‘Tis the season for... staying in rather than going out. Roaring open fires. Bubble baths. Hot chocolate with marshmallows. And electric blankets.
Don’t laugh: your granny’s favourite has experienced a resurgence of late and online searches are soaring, not least thanks to energy costs.
Good news, then, that electric blankets or throws — both of which use integrated heating wires to keep you snug as a bug in your bed or on the sofa — have come on leaps and bounds in recent years to make them a stylish and comfortable alternative to turning up your radiators (and inducing those hideous bills).
“As the temperature begins to drop and energy bills start to rise, electric blankets are once again becoming a winter essential for many households,” says Maddie Inskipp, home expert at Currys. “These heated bedding layers use integrated wires or carbon fibre elements to gently warm the surface, offering a cost-effective way to stay cosy without cranking up the thermostat.”
“Recent advancements mean many models now feature fast heat-up times, dual control and machine-washable fabrics,” Inskipp adds. “When choosing one, think about the size of your bed, preferred heat settings and whether you’d benefit more from an underblanket or over-blanket design.”
Why you can trust me
As an interiors editor with bylines in The Times, The Telegraph, House Beautiful and The Standard, as well as being on my third home renovation (why do I do it to myself?), I’m an expert on everything décor. I work with some of the biggest interior brands on the high street to advise and create content, so I can forecast what will be the season’s bestsellers. It’s a genuine passion: every spare minute is spent trawling social media and thumbing glossy magazines for the latest and greatest trends in the world of home. That, and I have a huge shopping problem when it comes to home accessories, particularly scatter cushions (just ask my husband — we need a shovel to get into bed at night).
Below, just in time for the cold snap, I round up the best electric blankets for cosy nights in — an easy excuse to stay at home.
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The Lyndon Company Faux Fur Heated Throw
The perfect example of function meeting style, The Lyndon Company's heated throw comes with a faux fur top layer and fleece on the inside, making it the ideal cold-weather companion. It offers 10 adjustable settings with rapid heat-up and an automatic shut-off safety feature.
Was: £170
Buy now £70.00, Flannels
The White Company Super Soft Faux Fur Heated Blanket
Think eclectic blanket, and I’d hazard a guess you don’t immediately think of The White Company, but this super-soft faux-fur number is arguably the most unexpected buy from the posh retailer — and a firm favourite with discerning customers.
Available in natural or grey colourways, it’s beautifully crafted from recycled faux fur and feels wonderfully silky to the touch. The detachable heat control, which sits comfortably in the hand and makes washing the blanket simple, comes with six temperature settings.
Better still, the whole thing is presented in a fancy gift box, meaning it’s perfect for buying as a gift for mum, gran — or simply as a treat to yourself.
Buy now £150.00, The White Company
Dreamland Luxury Faux Fur Husky Heated Throw
Layered over your bed or thrown over an armchair, this irresistibly soft faux-fur husky throw from Dreamland is the perfect way to warm up this winter.
It heats up in just five minutes and offers six temperature settings with five super-thin sensors automatically regulating warmth for safe use. There’s a timer for automatic shut-off, too, meaning you can drift off with confidence.
Better still, multi zones mean you can heat different quarters of the throw differently, perfect for a bedfellow with a different body temperature to yours. Detach the digital control when you want to bung it in the wash and enjoy being warmed up in the knowledge that it takes just a penny a pop.
Was: £129.99
Buy now £79.99, Dreamland
Silentnight Luxury Heated Throw
This budget buy from Silentnight – the sleep specialist – features a soft fleece in various colourways. You get plenty of bang for your buck with no less than nine heat settings to customise your cosy together with a timer for automatically turning off when you’re fast asleep. The detachable control makes it easy to wash and dry, too. The only downside? It takes 15 minutes to heat up, so you’ll need to plan ahead on cold nights.
Was: £45
Buy now £38.25, Amazon
StaySnug Bubble Faux Fur Heated Throw
This grey heated throw is characterised by a distinctive bubble effect that makes its surface pleasingly tactile. Nine heat settings mean you can set the temperature from tepid to toasty, while automatic shut-down functionality avoids it being left on all night if you accidentally doze off. To keep it looking like new, simply remove the control and pop in the machine.
Was: £59.99
Buy now £54.99, Lakeland
Dunelm Global Ikat Fleece Electric Blanket
Tap into the hot interiors trend for ikat — a blurred pattern created from an intricate dyeing and weaving technique — with this electric blanket from Dunelm.
A steal at just £35, it features its namesake design in a burgundy-and-white colourway, and is made from soft fleece. The print means it can be left over the back of an armchair or across a bed as an accessory when you’re not using it, rather than being packed away in a cupboard. Top marks.
Buy now £35.00, Dunelm
MONHOUSE Heated Throw
Made from soft and cosy fabric, this heated number is just the ticket for staving off the cold during your next box-set binge, whether draped over chilly knees or covering icy feet. There’s fleece on one side and flannel on the other, while intricate stitching adds the finishing touch. Nine settings mean you can tailor the temperature with precision, and the automatic timer enables you to decide when it turns off. I particularly liked this one for heating evenly across the entirety of its surface, with many similar styles failing to penetrate edge-to-edge.
Was: £69.99
Buy now £59.49, Amazon
Dreams Luxury Quilted Heated Blanket
Cosy and clever, this two-in-one heated blanket and protector from Dreams keeps the surface of your mattress fresh while warming your bed too. There are all the usual bells and whistles — including nine settings, a range of timers, detachable control, etc. – but I particularly like the unique dual-control technology, which enables you to heat body and feet separately. Its hypoallergenic properties mean it’s great for sensitive sleepers, too.
Buy now £35.00, Dreams
Silentnight Comfort Control Electric Blanket
Costing just a penny per hour to run, Silentnight’s comfort control electric blanket is an economical way to warm your bed, with its four heat settings and fast heat-up function meaning you can be gloriously cosy within minutes. It’s nicely made from soft microfleece, while the even heat distribution and elasticated straps for easily attaching it to your bed round off a nice little package.
Was: £38.44
Buy now £33.49, Amazon
Status DEB-70W1PKB Double Electric Underblanket
You’ll certainly look forward to climbing into bed when you’ve got something delightful such as this waiting for you on it. Simple but effective, this bargainous beauty comes with three temperature settings, a pre-heat function so it’s ready and waiting for you and an overheat trigger that avoids any nasty accidents and always keeps things comfortable.
Was £34.99
Buy now £18.05, Currys
