August 31st, 2010 by Shaun Day

With the summer months over, it’s time to start worrying about staying warm in the winter. If you’re anything like me, then the cost added to your bills can cause sleepless nights, no matter how warm you are. One good way to ensure a good night’s sleep with both comfort and peace of mind is to invest in an electric blanket. Heated bedding is a very efficient method of heating; for under 1p per hour you can keep snug and toasty in a warm bed (based on a double blanket at the standard domestic rate). Still thought of by some people as old fashioned and dangerous, electric blankets are resurgent in popularity thanks to new features making them more comfortable and incredibly safe – just so long as you know what to look out for when buying one. Here are some of the newer features available:

Pre-heating Some blankets have a pre-heat facility – this can be used to ensure that the blanket is at optimal temperature before you get into bed. Depending on the price of the blanket, you can get standard pre-heat, which warms the bed in around one hour. You can also get ultra fast pre-heat on the better models, which can warm the blanket to optimum temperature in 10 minutes or less.

Dual Controls If you’re sharing a bed and thinking of getting an electric blanket, then it might be worth looking at those blankets that feature dual controls. This simply allows you to set each side of the blanket to a different heat level, which is perfect if your partner prefers a warmer or cooler bed to you.

Safety Features Electric blankets have gotten bad press in the past due to safety problems. That’s why you want to make sure you buy a blanket with the latest safety features. Essential features include auto-shutoff, which turns the heater off if a fault occurs to prevent overheating and a timer, which automatically shuts the heater off after 12 hours.

Cleaning Some blankets are washable, others aren’t. Make sure you know what your blanket can handle before putting it in the washing machine or for that matter, letting it anywhere near water! As always, I hope these tips come in helpful – have a warm and cosy winter!