I just discovered a heated duvet is a thing – I'm so impressed it's convinced me to rethink using an electric blanket

Dreamland has just launched something I've never seen before, a heated duvet that could be the answer to cold winter nights.

As Ideal Home's Sleep Editor, I've tested multiple heated throws and electric underblankets for my guide to the best electric blankets to shop. I've also tested a whole host of duvets for our guide to the best duvets. But I've never before seen the two combined into a heated duvet, and I think it's a genius idea.

It's a simple concept, but then all of the best ideas usually are. The Dreamland Love Mornings All Season Heated Duvet looks like a regular duvet, but hidden inside is the brand's Intelliheat technology.

This means that you can plug the duvet in, and in five minutes it will heat up to help you beat the winter chill.

It was averaging around 0°c at night when Dreamland sent me a sample of the newly launched heated duvet to test out, so you better believe I was quick to get it out of its bag and onto my bed.

At first glance, the cotton cover and polyester-filled duvet looks and feels like any normal duvet. It was only when I scrunched it up that I could feel any hint of the wires hidden in the filling.

This didn't surprise me, as after testing numerous Dreamland electric blankets – like the Dreamland Snowed In Dual-Control Heated Mattress Protector – I've always found them to be the most comfortable and user-friendly heated blankets on the market.

However, there are many bonuses to opting for this heated duvet over an electric blanket. I think the biggest is that, unlike an electric blanket, you can use this heated duvet on top of a memory foam mattress, without affecting how the memory foam performs.

Many people think a memory foam mattress is the best mattress they've slept on, and that's partly because of how well this material responds to body heat. As our body warms the memory foam it moulds around us to cradle and cushion our joints.

However, if you add an electric blanket over the top, you're warming the entirety of the mattress surface, and you lose some of that cocooning comfort. Not so, if you have this Dreamland heated duvet over the top of you instead.

Even better, if you share a bed, Dreamland has cleverly designed this heated duvet to cater to both sleepers. The duvet has six temperature settings, and if you opt for the double or king size the duvet comes with dual controllers.

This means you can make your side of the bed as cosy as you like, whilst your partner can choose to have their side of the duvet on, off, or at a different warmth level to you.

Seeing as hot sleepers and cold sleepers seem destined to pair bond, this is a great way to ensure everyone gets their best night's sleep. And to save on bedtime fallings out over the controls!

Worried about washing a heated duvet? You needn't be. Just like how to clean an electric blanket, it's easier than you might think. The Dreamland Love Mornings All Season Heated Duvet is machine-washable at 30°c on a delicate cycle, and can even be tumble-dried on a low setting.

Plus, if you're hoping to save money on your energy bills this winter, each side of this heated duvet uses just 150W of energy. You can find out more about how much an electric blanket costs to run in our guide, but that means that based on current average energy prices, this winter warmer could cost from just 4p per hour to run.