With three heat settings and a pre-heat switch so you can get straight into a warm bed, you don't have to worry about getting too hot either as they incorporate an overheating protection facility. Unlike electric blankets of old, these electric under blankets are elasticated, so are simple to fit over your bed – and even when the electric blanket is off you'll still be sleeping on soft, fleecy luxury. Shop premium brands like Dreamland for heated under blankets that slip over your mattress and under your sheets for your cosiest and warmest sleep yet. Why use an Electric Blanket?

If you ever wondered how it feels to sleep on a cloud, we imagine this is the closest you’ll get. This wonderfully soft Mustard Heated Throw by Dreamland is just right for snuggling under on a chilly evening, and with its detailed Herringbone Pattern, looks super-stylish draped over the sofa too. Note that dual control under blankets are plugged in on both sides, meaning they can use double the electricity versus those with a single control. How we test electric blankets

Given the current economic climate, it’s understandable that you may be looking for more cost-effective ways to stay warm and save on your heating bill. Electric blankets can come in handy here, as they're becoming increasingly more energy efficient. What's more, when you don't fancy being swaddled in warmth, it looks great on the sofa or bed too as a decorative throw so you can use it all year round. Under blankets operate a bit like mattress toppers and tend to come with elasticated straps or as a fitted sheet, so you can secure them to your bed and drift off on top of them. Many can run for up to eight hours at a time, so you stay warm all night long. Over blankets and throws All the electric blankets on our list come with varying heat zones and settings – some include extra foot warmth too. The throw has an auto shut-off feature which can be set for 1, 3 or 9 hours, as well as an automatic safety function that constantly monitors its temperature when operating, so you can use it with complete peace of mind. Safe to use in the washing machine and tumble dryer (with the cord removed) so it stays super-soft and fresh, this cosy blanket can also be stowed in its handy storage bag to stop it getting dusty.

We also tested an electric blanket, which buttons up, allowing you to wear it like a poncho to retain heat. Aside from the extra design features that make them wearable, these ponchos operate in an almost identical manner to electric throws, with a range of temperatures and a timer. Electric blanket features Dreamland’s heated throws are so popular with our customers year after year – they’re fast becoming everyone’s go-to way of keeping warm when the cooler days and evenings are approaching, and it’s easy to see why. With super-soft to the touch material that just makes you want to snuggle up underneath it, this Dreamland Emerald Heated Throw is styled in a luxurious, deep emerald colour with a stitched herringbone pattern to add a sophisticated finish. This is a heated blanket that will not only make you feel good, but it’ll look good while doing it. She also loved how stylish the blanket looked initially too, noting how easily it fitted in with her other decor.With a plush, soft-to-the-touch texture, and its availability in a range of rich colours, the Dreamland is a winner when it comes to style. Our tester found that the herringbone design felt modern too and that the emerald green colour looked expensive: "I think it looks very stylish and it doesn’t look out of place in my rented flat." Aside from their cosiness, one of the main benefits of heated throws is their energy efficiency. Unlike central heating, which can be expensive and wasteful, heated throws only heat up the area they cover, so you can save money on your energy bills while you still feel warm and comfortable. There are other budget-friendly solutions to consider too, like a hot water bottle, but the advantage of an electric blanket is that you can heat up a larger area and control how long it stays hot for. At the Good Housekeeping Institute, our experts made up a double bed to test each electric blanket on, measuring how evenly temperature was distributed as well as whether the warmth fluctuated or remained consistent over an extended period of time, across different heat settings. We measured energy consumption, too. In contrast, over blankets are meant for curling up under; they’re a more versatile choice as you can use them on the sofa or even at your desk if you work from home. Some even resemble a fleecy blanket, which not only feels extra soft against the skin, but will look good in your living room if you want to leave it out. Throws tend to have shorter operating times though – most we tried time out after three hours. Wearable electric blankets or heated ponchos Dual controls will also let you adjust settings during the night without disturbing your partner. Blankets that have these – often size double and upwards – will have left and right zones, so the settings can be customised if there are two of you in the bed. Are electric blankets safe?

Sometimes we can be hesitant to wash something with an oh-so-cosy texture for fear of losing some of that softness. However, our tester had no issues at all when washing the blanket. Under blankets, for example, can run for up to eight hours, so you could opt for this at night instead of central heating, while a throw can keep you warm while working from home.While your heated blanket warms your bed before you even step in, it can also help to maintain your body temperature throughout the whole night. This can help you remain in a deep and relaxed sleep, stopping you from being woken up during the night with chilly toes! Where the blankets had dual controls, we also looked at how accurate the settings were on each side and if there was any temperature crossover when the settings were different. With six heat settings, you can switch between modes and find the one that suits you. We're impressed it had this many settings - some cheaper blankets only offer around three, so it's a good choice if temperature control is high on your list of priorities when shopping for a blanket.