Electric blankets are great for warming up a bed or a sofa, but they’re also very effective in reducing your home’s heating costs. (There’s no need to heat the whole house if you’re curled up in bed!) While the basic technology involved in electric blankets hasn’t changed much over the decades – it’s just wiring that heats up pockets through the blanket’s design – safety features and the comfort levels have definitely improved. Here are the electric blankets we like best.
Senses and adjusts
This super-soft blanket from Sunbeam has 10 heat settings to go along with its 10-hour auto-off. Plus, it features a “ThermoFine” warming system that senses and adjusts to provide the blanket with consistent heat. It’s available in seven colors and twin, full, queen and king sizes.
20 heating levels
Degrees of Comfort must have put a lot of thought into this number. It has a longer power cord – 12.5 feet long – so you don’t yank it out of the wall socket during your night fidgeting. Change the auto-shutoff from one hour to 10 hours. And lastly, relax knowing it’s UL certified for safety, lightweight in construction, and – of course- incredibly soft and comfortable.
Smooth and cozy
We’ll confess it’s the smooth flannel material that makes us daydream of using this blanket year-round. There are 10 heat settings to choose from, and an auto-shutoff can be adjusted between one to three hours. Like most of its competitors, it’s machine-washable. Just lay it out to dry.
Micro-thin wires
A soft electric blanket isn’t the anomaly that maybe it was a generation ago. But this number from Perfect Fit tries and succeeds to set a new standard with its soft, micro-plus fabric construction. But here’s what really caught our eye: It has a power supply box that changes standard 120 volt AC current in the home into a safer DC current in the blanket. Plus, the micro-thin wiring is hard to even notice so you’ll think you’re snuggling inside a regular blanket.
Double flannel construction
Shopping for electric blankets sometimes feels like shopping for cars: Each model looks equally compelling and you end the day convinced you should buy a new one now. It’s the same case with this number from Homech. Like its competition, it has 10 heat settings and an auto-shutoff feature. It’s the double-layer flannel though that sets it apart.
Steve Spears is editor of Florida Travel & Life, an online brand that inspires active, affluent travelers, providing them with insider information on discovering the best of Florida. Informative and engaging, the website showcases travel destinations, arts and cultural venues, vibrant dining scenes, recreational activities, the great outdoors and the revitalized real-estate market. He is based in Orlando and counts St. Augustine, Key West and the Gulf Beaches among his favorite destinations in the state.