Cosying up on your sofa with a blanket is one of life's simple joys - and it is hard to beat. Sure, you can add a good book or a mug of hot chocolate, but how else can it be improved? Well, having tested a heated blanket for the first time, I can make a strong case for swapping out your normal choice with an electric option. It really makes a difference.
Not only will you feel much warmer with a heated blanket, but can you can also regulate the temperature and set a timer. As the cost of living continues to rise, many people might also find themselves reaching for an electric blanket in the hopes of keeping their energy bills down.
Wondering if using an electric blanket could help me save money, I opted to buy one - but I quickly decided there's a better money-saving alternative.
Testing the heated blanket
I quickly fell in love with the heated blanket I went for - the Schallen 120x160cm - which cost £49.95 when I purchased it from Amazon.
The product has hundreds of glowing reviews online, and it is easy to see why, with its easy-to-use controls and super-soft fabric. I found the lowest heat settings weren't quite warm enough for my liking, but I couldn't stay under the highest long or I found myself sweltering.
With that said, I was pleased with the range available - and I happily settled on a middle option. While I did wish the blanket was longer, as my toes peeked out the end when I used it in bed, I was impressed with the overall design, including the width of the large double blanket.
But as any blanket lover will already know, the cosy covers are not the most practical when you're doing anything but lying on the sofa. So if you are investing in a blanket in the hope of keeping your energy bills down, you need to think wisely about how much use it will be.
I spend all of my workday sat in front of my laptop, but even for this, one of the most sedentary of tasks, I need my arms free. As such, I would much prefer to keep cosy with a thick jumper or dressing gown. While certainly not as warm as the blanket, which I left draped over my legs, I could have done without it.
Even during an evening spent snuggled up on my sofa with the blanket, I found myself wishing my arms were free. However, I do recognise this is a personal preference, as I know many people enjoy hours spent in a blanket burrito. But in every instance, I could have warmed myself for less by simply layering up.
The one time I thought the portable blanket did made a significant difference to my day was when I used it at bedtime, when the heating was turned off in my house. I hate feeling cold so getting into pre-warmed bed was bliss. I normally get by okay with my winter duvet, but I do find my room gets unpleasantly cold, so it was lovely to drift off to sleep feeling as cosy as can be, thanks to the blanket's timer.
Can electric blankets save you money?
Well, it depends. Even if you use the blanket for just a couple of hours at different points in the day, like I did, you will use a lot less energy than if you warmed yourself up by turning the heating on. My blanket uses 150W, which works out at a cost of approximately 5p per hour, when calculated using the UK Price Guarantee (October 2022) electricity rate of 34 pence per kWh.
However, I'm hesitant to suggest anyone should turn their heating off completely, in favour of electric blankets. Nobody should ever have choose between keeping warm and staying afloat financially, and it can also prove to be a bad choice in the long run, as central can heating prevents your home's pipes from freezing during cold weather.
But what I can say is that the blanket could help you enjoy a significant saving if you're otherwise keeping your heating on throughout the day. For me, though, this does not apply.
In my house, we've been using the heating for a few hours each morning and evening - to take the chill out of the air - then wrapping up warm for the rest of the day, before turning the heating off at night.
As such, the blanket would be helpful if I wanted to use it as a low-cost way to keep warm during the hours the heating is off, but it wouldn't help to save money overall, as it would not reduce my heating usage. It would also make for an expensive upfront purchase, if I were to buy three blankets for each of the three of us who share the home.
Most importantly, it wouldn't be the best choice for me when trying to keep warm during the day, for the reasons previously mentioned. I'd say a dressing gown or a blanket with sleeves would be a smarter investment.
Thankfully, my colleague Zahna has already done the hard work for me, by testing out an Oodie and Primark's £16 dupe. So while I loved trying my electric blanket, and it is easily the warmest thing I own, it won't be my winter go-to. Instead, I'll be making the most of my dressing gown, and I'll perhaps buy an Oodie when it needs replacing.
Do you have a heating tip to share? We'd love to consider it for our series. Email us at amber.oconnor@reachplc.com
