After washing, bring the electric blanket to its original shape and preferably lay it flat on a clothes horse. In addition, the heated underblanket must not be wrung out, tumble dried, mangled or ironed. Also, look out for the practicalities. How long are the cables? How does an underblanket attach to the mattress? Are the controls positioned where you can get to them? These are usually simple plastic modules attached by a cable to the side of the blanket, but some are removable to make the blanket easier to wash or clean. Being machine-washable is clearly a good thing, and some blankets can be tumble-dried. 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.

Before getting started, it is important to know that using a electric blanket is not recommended if you have certain health problems. More detailed information can be found in the instructions for use.The Homefront offers dual control, which helps save on energy. The LCD control pad was simple to use and, on top of choosing which side you want to heat, you can also differentiate between body and legs, with nine different temperature settings for each. Better blankets have elastic skirting but cheaper models use straps, which can be fiddly. More timing options and heat settings can also make a difference. The best electric blankets let you set different temperatures for your upper and lower body (since feet tend to get colder). If you sleep with a partner, look out for the dual control function, which allows one side of the bed to heat up independently to another.

Dr Stanley says switching on an electric blanket around half an hour before bed should make it perfectly cosy to get into, letting you drift to sleep naturally, but you should set it to turn off some time after you nod off. All the blankets I tested were able to warm up the bed in 30 minutes or less, costing less than 3p at today’s prices. What makes a good electric blanket If you sleep with a partner, look into dual controls so you can each control your own side of the bed. You might also want the option of a timer to help with energy saving (though electric blankets are pretty low cost to run all night anyway). High-resistance wires – these days often made of carbon fibre – heat up as an electrical current passes through them. The heat is transferred via fireproof plastic coating to the bedlinen itself. Your blanket will come with a plug (or two if it’s dual-control), which usually extends to around a metre or so. Attach it to your mattress via its straps or elastic skirt, place your sheet over it, and then make your bed as usual. Make sure your duvet fully covers the bed so as not to dissipate the heat. All electric blankets warm your bed, but they differ in how long they take to heat up and how much control you have over the temperature. Some take under five minutes to warm up, while others take substantially longer. That’s not necessarily a problem if your blanket has a timer and your bedtimes are regular, but it’s worth thinking about. The electric blanket has six heat settings that cost between less than 1p and 8p per hour to use, and three timer options of one, three or nine hours. It connects to a mains plug but has dual control so you and anyone you share a bed with can control your own heat settings.But perhaps the biggest incentive is the high cost of electricity. At the time of writing, a typical 2000W electric heater in your bedroom could cost 68p an hour to run. By contrast, a 100W electric blanket would cost less than 4p. Key specs – Type: Polycotton mattress cover blanket; Heat settings: 9; Controls: Single/dual; Off timer: Yes; Dual settings: On double, king; Safety: Overheat protection; Dimensions: 90 x 190cm (single), 135 x 190cm (double), 150 x 200cm (king)

Blankets come in two basic types: heated mattress covers or pads that sit on top of the mattress but beneath the sheets, warming you and the duvet from below. Meanwhile, an overblanket slips inside your duvet cover to keep you cosy from above – some versions replace your duvet entirely. The idea of waking up in the middle of the night on fire isn’t exactly going to (excuse the pun) warm you to the idea of buying an electric blanket, and so many people are put off buying one due to safety concerns. However, electric blankets are perfectly safe as long as you buy from a respected brand and retailer. What’s more, the generous padding and 180-thread cotton count cover give you a luxury feel even when the heating’s off. Put it all together and you’ve got a terrific topper for the cold months, but one you might want to keep in place the whole all year round. First, you need to decide whether you want an electric blanket, which sits between your mattress and bedsheet, or an electric throw, which can be used for sleeping under or snuggling under on the sofa. That’s the first way to narrow down your search. Other things to consider are material, which could be fleece, polyester or velvet, for example, and size meaning single, double or king. The best electric blankets you can buy in 2023 1. Silentnight Comfort Control Electric Blanket: Best low-cost electric blanket

There were nine settings for feet and body, ranging from boiling-hot nine to barely noticeable one; four or five was optimal for me. The timer has four settings: one, five, eight and 12 hours. There’s something luxurious about this 100 per cent cotton Dreamland electric blanket, a far cry from the cheap polyester feeling of some brands. Unlike others on this list, there’s no elasticated skirt or straps, instead it relies on a rather effective anti-slip grip on the underside. Set your washing machine to a particularly gentle cycle at 30°C and use a mild laundry detergent. To ensure the heated underblanket has a long life, it should not be washed too often. Instead, remove small marks by hand.

Then, via the control pad (or your smart phone) you switch it on, and choose between heat settings and – on the better models – select a time. How safe is an electric blanket?verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ The blanket straps to the mattress securely with a corner tie and Silentnight claims it’s fine for use with memory foam mattresses. It’s also machine-washable at 40˚C. The Comfort Control isn’t the longest blanket, so it might not keep your tootsies warm, but otherwise it’s great. If you don’t want extras such as specially heated zones or dual controls, why pay more? Here’s what I found after several nights testing the best electric blankets, starting with my favourite. (And if you’re looking for other ways to improve your sleep this winter, you could consider upgrading your pillow next). How does an electric blanket work? This one also avoids a lot of the usual underblanket pitfalls: it’s big enough to cover most of the bed; the deep, elasticated skirt stops it riding up during the night; there’s no cold central zone between the two regions, and any wires are nicely unobtrusive. There’s a super-king size available and you can even wash it at 30˚C. The Homefront is a blanket with a mid-range price tag but one that works and feels like a high-end option. As the winter cold sets in, an electric blanket could just be the friend you need. Unlike the heavy covers your grandmother used to inflict on you, the best electric blankets these days are soft and light, with wires you’ll barely notice – and thankfully much safer and affordable, too. The top brands like Silentnight, Dreamland and Slumberdown are just as comforting as a weighted blanket (the currently popular sleeping aid), but they keep you warm and, some say, can also alleviate muscle aches and joint pains.