control blanket
Ditch the controller completely with the Warmee Smart Heated Blanket. It has thin wire, meaning you won’t feel the heating elements as you’re using it. Also, the blanket itself is incredibly plushy and has a good weight to it. You can also control the blanket via Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, or via app (iOS and Android). Plus, we’re a huge fan of the time increment choices and heat settings. If your internet is out, you sadly won’t be able to activate the heat settings—this blanket only works when connected to WiFi. It’s also rather expensive compared to other blankets on this list. If you want the connectivity, however, we think it’s worth it.
Best cordless: Cozee Portable Battery Powered Heated Blanket
Specs
Sizes: One size (60×60 inches)
Heat settings: Three heat levels (Low, medium, high)
Timer: 2-3 hours, depending on heat settings
Machine washable?: Yes
Pros
Wireless
Battery does double-duty as a phone charger
Soft lining
Cons
Limited heat settings
One size
This battery-powered heated blanket is a great solution for keeping cozy without a wired controller or your phone, making it the best cordless heated throw blanket. The blanket is controlled using a square-shaped hub that doubles as the blanket’s battery. The electric blanket includes cables to charge this battery at home or in the car, as well as two USB cords so you can even charge your phone. At a high setting, the cordless heated blanket can only stay warm for two hours, which may be an issue depending on your intended use. We wish it came in more sizes, but its 60 x 60-inch throw size is flexible.
Best for couples: Westinghouse Electric Blanket
Specs
Sizes: Throw, Twin, Full, Queen, King
Heat settings: 10 heat levels
Timer: Adjustable timer with 12-hour shut-off
Machine washable?: Yes
Pros
Two controllers
Lots of heat and time settings
Machine washable
Cons
Takes 20 minutes to heat up
There are small quarrels you experience in a partnership: How cold should we run the AC? Who is taking too much of the bedspread at night? Whose Netflix show gets watched this time? Agree on just doing your own thing with this Westinghouse electric blanket, which includes two controllers so each person can set the blanket to their ideal temperature and time. It’s machine washable, dryer-safe, and is one of our favorite heated throw blankets. Ten heat levels let you get incredibly close to your ideal temperature. It automatically shuts off after 12 hours, and the timer increases incrementally so that you can use the auto shut-off feature whenever. Finally, some harmony in your home.
Best budget: Sunbeam Premium Soft Velvet Plush Electric Heated Throw Blanket
Specs
Sizes: One size (50 x 60 inches)
Heat settings: Three heat settings
Timer: Three-hour auto shut-off
Machine washable?: Yes
Pros
Soft fleece
Machine washable
Reversible
Cons
Heavy cord is cumbersome
If the situation is getting desperate and high heating bills have your wallet hurting, this budget-friendly blanket has everything you need to keep you warm. Three heat settings make choosing a temperature easy, and a three-hour auto-off feature is just the right amount of time to get comfortable. You can throw it in the wash and not think about the water bill. Hopefully, the savings from this blanket will help cover that.
What to consider when buying the best electric blankets
Not all electric blankets are made alike. Here’s what you should look for before making your pick.
Heat settings
Some electric blankets have tiered settings: low, medium, and high. Others let you choose almost to the exact degree. If you’re OK with general settings, consider a controller with the former. The latter will let you customize how hot you’d like your blanket to get.
Who is using the blanket?
If you plan on sharing the blanket with someone, dual controllers will help keep both parties under the blanket comfortable. However, if it’s just you, you can take up as much blanket as you want—and make it as hot as you want.
Cords vs. cordless
Electric blankets either have a combination of controller, app control, or outlet plug. Take the Warmee versus the Cozee, for example. The Warmee is controlled via an app but includes an outlet plug. The Cozee is completely cordless and is controlled by a box-shaped battery that has buttons for all temperature and time controls. If a jumble of wires is not your jam, consider something completely cordless like the Cozee. If you are fine with an outlet plug but not a physical controller, consider something like the Warmee. Consider your preferences and then look for what kind of wires your electric blanket includes.
FAQs
Q: Is it safe to sleep with an electric blanket?
Heated blankets are perfectly safe to use while sleeping as long as they’re used correctly. Choose one with an automatic shutoff or overheat prevention feature so you won’t be kept up at night thinking about a potential fire hazard. Ensure you take good care of your blanket to prevent wires from shortening.
Q: Do electric blankets use a lot of electricity?
It shouldn’t increase your electric bill by much at all. It certainly won’t double it, either. A heated blanket is actually more cost-effective than heating up an entire room. Look for a heated blanket with temperature control to maximize the savings on your heating bill.
Q: Can I wash my electric blanket?
Most electric blankets let you unplug any external electrical elements, like plugs, cords, and controllers, that you should unplug before washing and drying. Not all heated blankets can be machine washed, so it’s very important to check the manufacturer details to make sure you’ll be able to clean your blanket properly.
Final thoughts on the best electric blankets
Best overall: Pure Enrichment PureRelief Plush Heated Throw
Best wearable: Westinghouse Electric Snuggle Throw Blankets with Foot Pocket
Best smart: Warmee Smart Heated Blanket
Best cordless: Cozee Portable Battery Powered Heated Blanket
Best for couples: Westinghouse Electric Blanket
Best budget: Sunbeam Premium Soft Velvet Plush Electric Heated Throw Blanket
If things are getting chilly in your house, you might not need to turn up the heat, grab another blanket, or put on a sweatshirt over your long sleeve. Simply grab one of the best heated electric blankets, set it to your favorite temperature, and enjoy almost immediate heat. You can rely on one of these soft and smart throws to keep you warm, snuggly, and comfortable.
Why trust us
Popular Science started writing about technology more than 150 years ago. There was no such thing as “gadget writing” when we published our first issue in 1872, but if there was, our mission to demystify the world of innovation for everyday readers means we would have been all over it. Here in the present, PopSci is fully committed to helping readers navigate the increasingly intimidating array of devices on the market right now.
Our writers and editors have combined decades of experience covering and reviewing consumer electronics. We each have our own obsessive specialties—from high-end audio to video games to cameras and beyond—but when we’re reviewing devices outside of our immediate wheelhouses, we do our best to seek out trustworthy voices and opinions to help guide people to the very best recommendations. We know we don’t know everything, but we’re excited to live through the analysis paralysis that internet shopping can spur so readers don’t have to.
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