The best electric blankets and heated throws in the UK, ranked by cost per night
A 120 W electric blanket costs 3.2p an hour and about 25p for a full night at the Ofgem cap — roughly a sixteenth of a 2 kW heater. Every blanket below shows its cost per hour, per night and per month from the wattage on its Amazon.co.uk listing.
Quick answer: the cheapest way to be warm in winter
An electric blanket is the cheapest electric heat you can buy: 60 W to 150 W against 1,500–2,500 W for a room heater. At 26.32p/kWh that is 1.6p to 3.9p an hour, so a full night under a 120 W double under-blanket costs about 25p and a month about £7.60 — before the thermostat cycles it off, which it does most of the night.
For a bed, the Silentnight Comfort Control (double) is the UK default for a reason: 36,000+ reviews, 120 W, machine washable. Couples should pay for a dual-control model (Silentnight Dual Control or the fitted Homefront king). On the sofa, a heated throw at 120–150 W — Silentnight, Dreamland or the Mia&Coco best-seller — replaces a heater for one or two people.
Electric blankets heat the person, not the air, which is why their running cost is in pence rather than pounds. The wattages below come from each product's Amazon.co.uk listing or manufacturer text; where the seller publishes no wattage we say so rather than guess.
The figures assume the blanket runs at full power all night. In practice most have a thermostat and an auto-off timer (usually 1–12 hours), so a typical night uses less than the worst case shown.
Legal noticeOnly buy an electric blanket that carries a UK safety mark (BEAB Approved or an equivalent CE/UKCA declaration) and has an auto-off timer. Replace any blanket older than about ten years or with a frayed cord — Electrical Safety First and the London Fire Brigade both link old electric blankets to house fires.
Our picks
#1Best overall under-blanket
Silentnight Comfort Control electric under-blanket, double (135 × 120 cm)
Silentnight
3.2pRunning cost per hour
TypeUnder-blanket
Power120 W
Settings4 heat settings, fast heat-up
CareMachine washable
The best-selling electric blanket in the UK by a distance: nearly 37,000 reviews and a 4.4 average. Four heat settings, a new digital controller and tie-down straps.
Silentnight's own line is '1p per hour'; at the current cap a 120 W blanket is 3.2p an hour at full power, and the thermostat gets it close to their claim once the bed is warm.
Best for: a double bed with one sleeper or a couple who agree on temperature. Skip it if: couples who argue about heat — see the dual-control version.
Silentnight Dual Control electric blanket, double (137 × 150 cm)
Silentnight
3.2pRunning cost per hour
TypeUnder-blanket, dual control
Power120 W
Controllers2, one per side
CareMachine washable
Two controllers, one per side, so each half of the bed has its own setting. Same fleece and heat-up as the Comfort Control, with a larger 137 × 150 cm cut.
At 120 W total the whole blanket still costs about 25p a night at full power, so running one side higher than the other changes very little.
Best for: couples with different temperature preferences. Skip it if: single beds.
Homefront fitted electric blanket, king size, dual control (152 × 203 cm)
Homefront
3.9pRunning cost per hour
TypeFitted under-blanket, dual control
Power150 W
Settings9 body + 9 foot settings per side, 10 timers
CareMachine washable
A fitted mattress cover rather than a tie-down blanket, with a 40 cm skirt that stays put. Each side has its own controller with nine body settings, nine separate foot settings and a timer.
The most feature-rich blanket here. 150 W makes it 3.9p an hour, about 32p for a night at full power.
Best for: a king bed where you want it fitted like a sheet. Skip it if: anyone who prefers a simple three-setting dial.
Slumberdown Luxury electric blanket, double, 9 heat settings
Slumberdown
3.2pRunning cost per hour
TypeUnder-blanket, multi-zone
Power120 W
Settings9 heat + separate foot control
SafetyBEAB Approved, 2-year guarantee
The one blanket on this list that states a BEAB approval on the listing, with a removable fleece cover and a controller that lets you heat the foot zone more than the body.
Single controller, so it suits one sleeper or a couple who share a setting.
Best for: cold feet — the foot zone runs warmer than the rest. Skip it if: couples who want independent sides.
Dreamland Snuggle Up electric throw, velvet plush, 6 settings
Dreamland
3.9pRunning cost per hour
TypeHeated throw
Power150 W
Heat-up5 minutes (Intelliheat)
Settings6
Dreamland's Intelliheat throws are the ones that warm up in about five minutes rather than fifteen, and the velvet plush is the softest fabric on this list.
150 W is the highest here, 3.9p an hour, which is still a rounding error next to a heater.
Best for: people who want warmth immediately when they sit down. Skip it if: the lowest possible running cost — pick a 120 W throw.
Dreamland Hunker Down electric blanket, double, Scandi sherpa
Dreamland
3.9pRunning cost per hour
TypeOver-blanket, double
Power150 W
Controllers1
CareMachine washable
The highest-rated blanket on this page (4.7). A thick sherpa over-blanket for a double bed with Dreamland's fast heat-up; the brand quotes 1p an hour per control.
At 150 W full power our figure is 3.9p an hour and about 32p for a night — the thermostat is what brings it towards their 1p.
Best for: a luxurious over-blanket for the bed or a big sofa. Skip it if: under-the-sheet use.
Cost = wattage ÷ 1000 × hours × 26.32p/kWh (Ofgem cap, 1 Oct – 31 Dec 2026, GB average). 'Per night' is 8 hours at full power; 'per month' is 30 such nights. Blankets with a thermostat cycle off once warm, so real use is lower.
Wattages are taken from the Amazon.co.uk listing (title, technical details or the seller's description). If a listing publishes no wattage we mark the cost as 'not published by the seller' rather than estimate it.
How we chose
Published wattage — the one number the running cost depends on.
A UK safety approval and an auto-off timer on every pick.
Machine-washable, with a detachable controller.
Separate picks for under-blankets (bed), dual control (couples) and heated throws (sofa).
How much does an electric blanket cost to run per night in the UK?
A 120 W blanket on full for 8 hours uses 0.96 kWh, which is 25p at the Ofgem cap of 26.32p/kWh. A 60 W single is about 13p and a 150 W king about 32p. Most blankets have a thermostat and auto-off timer, so a real night usually costs less.
Is it cheaper to use an electric blanket or an electric heater?
The blanket, by a factor of ten to twenty. A 2 kW heater costs 52.6p an hour; a 120 W blanket costs 3.2p. Over an 8-hour night that is £4.21 against 25p. The heater warms the whole room; the blanket warms you.
Can I leave an electric blanket on all night?
Modern blankets with a thermostat and auto-off timer are designed for overnight use — check the manual for the specific model. Never use a blanket that is creased, wet, damaged, or more than about ten years old, and do not use an under-blanket with a memory-foam mattress unless the maker says it is allowed.
What is the difference between an under-blanket and a heated throw?
An under-blanket (or heated mattress cover) goes between the mattress and the sheet and is tied or fitted so it stays flat. A heated throw goes over you on the sofa or on top of the bed. Throws are usually 120–160 W and single-person sized; under-blankets are 60–150 W depending on bed size.
How many watts is an electric blanket?
Singles are typically 40–60 W, doubles 100–120 W and kings 120–150 W; heated throws 100–160 W. The wattage is printed on the controller label and usually on the product listing. We only show a running cost where the seller publishes it.
Do electric blankets have a safety approval in the UK?
Look for BEAB Approved (the Intertek mark) or a UKCA/CE declaration with an auto-off timer and overheat protection. Of the picks here, Slumberdown states BEAB on the listing; Silentnight, Dreamland and Morphy Richards are UK brands sold through major retailers. Replace old blankets rather than repairing them.
APWritten by André Pires · ELEVA ONLINE LTDA · Updated 2 October 2026
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