It is freakin’ cold out there. (Source: I am in Illinois, where the high temperature today was 12 degrees Fahrenheit and it felt like 6.) Sometimes it feels like my furnace can’t keep up, but luckily, I have several heated blankets around. I’ve tested them for our best heated blankets buying guide, and a few of my favorite picks are on sale right now. They’re easy to use, safe, machine-washable, and most important, they can keep you toasty warm even if winter is still keeping your locale in its icy and terrible clutches.
Check out our related buying guides, like the Best Down Comforters, the Best Pillows, and the Best Mattresses, for more upgrades to your cozy winter setup.
Bedsure Solid Flannel Electric Blanket for $90 ($31 off)
This is my favorite budget heated blanket, and now it’s even more accessibly priced. It’s reversible, with one plush side and one fluffy sherpa side (the blanket is made of polyester). It has a short cord with a blue light that indicates the current mode. There are 10 color options, four size options, 10 heat cycle options, and an automatic shutoff timer that maxes out at 10 hours. The best part, though, is that this blanket has a preheat mode. I love turning it on when I shower at night so my bed is nice and warm when I get in. It’s a good, basic, machine-washable option to have in the living room for movie nights and lazy Sundays, too. If you get one discounted heated blanket based on this story, it should be this one.
Gotcozy Heated Throw Blanket for $27 ($13 off)
Photograph: Louryn Strampe
This affordable blanket is great to have around if you want something that’ll warm up your lap on the couch. It’s too thin to feel substantial, but it still adds a layer of warmth that is pleasant on its own or over another throw blanket. It has four heat levels and automatically shuts off after three hours. It heats up quickly, is machine washable, and comes in 11 colors. Most of them are on sale at this price. We tested the throw version, and it’s available in bigger sizes (though it’ll still be on the thin side). It won’t replace your regular living room bedding lineup, but it might add something you’ve been missing.
Bedsure GentleSoft Heated Blanket for $46 ($25 off)
Photograph: Louryn Strampe
Bedsure
GentleSoft Heated Blanket
This heated blanket has a ribbed texture that makes it feel thick, and that texture helps mask the internal heating components and wires that are sometimes easy to notice in non-textured blankets. It’s soft on both the polyester and sherpa sides. There are 27 colors and patterns to choose from, it’s lightweight, and it offers 10 heat settings with automatic shutoff timers that run up to 10 hours. It’s also machine-washable. It takes a little longer to heat up than some other blankets, but not so long as to be inconvenient. If you want more interesting colors or patterns, this blanket is worth checking out.
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