They used to be the preserve of frugal maiden aunts and draughty guesthouses, but no more. This winter, there’s a new breed of electric blanket on the High Street that is high-tech, wonderfully cosy and not in the least bit embarrassing to own.From ones you can wear to the one that replaces your duvet, there’s something for everyone. They could even help cut your heating bills because they can safely keep you toasty all night, meaning you can turn off the central heating. So, with temperatures set to dip to minus 10c in parts of the UK this weekend, CHARLOTTE KEMP tested ten of the best. Less than 1p to heat for three hours. Yes, on a 40c wool programme. You have to stretch it back to its original size when damp. The electric blankets of old were strictly for bedtime, but now you can get smaller blankets like this heated throw to keep you snuggly on the sofa or at your desk. For people like me — married to a skinflint who turns the heating on only for high days and holidays — this is revolutionary.
I work from home, which usually means dressing for the Arctic. But within minutes of putting this electric throw on my lap, I’m taking off my body warmer and fingerless gloves. Level five, the hottest setting (approximately 36c) is too cosy — I’m in danger of falling asleep at the keyboard.The more ambient level one (about 21c) is perfect. The lead is 13ft long and it turns itself off after three hours. Dreamland Sleepwell heated double duvet, £99.95, dreamlanduk.co.uk Just 1p to heat all night long. Dreamwell Sleepwell heated cotton duvet Machine washable and you can tumble dry it, too. A heated duvet is my idea of heaven and my husband Tom’s idea of hell. He doesn’t even like a hot water bottle, but I’m hoping he won’t notice we’re ‘plugged in’ because this looks and feels just like a normal cotton duvet (you can use it all year round with or without the power on).You put your duvet cover over this as normal — the electricity lead pokes through the fastening at the bottom of the cover.
Then you plug it in (at 16ft, the lead is longer than the length of a bed). There are two control panels — one for each side of the bed. It took five minutes to heat up, by which time my make-up was off and I was in my nightie.If Tom complained, I didn’t hear him because I was fast asleep. I thought it was wonderful. Luxury Fitted Electric Blanket, King, £99.95, Scottsofstow.co.uk Less than 2p for 8 hours.: Machine washable at 30c and can be tumble dried. Romance often goes out the window in the winter. Instead, it’s all about survival as we begin the nightly battle of the bedclothes. Well, marital relations may now improve thanks to this dual- controlled heated under-blanket.This goes over the mattress followed by your usual bottom sheet.It took the longest to heat up at around eight minutes, but we both liked the fact there are body and feet zones on both sides that can be adjusted independently using the nine heat settings between 45c and 70c. The electric blankets of old were real energy-guzzlers, but this is cheap to run.
Single washable fleece heated mattress cover, £59.99 (on sale at £32.99) morphyrichards.co.uk Less than 2p a night. Morphy Richards washable fleece heated mattress cover 40c wool cycle. Tumble dry on low heat. My eldest daughter’s attic room is perishingly cold. But I wasn’t sure an electric blanket would be safe because, when I was growing up, you had to make sure it was switched off before you went to sleep. I needn’t have worried.The new generation of wonder warmers cut out automatically if the electrics get too hot. This model, which goes under the bottom sheet, is recommended for children aged from eight years and you can keep it on all night at a low temperature — it goes from 20c to 60c — and takes barely five minutes to warm up.My daughter has never been happier to go to bed. But I couldn’t rouse her the next morning. For teenagers who feel the cold, keep it as a weekend treat or you’ll never get them out of bed. Electric blankets could help cut your heating bills because they can safely keep you toasty all night, meaning you can turn off the central heating, says CharlotteMonogram by Beurer Cosy Electric Cape, £54.99, stressnomore.co.uk 1p for three hours.
Yes, on a 30c cycle, but only up to five times. Not for tumble driers. In the winter, I like to sit up in bed reading while Tom mindlessly watches reality TV or sport downstairs. Now, I can ditch the jumper and dressing gown and drape this heated cape around me. Made of a fluffy, breathable microfibre, it’s soft against the skin and takes a few minutes to heat up.It fastens with three press-studs down the front and you can fasten the sides if you want to create sleeves. The heat radiates from the back section and you soon forget you’re wearing it. When Tom comes to bed, he bursts out laughing and says I look like a spinster.It’s not sexy, but I’m too cosy to care. There are three heat settings (maximum 60c) and it switches off automatically after three hours to ensure it doesn’t overheat — just don’t forget you’re connected to the mains when you stand up. Beurer Heating Pad, £24.99, stressnomore.co.uk Beurer heating pad 1p for three hours. My dad moans that there are three in his bed during winter: him, my mum — and my mum’s freezing feet.
If it’s only your tootsies that feel the chill, slip this heated pad into the bottom of the bed, and your feet will warm up in no time without the hassle of hot water bottles or bed socks. The controller is pretty basic with a clunking switch, but the 12in-by-16.6in pad heats up very quickly and there are three settings from 55c to 75c.The only downside is if you put the pad at the foot of the bed, you can’t reach the controller because of its short lead, although it’s designed to turn off after 90 minutes.The pad is also ideal for relieving arthritis, neck or back tension — and even period pain. 1p to 2p a night. Machine washable on a wool cycle and can be tumbled dried. I’m more of a duvet girl, but for traditionalists who like a top blanket, why not turn up the heat with this electric number? It’s super soft and very economical.It comes with dual controls, which cut out those nightly arguments about temperature settings. There are five settings from 21c to 36c as well as a fast-heat setting — not that it’s really needed because the blanket warms up in under five minutes.
The downside was Tom managed to kick the blanket off in the night because it’s lighter than a duvet, so I ended up cold again. Silentnight Heated Fleece Memory Foam Double Mattress Topper, £99.99, argos.co.uk 2.8p for eight hours on the lowest setting. Only the removable cover. Imagine sinking into a warm bed that moulds to your body and you’ll get a good idea what this topper feels like to sleep on. Silentnight heated fleece memory foam topperThe fleecy cover makes it ultra cosy and the ‘give’ in the memory foam means the body is supported, making it brilliant for those with painful joints who struggle to get comfortable in a normal bed.It comes with dual controls so that couples can choose their own temperature settings. There are also two separate heat zones on each side of the topper — one for the body and one for the feet.I cranked the foot zone up to the max, but preferred a lower heat for the rest of my body.The timer allows you to keep the blanket on from one hour to all night, and because both sides can be on different timer settings, it really is bespoke.