How to use an electric blanket - the best way to put one on your bed to keep warm at night

As nights close in and the temperature drops, you might be looking for ways to keep warm at night. One brilliant way to keep cosy is to use an electric blanket on your bed. We’ve put together an easy everything-you-need-to-know guide on how to use an electric blanket here.

The best electric blankets will keep you snug and warm on chilly nights. There are fleecy ones that are more like toppers, and slim ones that feel imperceptible between you and the mattress. A top tip is to look for ones that have auto shut off timers so you don’t overheat.

I’ve spent two years testing electric blankets and throws, so I know more than my fair share about how to use an electric blanket, and how to get the best out of your electric blanket. I pulled together my insights, and spoke to some industry experts for their advice too.

How to use an electric blanket

An electric blanket is a pretty simple piece of kit, and they’ve been around for years. These go on top of your mattress and warm your bed. This is unlike an electric throw, which you put on top of you or on your sofa to keep you cosy at other times.

‘Electric blankets use an insulated wire/heating element which is inserted into the fabric that heats up when plugged in and switched on,’ says Holly Castle, Brand Manager at Slumberdown. ‘Electric Blankets has a temperature controller, which sometimes features a timer or dual aspect, which is used to control the amount of current entering into the heating elements of the blanket.’

How to put an electric blanket on a bed

To use an electric blanket properly, follow these steps from Holly at Slumberdown:

1. Open the electric blanket out fully and lay it flat on the mattress, allowing space for the pillows.
2. Position the blanket so the mains lead is at the pillow end of the bed.
3. Pass the elasticated straps underneath your mattress to secure the blanket in place.
4. When the blanket is fitted securely, connect the mains lead to the electric blanket’s socket.
5. Make sure the mains lead isn’t too stretched. To detach the mains lead, just lift the flap on the blanket’s socket and pull gently.
6. Cover the electric blanket with a mattress topper or fitted sheet and you’re ready to go!

‘An electric blanket can be used with a mattress topper, if this is something that you prefer and can make it feel more comfortable,’ says Holly from Slumberdown. ‘But generally, electric blankets are quite fleecy and comfortable and designed to soften the element part of the blanket.’

So if you’ve forked out for the best mattress money can buy, you should still feel the benefit of your lovely mattress under the electric blanket.

‘Make sure the electric blanket is placed down as flat and neat as possible, with the wires at the correct areas,’ says Evie Clark, Home Buyer at Lakeland.

There are some things you need to watch out for though.

‘An electric blanket shouldn’t be used with sofa beds, inflatable beds or water beds,’ says Holly from Slumberdown.

A lot of people like to use an electric blanket to warm up your bed before you get in. So if you can plan ahead then switching it on before you slip between the sheets is a good idea. But they don’t take too long to warm up if you forget to do this.

‘Ideally, switch on about 30-60 minutes (depending on how toasty you want it) before you plan on going to bed,’ says Holly from Slumberland. ‘This makes sure the bed is warm and toasty and can help to take the edge off particularly cold nights.’

But there’s no set rules about when to switch it on. ‘This is personal preference,’ says Evie from Lakeland. ‘Some like to pop it on for a little while before getting to bed so it’s lovely and warm as soon as jumping in, others prefer to slowly warm up.’

As for how long to leave it on while you’re in bed, it’s advised to switch it off before you drift off. Some blankets you can set a timer for. ‘You shouldn’t use your electric blanket while asleep in the bed, instead use it to heat your bed up before you get into it. This is for your comfort and safety,’ says Holly from Slumberland.

How to stop an electric blanket from moving overnight

If you move around a lot at night, go for an electric blanket that has elasticated straps that secure it to the bed. In all my days of testing, these haven’t failed me at keeping it secure.

‘Often electric blankets will come with a fastener that helps to keep it in place either at the edges or straps that go under your mattress,’ says Holly from Slumberdown. ‘Depending on how much you move around, it might be that you do have to reposition every few days, but this is really easy to do.’

How to use a heated throw in bed

An electric throw is designed to snuggle on top of you while you’re awake. You could pop it on top of your duvet before you get into bed maybe, but it’d be better to switch on an electric blanket as if you have a good duvet, it will keep the heat locked in better.

‘An electric throw is a blanket that goes over your duvet, but we do not recommend you sleep with it on,’ says Holly from Slumberland. ‘The benefits of it is that you still get the warmth and can also use it in other parts of the house should as the sofa. It is one to have on while in bed, perhaps reading or watching tv but like your electric blanket, we recommend switching off before going to sleep.’

Our favourite electric blankets

FAQs

Do you sleep under or on an electric blanket?

An electric blanket goes on top of your mattress, under your sheet. The controls dangle out of the sheet and then a wire goes to these to a plug.

You may be getting electric blankets and electric throws confused. An electric throw is generally fleece or faux fur, and goes on top of your duvet or you can snuggle it under on the sofa or while you’re working.

How long should you sleep with an electric blanket?

There’s no hard and fast answer to this. There’s nothing to stop you sleeping with your electric blanket on, but you may find you overheat. Many electric blankets have auto shut-off settings on the control, so you can set it to go off after 30 minutes, say.

The are many safety precautions to keep in mind when using an electric blanket, so don't take any shortcuts and heed the experts advice.