With chilly weather starting to creep in for the fall season, now’s the best time to invest in a cozy heated blanket to keep near your bedside or sofa as temperatures drop. After spending weeks testing some of the industry’s most popular models, our team crowned a list of the best heated blankets that are safe, comfortable to snuggle-up with and easy to wash. Our top pick, the Beautyrest Plush Electric Blanket, is lightweight yet plush, with a plethora of settings to choose from and a UL safety certification that offers peace of mind.
Safety comes before everything—even comfort—when deciding on the right heated blanket. According to Susan McKelvey, communications manager at the National Fire Protection Association, it’s crucial to buy and use heated blankets that have been certified by an independent testing lab, like UL Solutions or Electrical Testing Laboratories. “[It] ensures that the product meets established safety standards,” she says, which is important with all heat-producing products. With this safety guidance at the forefront, these are our top picks for the best heated blankets, including a variety of materials, usability needs and more.
Our Top Recommendations
- Best Heated Blanket Overall: Beautyrest Plush Electric Blanket (Queen)
- Best Reversible Heated Blanket: Serta Heated Blanket (Queen)
- Best Lightweight Throw Blanket: Sunbeam Heated Throw Blanket
- Best Cozy Heated Blanket: Westinghouse Warming Blanket (Queen)
- Best Heated Blanket For Outdoors: Cozee Battery Powered Heated Blanket
Best Heated Blanket Overall
Incredibly Plush And Lightweight With 20 Different Settings
Beautyrest Plush Electric Blanket (Queen)
Best for:
- Having a variety of heat settings to choose from
- Warming up quickly
- All homes, including those with smart outlets
Skip if:
- You’re bothered by the feel heating coils through the thinner material
With a large number of customizable heating settings—ranging between 85 and 105 degrees—it’s no wonder that Beautyrest’s heated blanket is such a crowd-pleaser, and our first-hand testing confirmed as much. This versatile blanket is made of plush (but lightweight) Oeko-Tex certified polyester fabric. The design is available in a dozen colors and five sizes, from a personal throw to a roomy king-size blanket. (Note that unlike the smaller sizes, the queen- and king-size blankets have two controllers—an appealing feature for couples with differing temperature preferences.)
Managing editor Emmy Favilla, tested the Beautyrest Heated Blanket extensively during a frigid New York City winter. “It's a lovely plush microfiber blanket,” she says. It has a light to medium weight, which she claims works well given its 20 heat settings. “It’s also easy to layer over other blankets without getting too sweaty,” according to Favilla. Moreover, she appreciates that its lightweight design makes it easy to carry around the house or drape over while working in an office chair.
Beautyrest’s blanket also includes important safety features, like an auto shut-off that can be enabled after one to 10 hours of use. The brand claims that each product undergoes 78 independent safety tests, surpassing the requirements of Underwriters Laboratories (UL), the third-party organization who grants hard-earned certifications assuring that products meets strict safety standards.
The only downside we came across during testing is that, because the blanket is on the thinner side, the feeling of the inner coils can be noticeable for some. Favilla noticed it most commonly when adjusting the blanket or grabbing at it, “but you certainly don’t notice them otherwise,” she says.
Best Reversible Heated Blanket
A Two-Sided Blanket From A Trusted Sleep Brand
Serta Heated Blanket (Queen)
Best for:
- Use far away from an outlet (long extension chord)
- Accommodating different weather (reversible design)
- Having a fast heat-up time
Skip if:
- You’d like a long controller chord
Serta is a long-respected American sleep brand best known for its mattresses, but its bedding is equally as noteworthy, like the Serta Heated Blanket. It’s almost like a two-in-one accessory, in that you can choose between a luxe fleece side or a fluffier sherpa one, depending on your preference or the weather outside on any given day (our tester says that she appreciated that the thicker sherpa material helped to hide the feel of the wires underneath).
Forbes Vetted SEO specialist Dawlat Chebly fell in love with this blanket while she tested it during a snowy winter in New Jersey. “I love this blanket, I’ve had it on every day since I got it,” she says. “I find it difficult to get out of it, especially once it’s gotten toasty warm.”
At 3.3 pounds, this reversible blanket is the right balance between portable and hefty; this means it’s easy enough to wash at home, but it’s not as substantial as a traditional queen-size sherpa blanket. Chebly says it’s the perfect weight, and light enough to walk around with or drape on her back while lounging on the couch.
Many users claim that it’s warm enough without turning it on during those chilly, but not-too-cold days, and they don’t leave it on long since it gets quite warm—and quickly—during frigid nights. According to Chebly, “Levels three or four offer that perfect, just-warm-enough feeling.”
Best Lightweight Throw Blanket
An Ideal Size And Weight For Your Favorite Reading Chair
Sunbeam Heated Throw Blanket
Best for:
- Either a weighted or personal-sized blanket
- Those who’d like a foolproof and easily detachable controller
- Sleepers who’d prefer a quick heating mechanism
Skip if:
- You’d like a bed-sized blanket or thicker choice
Not everyone likes a heavy blanket—and that’s particularly true when it comes to a heated accessory, where you’re already bound to feel quite warm. If that sounds like you, Sunbeam’s Heated Personal Throw may fit the bill.
Tester Luke Fater cozied up with this blanket when the weather outside was hitting single-digit temperatures. He finds it exceptionally warm, but with a lightweight design and smaller footprint that makes it an excellent personal blanket. “I am very grateful to have this blanket at my disposal,” Fater says, noting that it distributes heat quickly and evenly with simple controls (there’s just one button and five corresponding lights to indicate which heat level you’ve selected). “It takes under a minute for the blanket to heat from room temperature to its highest temperature setting, which I appreciate,” he says.
This blanket is ideal for folks who need a no-frills, foolproof option; It offers only four heat settings and a four-hour automatic shut-off timer, though, there are a dozen different colors to choose from. Just keep in mind that the blanket has an especially lightweight nature, which may not be well suited to anyone looking for a thicker, more luxurious feel.
Best Cozy Heated Blanket
A Luxuriously Thick Flannel Material With A Long Power Cord
Westinghouse Warming Blanket (Queen)
Best for:
- Those who’d like a plush, cozy flannel material
- Can stay on all night, if desired
- Long power cord
Skip if:
- "Slippery" material that might slide off of the bed or couch
If you’re looking for an extra-plush blanket, this pick is worth checking out. It’s made with double-sided flannel that deputy editor Jane Sung praises for its coziness and luxurious qualities. “I love that the blanket is lightweight, so soft and very easy to use, and that it comes in a range of sizes,” she says.
Like our top recommendation, the Beautyrest Heated Blanket, the larger sizes of this option have two controllers, ideal for couples who prefer different temperatures and want to keep each controller pre-set. It also features ten heating levels, so you can customize it to your liking—all the way up to a toasty 125.6 degrees—as well as a 12-hour auto shut-off. Although Sung notes that she doesn’t notice a drastic change between the heat levels, she appreciates that the blanket never feels too hot for comfort.
Sung adds that there’s a lot to love about this blanket, especially throw’s size, as she notes it was easy to move around the house with it. Her only gripe is that she could feel the heating element through the cover, “but not in a way that’s bothersome.”
Best Heated Blanket For Outdoors
A Rechargeable Blanket You Can Keep In The Car
Cozee Battery Powered Heated Blanket
Best for:
- On-the-go use outside around the house (no plug-in needed)
- Outside or camping use (water-resistant outer layer)
- Ultra-cold temperatures
- Those who’d like attached USB ports
Skip if:
- You’d prefer a lightweight choice (it’s the heaviest blanket on our list)
- You’d like a bed-sized blanket
For an electric blanket that can keep up with an active lifestyle, the Cozee’s aptly designed, battery-powered blanket is a rechargeable pick that features an all-weather exterior, Mylar insulation and a heat-reflective inner shell. Not to mention, it can last over three hours on low power and up to two hours on high. These features make it perfect for sitting on the sidelines of your kid’s game or enjoying a crisp morning on the porch—no need to plug it in while you’re on the go.
The blanket comes with a carrying case and both a wall charger and a car adapter, so you can keep it powered up when you take it on fall or winter camping trips, for example. Due to its cordless design, though, the blanket doesn’t provide continual heat like a traditional electric blanket; instead, it cycles through bursts of warmth and then idles at a lower power level, relying more on your body heat (with the help of its construction) to maintain warmth levels.
That said, Forbes Vetted audience development director Spencer Dukoff finds it more than adequate, praising the blanket’s warmth, plushness and array of accompanying accessories. “I am pleased with how the blanket distributes heat—everything feels well-balanced and consistent,” he says. Dukoff also points out that the blanket is easy to machine wash, and it comes with two USB ports so you can conveniently charge your phone right from your blanket.
His favorite feature overall was the Cozee’s portability. “We have a back deck that I often want to use, but am deterred by being too cold in low temperatures,” he says. “This blanket allows me to enjoy our fire pit, read, have morning coffee and find other ways to enjoy my backyard in the winter.”
The only downsides he noticed during testing was that the battery pack attached to the blanket is bulky and heavy, which can weigh part of it down. Also, he cautions users to keep in mind that the blanket is water-resistant, not waterproof, which is important to note when taking it out on outdoor adventures.
We’ve spent countless hours researching and testing mattress and sleep products. When it comes to blankets in particular, we’ve published a variety of in-depth guides, including weighted blankets, wool blankets and throws.
Thermee Micro Flannel Electric Heated Blanket: Kim Peiffer, features and special projects director at Forbes Vetted, tested this Thermee model for just a matter of weeks before it became totally inoperable, refusing to turn on. She was also somewhat concerned about potential safety issues involving the highest setting—the fabric seemed to get overly hot.
The Biddeford Comfort Knit Electric Heated Blanket: Our tester says she could feel the wires within this blanket too much, leading to a subpar comfort level. It felt more like an “old-school” electric blanket than a cutting-edge, newer product.
Bedsure Fleece Electric Blanket: Our tester notes that you can actually feel the wires on top and underneath this blanket, and it’s generally not as technologically advanced as other blankets on our list.
To find the best heated blankets, we leveraged our team’s own firsthand testing experience and considered a wide variety of factors, including materials, safety features and certifications.
Consider the following factors when shopping for heated blankets, which includes material type, size and safety certifications.
Most heated blankets are made of polyester, a versatile material that offers numerous benefits, including a soft texture, good heat retention, ease of cleaning and fire resistance. Thicker fleece designs make for great heavier winter blankets, while thinner microfiber polyester can fold more easily and may be a better all-season option. Outdoor options like Cozee’s battery-powered blanket might also include heat-reflective and weather-resistant materials, as well as added insulation.
Heated blankets typically come in sizes ranging from personal throws (around 50 by 60 inches) to spacious king-size designs (about 90 by 100 inches). Keep in mind that once you reach queen sizes, the internal heating wires are often divided into two separately controlled sections. This can be convenient to set your individual temperature preferences if you’re sharing, but might be inconvenient for those simply seeking a large bed blanket.
When it comes time to relax and get cozy, the last thing you want to do is fumble around with complicated controls. We recommend checking the blanket’s controller and looking for for easy-to-read displays and easy-to-use buttons that allow you to find your ideal heat setting without fuss.
We also recommend looking at a blanket’s number of heat settings. Typically, pricier blankets will include upwards of 15 to 20 settings while more affordable options only have three to four.
However, keep in mind that more settings doesn’t always equal better. In some cases, our testers reported minimal noticeable differences between settings. Instead, look at the manufacturer descriptions for minimal and maximum temperature ranges to ensure it meets your needs.
These days, most heated blankets include important basic safety features like auto shut-offs: Every blanket we recommend above includes this feature between one to 12 hours, depending on the design.
Though keep in mind that, according to McKelvey, you shouldn’t rely on auto shut-off features while sleeping. “It’s important to carefully monitor all heat-producing appliances in your home,” she says. “In order to do that, you need to be awake, which is why we encourage people to turn the blanket off when you go to sleep.”
You can also look for accredited third-party certifications from UL Solutions, Oeko-Tex or ETL Intertek, which help ensure the blanket’s materials meet additional safety and environmental standards.
Once purchasing a blanket—but before first use—make sure to read through its guidelines and operations manual. For instance, you should never dry-clean your blanket, and it’s recommended to not keep it folded while it’s turned on. You may also need to register your blanket to qualify for its warranty protection.
McKelvey also says to ensure your heating blanket is in good working order before each use—which is especially important at the beginning of each season. “Check the wires for fraying or damage of any kind,” she says. “Make sure that the product features that come with the blanket are working properly.”
Excessive pet hair or spills can ruin even the coziest blanket. If you have an in-home laundry unit, check to see if your blanket is machine washable, keeping in mind that even a blanket deemed machine washable can be cumbersome at a certain weight or size. We recommend hand- and spot-cleaning those blankets (or even opting for one with water-resistant properties) to help keep your blanket cleaner for longer in between washes.