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As we head into a winter with soaring inflation and rising energy costs, an electric blanket can be a solid investment. They’ll keep you warm and they’re cheap to use—it costs about 15 to 30 cents to keep an electric blanket on for 10 hours. If you live in a drafty old home or your utility bills are becoming a source of anxiety for you, an electric blanket might be the perfect solution. Here’s how to choose one that will fit all of your needs.
Decide between a heated mattress pad and electric blanket
The first thing to consider is how you want to use your electric blanket. If it’s going to pretty much be a way to warm up your bed at night, consider going with a heated mattress pad instead of a blanket. These fit over your mattress and heat up the whole bed effectively, turning it into a warm oasis in the middle of a cold house.
The downside to a heated mattress pad is its lack of mobility—an electric blanket can go with you everywhere in your home. If you want transportable heat, opt for a blanket—you can find them in sizes that will cover a queen- or king-sized bed so you can have the best of both worlds.
Look for these safety logos on any electric blanket you buy
Any new electric blanket is going to be very safe to use, but it’s worth checking for an Underwriters Laboratories (UL) or Electrical Testing Laboratories (ETL) logo on any blanket you’re considering. These marks indicate that the blanket meets minimal safety standards, reducing the chances of malfunction, which can lead to an electrical shock or a fire. Also, look for an automatic shutoff feature that will turn the blanket off after a certain amount of time, to avoid having a blanket just sizzle away all day after you forget to shut it off.
Consider the material
Most electric blankets on the market will be made of fleece, acrylic microfiber, or polyester microfiber. Fleece feels nice and is a good insulator, but it tends to be a bit more fragile and to “pill” more easily. A polyester or acrylic microfiber will be more durable—polyester tends to “breathe” more (so if you tend to get sweaty under an electric blanket, that might be your best choice), while acrylic will be a better insulator, trapping more heat close to your body. While “polyester” might conjure up images of a 1970s disco suit, it’s a comfortable and soft material, so you can’t go wrong.
Determine what size will work best
If you’re opting for a blanket instead of a mattress cover, think about how you’re going to use it. Electric blankets come in a wide variety of sizes, from king-size- bed blankets to small personal blankets. If your main use case for the blanket is watching TV in a cold room, consider a couch throw that you can leave in place without making your room look messy. If you want an electric blanket that two people can snuggle under, look for an oversized option.
Keep in mind how much cord (if any) you want to have
Finally, if you’re going with a corded electric blanket, think about how long the cord needs to be, depending on where the power outlets are in relation to beds and couches. Make sure you have enough cord length to reach where your poor, shivering body is going to be.
Or get rid of the cord entirely—because cordless electric blankets are a thing that exists. These come with a battery pack that you charge up (typically requiring several hours of charging), and their main use is for outdoor gatherings, but there’s no reason you can’t use them at home, too. Cordless blankets tend to be a bit pricier than their corded brethren (one of the best-rated, the Cozee Battery-Operated Cordless Heated Blanket, goes for an eye-popping $350), but they offer plenty of mobility and convenience as long as you remember to keep them charged up.
Think through all the extra features
Finally, consider what kind of extra features you’ll need:
Timer: Some electric blankets come with a timer feature that allows you to specify when it turns off. This is great if you’re the sort who goes to bed cold but wakes up sweltering in the middle of the night. Temperature controls: Some blankets come with very basic heat settings that can mean a choice between cool and a condition scientists call Sweating Your Ass Off. A blanket with more than 3 settings—or one that allows for specific temperature settings in degrees—gives you a lot more flexibility. And if you’re going to be sharing your blanket with someone, look for one that has dual-zone controls so you can each customize your electric blanket experience. Lighted controls: Waking up and fumbling with your blanket’s controls can be frustrating—a blanket with lit-up controls makes those midnight adjustments a lot easier. Feet warmer: Some electric blankets come with built-in pockets for your feet, as well as extra heating for your extremities. If you suffer from cold feet more than anything else, look for a blanket that advertises some extra love for them. Machine washable. Electric blankets see a lot. They get pet hair, nacho cheese drips, and everything else on them as you move through your surprisingly filthy life. Look for a blanket that allows the covering to be removed so you can wash it every now and then. Weighted. If you find a weighted blanket comforting, combine life-saving heat with a weighted blanket for extra bliss. Smart app. Finally, it’s 2022: Of course there are smart electric blankets that sync up with an app on your phone. These have several advantages: No clunky plasticky control pod, tons of extra features, and a finer control over your experience. A smart blanket isn’t necessary, of course, but if you like being able to remotely control your blanket from your phone, you can.Electric blankets are one of those simple inventions that can really improve your quality of life, whether you’re a naturally cold person or simply someone living in a poorly-insulated house. Choose wisely and survive the winter in style.
