Quick answer: An electric blanket uses roughly 50 to 200 watts. A 100 W blanket left on for 8 hours costs about $0.15 a night in the US and 21p in the UK, or about $4.37 and £6.32 a month.
Warming the bed instead of the whole room is one of the cheapest ways to stay comfortable on cold nights.
Electric blanket running costs
| Blanket power | US per hour | US per day | US per month | UK per hour | UK per day | UK per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 W | $0.009 | $0.07 | $2.18 | 1.3p | 11p | £3.16 |
| 100 W | $0.02 | $0.15 | $4.37 | 2.6p | 21p | £6.32 |
| 150 W | $0.03 | $0.22 | $6.55 | 3.9p | 32p | £9.48 |
| 200 W | $0.04 | $0.29 | $8.74 | 5.3p | 42p | £12.63 |
Most single underblankets draw 50 to 100 W, double or king-size blankets and heated throws 100 to 200 W. On a low setting they draw less than their rating.
Electric blanket vs space heater
A 1,500 W space heater uses fifteen times the power of a 100 W blanket. Eight hours of the heater costs about $2.18 in the US and £3.16 in the UK, against $0.15 and 21p for the blanket. See what a space heater costs to run.
Electric blanket cost calculator
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How to use it for less
- Pre-warm the bed for 20 to 30 minutes, then switch to low or off.
- Use a model with a timer or automatic shut-off.
- A heated throw on the sofa lets you turn the room heating down a degree or two.
Safety
- Check the blanket for scorch marks, frayed wires or loose connections before each season, and replace old blankets; many fire safety organisations advise replacing them after about 10 years.
- Do not fold, crease or tuck in a blanket while it is switched on, unless the instructions say it is designed for that.
- Never use it with a hot water bottle, and do not use it if it has been wet.
- Follow the manufacturer’s advice on whether it can stay on all night.
Frequently asked questions
Is it cheaper to use an electric blanket than central heating?
To keep yourself warm in bed, yes, by a wide margin. It does not heat the room, so it works best alongside a lower thermostat setting rather than instead of all heating.
How many watts is a heated throw?
Typically 100 to 160 W on its highest setting.
A real example: a whole winter with an electric blanket
Using a 100 W blanket for 8 hours a night, every night from November to March (about 150 nights), uses 120 kWh. That is about $21.84 for the whole winter in the US and £31.58 in the UK.
Most people only need the blanket on high for 20 to 30 minutes to warm the bed, then on a low setting (often 30 to 50 W) or off. Used like that, the season costs well under half the figure above.
For comparison, turning the whole-house thermostat down by just 1 degree overnight typically saves more than the blanket costs to run, which is why the blanket is such a popular trade.
Choosing a blanket that is cheap and safe to run
- Look for a model with an automatic shut-off after a few hours and several heat settings.
- Choose dual controls for a double bed, so only one side heats if only one person wants it.
- Heated throws (about 100 to 160 W) are a good daytime alternative to a space heater while you sit on the sofa.
- Do not use an electric blanket with a hot water bottle, and never fold or bunch it while it is on.
- Check it every season for scorch marks, frayed wires or loose connections, and replace blankets more than 10 years old.
More questions readers ask
Can I leave an electric blanket on all night?
Only if the manufacturer says it is designed for all-night use, usually on its lowest setting. Many blankets are meant to pre-heat the bed and then be switched off.
Does an electric blanket use more electricity than a hot water bottle?
A hot water bottle uses the energy needed to boil the water once: about 0.2 kWh for 2 litres, less than a blanket on high for two hours. But it cools down, while a blanket stays warm.
Sources
- U.S. Energy Information Administration, Short-Term Energy Outlook.
- Ofgem, Energy price cap.
- Our methodology.