The best electric blankets to keep you warm, tested

Score: 92/100

There’s no doubt about it, this under blanket is an outstanding winter warmer. On test, it distributed heat evenly across its soft, fleecy surface on all temperature settings, even after extended use.

It only took five minutes to heat up and fitted our double mattress with minimal effort. It barely shrunk after washing either.

It also has built-in foot warmth, but you can’t adjust its settings and the control isn’t the easiest to read at night. Overall, though, this high-quality blanket costs little to run and would make a comfortable addition to any bed.

Score: 91/100

Most electric throws we’ve tried have safety cut-off times after about three hours, but not this one – it runs for up to nine hours, so you can doze off peacefully and stay snug all night.

It’s just as soft as its name claims, and testers found it very lightweight, which is ideal if you don’t want a heavy layer on top of your duvet. Plus, it comes in three chic colours, so you can find one that matches your décor.

This blanket doesn’t waste any time either, heating up in under five minutes. Its digital screen makes selecting one of its six settings easy, but while warmth was fairly evenly distributed, it took the temperature a while to stabilise. This could be down to its Intelliheat technology, which monitors your body temperature and the temperature of the room to continuously keep you and your bed at the same cosy level – impressive, right! It maintained its high quality after washing, too.

Score: 89/100

Swap your usual blanket for this heated throw and enjoy extra warmth for up to three hours at a time. Ideal for sitting on the sofa with, it drapes comfortably across the body and feels velvety-soft to touch. Plus, it was one of the best on test for even temperature distribution, while the controls are intuitive and it’s easy to wash.

It’s not as cost effective as an under blanket – on test, the throw cost 3.2p for three hours while our winning blanket costs a similar amount for eight hours – but it was the most energy efficient throw we tried. So, if you’re after a blanket for daytime use, this is a worthwhile buy.

Score: 89/100

This soft cotton under blanket slips easily onto your mattress and will bring you warmth all night long. In the lab, it heated up in just five minutes, so you don’t need to worry about getting into a chilly bed. It has two controls, three timers, and six settings, bringing flexibility too.

The heat was well distributed, especially on the higher settings, and it was fairly stable too. The wires were a little noticeable when lying on them, so it may not be for light sleepers, but the topper emerged from the washing machine in pristine condition. It’s a great bedroom addition.

Score: 88/100

With double the controls comes double the energy usage, but this electric blanket still only costs 3.4p to run per night.

Nine settings (including foot warmth) and easy-access controls mean both you and your partner should drift off happily, while the padded design also adds some extra cushioning to your bed (similar to a traditional mattress topper).

It proved reliable too, taking a respectable 15 minutes to heat up with minimal temperature fluctuations, although we found the right side wasn’t as effective as the left.

Score: 87/100

Thanks to its herringbone detail, this electric throw will look the part whether it's draped over you or your sofa. We found it was a great size to snuggle under, providing ample coverage, while its thick, velvety finish was soft against the skin.

Heating up in just seven minutes, there was minimal temperature fluctuation for the full three hours, and heat distribution was best on the lowest setting. It also washed well, maintaining its luxurious feel.

Score: 85/100

This is a simpler electric blanket design than some, with three temperature settings, but it’s still just as cosy thanks to its soft, fluffy material. It stayed securely on our mattress and distributed heat well, especially on its lowest setting. It was a little less even on the higher settings (and it took over an hour for the temperature to stabilise), but nothing that would be noticeable at night.

It washed well too, although it’s a bit fiddly removing the controls and the fluffy topper flattened a little afterwards. But these are small niggles, especially as it will likely sit underneath a bedsheet. It should still bring plenty of warmth to your bed – and for a much lower price than many, making it our best value under blanket.

Score: 85/100

This great value under blanket was a top scorer on our dual control tests; it kept a steady temperature all night on both sides, even when we varied the temperatures. Plus, the controls are easily accessible.

Patience is required though, as it takes 30 minutes to get to temperature and with only three settings and no foot warmth, it’s not the most advanced buy.

As is the case with all dual control options, it’s more expensive to run, so you may not want to keep it on all night. But given its affordable price, we were impressed with its performance (it also washed well) and comfortable design.

Score: 84/100

For a won’t-break-the-bank throw that can move from your bed to the sofa and back, look no further. It's designed to keep you warm in bed, but it does time out after two hours, making it best suited to an initial injection of heat before you fall asleep.

Testers liked the soft, fluffy blanket, which boasted a quick eight-minute heat-up time and even temperature distribution with minimal fluctuation. It has nine warmth settings, straightforward controls and is machine washable – but we’d suggest taking care when washing as testers found it hard to stretch out fully afterwards.

Score: 81/100

Here’s one for those whose feet feel the chill most. It scored full marks for its extra foot warmth option, reaching a toasty temperature while the rest of the blanket stayed on its lowest setting.

It’s a speedy heater too, warming up in just 10 minutes (although this was longer than the advertised five minutes) and it distributed heat impeccably, even on the warmest of its nine settings.

The temperature wasn’t as stable as most we tested, but its controls are simple to use and it washed well. It didn’t cost much to run overnight either.

Score: 80/100

This well made blanket comes with some thoughtful design features, including the ability to position its control on either side of the bed.

Our expert was also impressed with its even heat distribution on all three heat settings, although the temperature fluctuated during prolonged use. Its straps are fiddly to use and there’s no timer, but it will shut off if it gets too hot. Overall, it's a reliable budget buy.

Score: 77/100

You’ll find lots of bamboo bedding in our buying guides, but this is the first heated under blanket that we’ve tried with the fabric. It's a perfect fit though, as it’s naturally anti-bacterial, moisture absorbing, and super soft.

Our experts liked the construction of the blanket, how easy it was to secure to our test mattress, how smoothly it sat and how well it washed. And it has a fast preheat function, which got the blanket to temperature in just five minutes. When you’re in less of a hurry, it takes 12 minutes.

As for its actual warmth, the six settings give you good scope to personalise it, but it wasn’t the most even or stable we tried. The controls aren’t the easiest to access when you’re in bed either. But, thanks to timers, you shouldn’t have to touch them once it’s on, and it should still deliver all the cosiness needed to send you to sleep in no time.