Why an electric blanket makes sense
Heating the bed rather than the bedroom is one of the cheapest ways to stay comfortable on a cold Irish night. Most electric blankets draw somewhere between about 60 W and 150 W depending on size and setting, while a 2 kW plug-in heater uses that much power in a few minutes. Pre-heating the bed for half an hour costs a cent or two, which means you can leave the bedroom radiator lower and still get into a warm bed.
We have not yet added an electric blanket to our catalog, so the models below link to Amazon.ie search results. Below them we cover the features that matter, what a night costs, and how to use a blanket safely.
Electric blankets worth considering
Electric underblankets
Links open an Amazon.ie search filtered to items sold & dispatched by Amazon.ie. Availability changes.
- Search Amazon.ie
Silentnight Dual Control electric blanket (king)
A king-size underblanket with a separate controller for each side, each with three heat settings, plus overheat protection and detachable controllers so the blanket can go in the washing machine. It fits with elasticated straps. Ideal for couples who disagree about how warm the bed should be. Downside: Silentnight sells several dual-control versions and at least one (Yours & Mine) has no timer, so check the listing; at about 150 × 160 cm it warms the sleeping area rather than the whole mattress.
- Search Amazon.ie
Dreamland Sleep Tight (double)
A fleecy-topped underblanket, which Dreamland calls a mattress warmer, with elasticated straps, an LED controller with four heat settings and a 9-hour automatic shut-off. It is machine washable once the control is detached, and the fleece adds cosiness of its own. Downside: the fixed 9-hour cut-out is the only timer, so you cannot set it to switch off after 30 minutes, and listings vary between single- and dual-control versions of the double.
Alternatives: overblankets and heated throws
Links open an Amazon.ie search filtered to items sold & dispatched by Amazon.ie. Availability changes.
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Dreamland dual control heated overblanket (double)
Sits on top of you, under the duvet, rather than under the sheet, which some people find warmer and easier to arrange on a deep mattress. Irish retailer listings show six heat settings, a timer with auto shut-off and machine-washable fabric at about 180 × 180 cm. Downside: it is one more layer to straighten every night, and you lose the heat from below that many people like.
- Search Amazon.ie
Silentnight Luxury Heated Throw
A 120 × 160 cm heated throw for the sofa, with nine heat settings, a two-hour auto shut-off and machine-washable fabric. Useful for keeping warm in the evening without heating the whole living room. Downside: it is a sofa throw rather than a bed blanket, so check the manual before using it in bed, and it only warms whoever is under it.
- Search Amazon.ie
Dreamland Intelliheat heated throw
Dreamland’s heated throws are typically 160 × 120 cm, with several heat settings, auto shut-off (selectable 1, 3 or 9 hours on some models) and fleece that is machine washable and tumble-dryer safe; one Irish retailer lists a model at around 150 W. Downside: features and fabrics vary widely across the range, so check the size, timer and wattage on the specific listing.
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How they compare
| Silentnight Dual Control (king) | Dreamland Sleep Tight (double) | Dreamland overblanket (double) | Heated throws | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Underblanket | Fleecy underblanket | Overblanket | Sofa throw |
| Approx. size | 150 × 160 cm | 120 × 150 cm | 180 × 180 cm | 120 × 160 cm |
| Controls | One per side | Single or dual (check listing) | Dual | Single |
| Heat settings | 3 per side | 4 | 6 | Varies (up to 9) |
| Timer / auto-off | Varies by version | Fixed 9-hour auto-off | Timer with auto shut-off | Auto shut-off (2 hours on the Silentnight) |
| Machine washable | Yes, controllers detached | Yes, control detached | Yes | Yes |
What it costs per night
Multiply the wattage by the hours of use and your unit rate. At the average Irish urban rate of around 32c per kWh at the time of writing, the numbers are small. Rated wattage is the maximum: on lower settings, and once the thermostat starts cycling, a blanket uses less.
| Use | Power | Energy | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-heat one side for 30 minutes | 60 W | 0.03 kWh | about 1c |
| Pre-heat a dual-control double for 30 minutes | 120 W | 0.06 kWh | about 2c |
| One hour on a larger blanket | 150 W | 0.15 kWh | about 5c |
| All night (8 hours) at full rated power, all-night models only | 120 W | 0.96 kWh | about 31c at most |
| Heated throw for a three-hour evening | 150 W | 0.45 kWh | about 14c |
| For comparison: 2 kW heater for one hour | 2,000 W | 2 kWh | about 64c |
Pre-heating the bed every night for a 150-night winter at about 2c a time comes to around €3 for the season. That is why an electric blanket, combined with a cooler bedroom, is one of the most cost-effective comfort upgrades in an Irish home. For the bigger picture on heaters, heated airers and draught-proofing, see our winter home essentials guide.
Choosing the right blanket
Underblanket or overblanket? An underblanket goes on top of the mattress, under the fitted sheet, and warms you from below; it is the most common type and easiest to forget about once fitted. Follow the manual on where it sits in relation to a mattress protector or topper. An overblanket goes on top of you, under the duvet, and some people find it warmer. Fitted “mattress warmer” styles with a skirt stay put better on deep mattresses.
Size. Match the blanket to your bed: standard Irish and UK sizes are single (90 × 190 cm), small double (120 × 190 cm), double (135 × 190 cm), king (150 × 200 cm) and super king (180 × 200 cm). Underblankets are usually shorter than the mattress, covering roughly shoulders to feet, which is normal. Check the strap or skirt depth if you have a deep mattress or topper.
Dual controls. For couples, a separate controller for each side is the single most useful feature: one person can have it on high while the other has it off. It also lets someone sleeping alone in a double heat just their side, which halves the running cost.
- Timer and auto-off: a short timer (30 minutes to an hour) lets you pre-heat and drift off. A fixed 9-hour cut-out is a safety backstop, not a substitute for a timer.
- Heat settings: three is the minimum; more settings give finer control. A fast pre-heat or boost setting is handy on cold nights.
- Machine washable: look for detachable controllers and follow the care label. Make sure the blanket is completely dry before you reconnect it and switch it on.
- Overheat protection: standard on reputable models and worth confirming on the listing.
- Controller display: if you are sensitive to light at night, look for a dim or switch-off display.
Fabric. Fleece tops feel warm and soft straight away; cotton or polyester feels cooler and suits anyone who overheats. For a sofa, a heated throw is often a better buy than a second blanket, and much cheaper to run than heating the living room for one person. We only link to items sold and dispatched by Amazon.ie, for the reasons in why we only list Amazon.ie stock.
Using an electric blanket safely
Electric blankets are safe when they are in good condition and used as the manual describes, but old or damaged blankets are a known cause of house fires. Irish fire services repeat the same advice every winter, and it is worth following to the letter.
- Inspect it before each winter for scorch marks, fraying, worn fabric, and creased or kinked wires. If the controller buzzes or smells of burning, stop using it.
- Store it rolled, not folded, and never use it folded, creased or rucked up.
- Never use it with a hot water bottle, and never buy or use a second-hand blanket.
- Switch it off before you sleep unless it is designed for all-night use with thermostatic controls.
- Replace it after about ten years, as Dublin Fire Brigade advises, even if it seems fine.
- Check who will use it. Manufacturers warn against use by young children, and by anyone who is insensitive to heat or unable to work the controls.
Our winter home essentials guide has more on safe use of heaters, heated airers and blankets.