SALES of electric blankets have rocketed as we look for clever ways to save on heating bills.
Consumer site MoneySavingExpert.com says it costs around 4p an hour to run one of the blankets, which could be cheaper than trying to heat your house.
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Online retailer OnBuy.com revealed that sales increased by 1,350 per cent during just one week in September.
Liam Tickner, home manager for the site, said people are looking for ways to keep warm rather than heating their entire homes. He added: “This is a savvy and cost-effective way to stay warm and save money during the winter months.”
But which will keep you feeling cosiest – and for how much?
Lynsey Hope tries out some of the best and rates them out of ten.
- Price per hour based on energy tariff from October and using all blankets on highest setting available.
Bedsure Electric Heated Throw
£56.99, amazon.co.uk
Cost per hour: 4.6p
A NICE soft throw that heated up pretty quickly. This can reach 40C in just 35 minutes.
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It was lovely and warm to drape over you while chilling on the sofa or in bed.
It has soft flannel fabric on one side and fluffy sherpa on the back, which made it extremely soft.
The only downside is it seemed to attract flecks of dust, so sometimes it looked a bit messy.
It has six heat settings and ten timer settings. It will also automatically shut off after eight hours.
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Lakeland Fairisle Print Heated Throw
£79.99, lakeland.co.uk
Cost per hour: 5.4p
“I loved getting warm under this super-cosy Fairisle-printed throw.
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“It looks stylish and love that it costs pennies to run. I’ve used it on the sofa, while in bed and even had it draped over me while working from home.
“The soft and thick fleecy material is lovely.
“It has nine temperature settings allowing you to choose the right level of toastiness.
“You can also set a timer and, for safety, it has built-in overheat protection that will turn the throw off automatically if it gets too hot.
“Reasonably energy efficient compared to others.”
Silent night Yours and Mine Dual Control Electric Blanket
£55, silentnight.co.uk
Cost per hour: 3p per hour
“Each side of the bed is controlled independently and you both have your own remote with three heat settings.
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“I was impressed with how quickly it heated up with even warmth and no hotspots.
“It’s also machine washable at 40C and comes with a three-year guarantee. Great value for money.
“Even better, keep it on the lowest heat setting for six hours overnight and it will only cost you 1p to run, helping to keep energy bills down.”
Russell Hobbs Fitted Sherpa Blanket
£64.99 for a double, currys.co.uk
Cost per hour: 3p
“This is made with soft Sherpa fleece for extra warmth and comfort and will keep you toasty on the coldest nights.
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“It has six settings and dual control so you can have it warmer one side than the other if you and your partner prefer different temperatures.
It can be attached to the mattress so that you sleep on top of it and features overheat protection for safety.
“I was surprised when I saw it was less than £65 for a double, I thought it was going to cost a lot more.
“It feels very good quality, and is energy efficient, too.”
Aldi Easy Home Under Blanket
£49.99, aldi.co.uk
Cost per hour: 8.1p
“I thought this was a good quality blanket at a great price.
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“It has six heat settings but be although it is advertised as having ten pre-set timer settings, it doesn’t – it shuts off after ten hours.
“But it gets lovely and warm and doubles as a thick mattress topper so was very comfortable to sleep on. It was easy to fit and has dual control
“It’s 240 watts so will cost about 8p an hour to run.
“That’s more than most others but still cheaper than having your heating on.”
Vonhaus King-size under blanket
£64.99, vonhaus.com
Cost per hour: 8.1p
“This secures to your mattress to stop any movement and keep you warm all night.
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“It has three different heat settings and easy to use dual remote controls.
“But it took a while to get to the right temperature and I found I had to have switched up to number three to feel really warm.
“It is machine washable and is also protected by automatic overheating shut-off.
“It’s comfortable to lay on and reasonably good value for money but it is less energy efficient than others.”
CozyTek Deluxe Navy Blue Heated Throw
£36.99, onbuy.com
Cost per hour: 2p
“A real bargain here. It’s soft and warms up within minutes.
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“Made of 100 per cent polyester and measuring 160cm by 120cm, the fleecy material is soft to touch and machine washable at 40 degrees.
“It has a fast heat up time and is also the most energy efficient we tested, costing just 2p an hour to run.
“The detachable controller is easy to use offering nine heat settings.
“Plus its Safety Overheat Protection will automatically turn it off after three hours.”
Beurer monogram blanket
£85 for a double, dunelm.com
Cost per hour: 2.7p per hour
“This fits to your mattress to keep you cosy through the night. I was a bit worried I’d be able to feel the wires, but you can’t.
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“It’s soft and cosy and seemed to be extra warm around the foot area, which is great as cold feet often keep me awake at night.
“It only took about six minutes to reach the right temperature.
“The blanket is soft and cosy and it feels quite luxurious plus it fitted the bed well.
“It is pricey to buy but very energy efficient to run, costing just over 2p an hour.”
Be safe
NEVER leave an electric blanket switched on when you’re in bed unless it’s marked “suitable for all night use”.
Many now have an automatic cut off and will turn off in case you forget, but old ones might not.
Ensure your blanket is tested in accordance with the manufacturer’s guidance, in particular after the guarantee runs out.
Check the blanket, plug and flex regularly for damage including fraying fabric, scorch marks, exposed wires and if in any doubt don’t use it.
Ensure you follow the manufacturer’s guidelines when you store them as many need to be rolled and not folded.
