Blanket or throw

An electric underblanket lies on the mattress under the sheet. It is for warming the bed before you get in, and some are designed to stay on at a low setting through the night. Buy it in the size of your bed.

A heated throw goes over you on the sofa or a chair, so you can sit in a cooler room without turning the heating up. A wearable heated blanket is a throw with sleeves or a wrap shape, which stays in place while you work at a desk.

Both heat you rather than the room. That is why they cost so little to run compared with a heater, and also why the room stays cold. If the room is damp as well as cold, a blanket won't help the walls or windows.

What to look for

  • Several heat settings. A high setting to warm up quickly and a low one to stay comfortable without overheating.
  • Automatic switch-off after a set number of hours, so it doesn't run all night or all day if you forget it.
  • Dual controls on a double or king-size blanket, so each side can be set separately.
  • A detachable controller and a machine-washable cover, so you can clean it without risking the wiring. Follow the washing instructions exactly.
  • Bought new from a reputable retailer or the brand's own store, rather than a third-party marketplace seller. On Amazon, check who it is "sold by". Look for a UKCA or CE mark, but don't rely on the mark alone, because Electrical Safety First warns that some sellers use these marks fraudulently.

Our picks

These are chosen by their specs against the list above. We haven't tested them ourselves; the reasons say which spec puts each one here.

For a couple

Homefront Premium Fleece Fitted Electric Blanket, Double

Type
Underblanket
Size
Double
Power
120W
Heat settings
9
Auto off
after 12 hours
Cost per hour
3.2p
  • Dual controls
  • Machine washable

Dual controls let each side choose its own level from 9 settings, and its timer switches it off after up to 12 hours. On full heat it costs 3.2p an hour.

View on Amazon Manufacturer specs

For a single bed on a budget

TLGREEN Single Electric Underblanket

Type
Underblanket
Size
Single
Power
100W
Heat settings
6
Auto off
after 8 hours
Cost per hour
2.6p
  • Machine washable

A single underblanket with 6 heat settings and a switch-off after 8 hours. At 100W it costs 2.6p an hour on full heat.

View on Amazon

For the sofa

Beurer HD 75 Heated Throw

Type
Throw
Size
180 x 130 cm
Power
100W
Heat settings
6
Auto off
after 3 hours
Cost per hour
2.6p
  • Machine washable

A 180 x 130 cm throw covers one person sitting down, with 6 heat settings and a switch-off after 3 hours. It costs 2.6p an hour, or about £2.40 a month used three hours an evening.

View on Amazon Manufacturer specs

For working at a desk

Silentnight Snugsie Wearable USB Heated Blanket

Type
Wearable
Size
One size
Heat settings
3
  • Machine washable
  • USB powered

A wearable blanket stays on while you type, so you can keep the room cooler during the working day. It has no automatic switch-off, so turn it off when you get up. It runs from a USB power bank, sold separately, so it needs no socket by the desk.

View on Amazon

What they cost to run

The figures above are at full power, which is the most you would pay. On a lower setting most blankets and throws draw less. Warming a double bed for an hour each night comes to about £5.75 over a 26-week winter.

Costs use 26.32p per kWh, the Ofgem price cap, Direct Debit average for England, Scotland and Wales for 1 October to 31 December 2026. Your own tariff may differ. How we calculate.

Electric blanket and heated throw running costs lists every model we cover.

Heating cost per hour See how a heated throw or blanket compares with an electric heater or gas central heating, per hour.

Using one safely

UK fire and rescue services and Electrical Safety First give much the same advice on electric blankets. For a heated throw, follow the throw's own instructions as well.

  • Follow the manufacturer's instructions for use, washing and storage. Don't use an underblanket as an overblanket, or the other way round.
  • Check it for damage before you first use it each winter, and regularly after that. Stop using it if you see scorch marks or discoloured patches, wires showing through, frayed or worn fabric, a damaged flex, or a connector that is damaged or overheating, or if the control buzzes or smells when it is on.
  • Replace it once it is more than 10 years old, even if it looks fine. If you are not sure about its condition, contact the manufacturer before using it.
  • Don't use a hot water bottle with it.
  • Spread it out flat. Don't use it folded, creased or rucked up, which can make parts of it overheat.
  • Unplug it before you get into bed, unless it has a thermostat control designed for safe all-night use.
  • Keep it dry. Don't use it if it is damp, and don't switch it on with wet hands.
  • Buy new. With a second-hand blanket you can't know its history, and it may not meet current safety standards.
  • Store it rolled or loosely folded once it has cooled, somewhere cool and dry, with nothing heavy on top.

Sources

Checked 15 October 2026.