Beurer HD75 Electric Blanket with 6 Temperature Settings, Soft Heated Throw for Cosy Sofa Nights, Automatic Switch-Off & Safety System, Machine-Washable, Taupe, 180 x 130 cm, 100 watts

Product Information

Before getting started, it is important to know that using a electric blanket is not recommended if you have certain health problems. More detailed information can be found in the instructions for use. Where the blankets had dual controls, we also looked at how accurate the settings were on each side and if there was any temperature crossover when the settings were different. All the electric blankets on our list come with varying heat zones and settings – some include extra foot warmth too. At the Good Housekeeping Institute, our experts made up a double bed to test each electric blanket on, measuring how evenly temperature was distributed as well as whether the warmth fluctuated or remained consistent over an extended period of time, across different heat settings. We measured energy consumption, too. The electric blanket has six heat settings that cost between less than 1p and 8p per hour to use, and three timer options of one, three or nine hours. It connects to a mains plug but has dual control so you and anyone you share a bed with can control your own heat settings.

All the heated blankets on our list have auto-shut off settings, which turn them off after a certain amount of time, minimising the risk of any accidents. Some even let you decide how long they run for, thanks to nifty in-built timers.

Will you be claiming the VAT back?

I found that some cheaper blankets had a tendency to come lose or crease up when I moved around at night; this one was fine. I liked the feature that adds extra heat to the area around your feet: in all honesty, I found in general keeping my feet snug and warm quite nice, whereas too much heat on my body made me feel stuffy and affected my sleep. Dual controls will also let you adjust settings during the night without disturbing your partner. Blankets that have these – often size double and upwards – will have left and right zones, so the settings can be customised if there are two of you in the bed. Are electric blankets safe? Set your washing machine to a particularly gentle cycle at 30°C and use a mild laundry detergent. To ensure the heated underblanket has a long life, it should not be washed too often. Instead, remove small marks by hand. Dr Stanley says switching on an electric blanket around half an hour before bed should make it perfectly cosy to get into, letting you drift to sleep naturally, but you should set it to turn off some time after you nod off. All the blankets I tested were able to warm up the bed in 30 minutes or less, costing less than 3p at today’s prices. What makes a good electric blanket

Under blankets, for example, can run for up to eight hours, so you could opt for this at night instead of central heating, while a throw can keep you warm while working from home. Note that dual control under blankets are plugged in on both sides, meaning they can use double the electricity versus those with a single control. How we test electric blanketsThere were nine settings for feet and body, ranging from boiling-hot nine to barely noticeable one; four or five was optimal for me. The timer has four settings: one, five, eight and 12 hours. In contrast, over blankets are meant for curling up under; they’re a more versatile choice as you can use them on the sofa or even at your desk if you work from home. Some even resemble a fleecy blanket, which not only feels extra soft against the skin, but will look good in your living room if you want to leave it out. Throws tend to have shorter operating times though – most we tried time out after three hours. Wearable electric blankets or heated ponchos But perhaps the biggest incentive is the high cost of electricity. At the time of writing, a typical 2000W electric heater in your bedroom could cost 68p an hour to run. By contrast, a 100W electric blanket would cost less than 4p. The Homefront offers dual control, which helps save on energy. The LCD control pad was simple to use and, on top of choosing which side you want to heat, you can also differentiate between body and legs, with nine different temperature settings for each. Given the current economic climate, it’s understandable that you may be looking for more cost-effective ways to stay warm and save on your heating bill. Electric blankets can come in handy here, as they're becoming increasingly more energy efficient.