Heated Blankets, Throws and Warmers: Which One Keeps You Warm?

For the sofa, pick a heated throw; for bed, a heated mattress pad or electric blanket; for cold feet at a desk, a plug-in foot warmer; and for your back on the couch, a heating pad. A hot water bottle covers all of these with no cord. In the U.S., look for heated bedding tested to UL 964.

Match the warmer to where you are cold

Most people buy one heated product and then try to use it everywhere. Each type is built for one job, and the timer on it tells you which.

If you are buying one item for a cold house, a heated throw is the most flexible. It warms you on the sofa in the evening and can warm the bed for a few minutes before you get in, as long as you switch it off when you settle down.

Heated throws and electric blankets

Heated throws and electric blankets work the same way: fine insulated wires run through the fabric and a control sets the heat. The difference is size and how long they are meant to run. Our best heated blankets guide compares throws, full-size blankets and dual-control kings for couples who like different temperatures, and our heated blanket sizes guide matches a blanket to your mattress, from a twin XL dorm bed to a queen with two controllers.

The buying checks are the same for both:

• A testing lab mark. UL 964 is the U.S. standard for electrically heated bedding, and its scope covers blankets, throws, mattress pads and foot warmers.
• An auto shut-off that suits how you will use it.
• Washable fabric. Sunbeam’s manual says machine wash cold on a gentle cycle and tumble dry low.
• A cord that reaches without running under a mattress or through sofa cushions.

Heated mattress pads

A heated mattress pad goes on the mattress under the fitted sheet. Heat rises through the bed, so your usual quilt or duvet stays on top and nothing heavy sits on you. In larger sizes, a dual-control pad gives each side of the bed its own control, so one side can run warm while the other stays off. Our heated mattress pads guide covers sizes, fitting and care.

Foot warmers, heating pads and hot water bottles

Not every cold spot needs a full blanket. A plug-in foot warmer warms both feet at a desk or on the sofa; our heated foot warmers guide compares pockets, heated mats and rechargeable warmers, and says who should skip one. On the couch, a heating pad puts heat on your back or lap, and the microwavable kind needs no cord at all. For a bigger spread of warmth, see our guide to large heating pads, and for your shoulders, our guide to microwavable neck warmers. A covered hot water bottle is the simplest of them all, and works in a power outage.

Washing and storing heated bedding

Heated bedding lasts longer when it is washed and stored the way the maker says. Sunbeam’s manual says to machine wash its heated products cold on a gentle cycle and tumble dry low, and warns against commercial or laundromat dryers because they run too hot.

The same manual warns that folding or bunching a heated product while it is switched on can cause excessive heating, so spread it flat while it is in use. Out of season, let it cool, fold it loosely and keep it somewhere dry, with nothing heavy stacked on top.

Safety comes before features

The safety rules matter more than wattage or fabric. Sunbeam’s heated bedding manual says not to use its heated products on infants, young children, people with diabetes, or anyone who is insensitive to heat, and to keep pets away from them. The NIDDK advises people with diabetes not to put a heating pad or hot water bottle on their feet, and to wear socks in bed if their feet get cold.

Electrical Safety First, a UK charity, says to replace an electric blanket at ten years old, or sooner if the fabric is worn, scorched or discolored, wires show, or the cord or control is damaged. Our guide to whether heated throws and electric blankets are safe covers the warning signs in detail.

Heated guides in this section

Best heated blanketsThrows, full-size blankets and dual-control kings compared.

Are heated throws safe?Who should skip them, and when to replace one.

Heated foot warmersPlug-in pockets, heated mats and who should skip them.

Hot water bottlesHow to choose one, fill it safely and tell its age.

To warm your back or lap on the couch, compare microwavable and electric heating pads or read about large heating pads; for shoulders, see microwavable neck warmers. To scent a cozy room with no flame, see our guide to wax melt warmers. For warmth without a plug, see our throw blanket guide and warm socks guide.