In terms of usability it was all fairly straightforward, and the elasticated skirt meant no faffing about with straps. Every electric blanket we've tested uses polyester wadding to soften and protect the cables, which our hot sleepers found could make them overheat compared to their usual natural material-filled mattress toppers. Rather than strapping onto the mattress like most heated under blankets (and being sized far smaller than the mattress surface area) this option works like a fitted sheet, with a skirt that attaches to your mattress and a quilted upper that covers the whole of the mattress surface, whether you opt for the single, double, king, or super king. There’s a timer as well, between one and nine hours, so if you do want it on that little bit longer while you fall asleep, you can make sure it switches off in the early hours. This is because the experts we spoke to agreed they were the best option, and said a high tog duvet and a warm pillow should be sufficient to keep you snug at night.

If you want a heated throw that's going to add a touch of luxe to the living room, whether it's keeping you warm or just draped over the sofa, then this faux fur heated blanket could be the one for you –just don't delay as it's selling out fast. We also found the cable length from blanket to control a little too short to operate comfortably once in bed. The heat didn’t feel quite as potent as the Mylek, though depending on your preferences, that’s not necessarily a problem.

In comparison to a strapped-on under blanket, the over blanket could be positioned between the duvet and bed sheet to warm up the bed and get things toasty, and then whipped off once the chill had gone from the bed, making for a better night's sleep. While health benefits shouldn’t be exaggerated, you might find if you suffer from a condition like arthritis or poor circulation that an electric blanket can alleviate some of the pain. I found this in many ways the best blanket, mainly because the fluffy sheepskin-style fleece isn’t thick at all – and bedsheets are easier to attach and keep flat on a thinner electric blanket. Attach it to your mattress via its straps or elastic skirt, place your sheet over it, and then make your bed as usual. That said, if warm feet are high on your agenda, then this electric blanket is still well worth considering.

If the washing machine safe symbol is listed, you should ensure the blanket is unplugged and wash on a gentle cycle in cool to warm water using a mild detergent. On thinner under blankets you may be able to feel the wires a little underneath your body, but many modern designs offer quilting to add more cushioning. Number of temperature settings–budget models tend to offer 3 temperature settings, and in our experience it can be hard to settle on one that's just right. The best thing is the even warmth-distribution, right down to your feet (in fact it’s slightly warmer at that end), and the softness of the machine-washable fleece.Here’s what I found after several nights testing the best electric blankets, starting with my favourite. Plus, with the cost of running an electric blanket on full power coming in at well under 5p per hour, an electric blanket could well be a sound financial investment that will help you to save money whilst staying warm. Based on the above example, running an electric blanket will cost you around 24p a night (based on 8 hours of use). If your dryer does not have a low heat setting, skip this step and simply air dry the blanket from the start as high temperatures can damage the electric wiring inside the blanket. You could of course use it to heat up your bed, but it would move around as you toss and turn, since it doesn’t have attachment straps.