Another special feature is a timer, which means the blanket will turn off after a set number of hours. Similar to the preheat option, this will ensure you don’t get too hot overnight, and it will save electricity, too. The Sunbeam Microplush’s construction is not as nice as the other blankets in this guide—its wires are thick and a bit rigid. The wires are all the more noticeable thanks to the Microplus thin fabric. That said, it does offer a nice preheat feature with a separate button on its well-designed controllers.
For heated blankets intended for use on a bed, I evaluated each blanket before, during and after an approximately 8-hour sleep. Once you turn on your blanket and choose your heat level, electricity flows through internal wires that run evenly throughout your blanket. The wires inside many of the electric blankets monitor temperature and auto-adjust throughout the night to maintain even warmth throughout your bedding. After you plug in an electric blanket, you can switch up the level of heat and the length of time you want to use it with handheld controls. Some electric blankets have an impressive range of 10 heat options.
Regardless of the model or manufacturer, customer reviews indicate that heated bedding has a high rate of defective units. Generally, the reports we saw weren’t safety complaints ; rather, they were reports of bedding that didn’t initially turn on or stopped heating after a short period of use. Most heated-bedding manufacturers sunbeam electric blanket offer three- to five-year warranties on their models; we eliminated any pads or blankets that had warranties under three years. The Cozy Feet is made from ultra-soft material, with excellent stitching along its edges. The edges of the blanket are rolled, so the seams feel as soft and fuzzy as the rest of the blanket.
To counteract this objectivity, we used our infrared thermometer as a diagnostic tool. Because it measures temperature within a two-percent plus or two-degree minus range, we felt confident our reading would accurately reflect a true comparison between electric blankets. We checked the exact temperature at high, medium, and low settings. For blankets with ten settings, we checked the temperature at settings one, five, and ten.
From ease of use and care to cord length, we considered all of these things and more when choosing our top electric blanket picks. After 1 year, the brand will consider any items for return that are defective due to materials or craftsmanship. The retail price for this blanket is higher than any of the other blankets I tried, but it definitely has a much sturdier, longer-lasting feel than any of them, too.
I found there’s a learning curve when you try out any heated blanket. Each controller has different buttons for adjusting the heat level and timer. After reading the instructions, and in some cases watching instructional videos several times, I evaluated how easy it was to turn the blankets on and adjust the heat levels in daylight and in the dark.