The Best Electric Blankets
Verified by
Ryan V. Editor-in-Chief
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The Serta Luxuriously Soft Plush wins because it actually ran hot when reviewers measured it. CNN's Michelle Rae Uy pointed an infrared thermometer at eleven blankets and found the Serta was one of only four to reach about 95F on its top setting, which is why she made it her overall pick. It is not just about raw heat. The plush is thick and even on both faces, so it feels warm before you switch it on, and the Queen and King ship two controllers so each side of the bed sets its own temperature. Serta was a winner in three of the seven reviews we read, taking CNN's overall spot, TechGearLab's Editors' Choice and Forbes' best reversible. At about 129 dollars for the Queen it is a premium buy, but it is the blanket that earned the most independent top marks for the thing a heated blanket is supposed to do.
What It Won't Do
The catch is price and settings. At roughly 129 dollars for the Queen the Serta is one of the more expensive blankets here, and because Serta licenses its heated blankets and sells them only through retailers, there is no manufacturer list price to anchor a deal against. Its ten heat levels are plenty in practice, but the value-priced Beautyrest offers twenty for finer control. For a couple who wants strong, even heat and independent sides, those are minor trade-offs, but a solo sleeper on a budget can do just as well for less.
The Bedsure GentleSoft Flannel wins on value because it beat everything in a lab and still costs a third less than the Serta. The Good Housekeeping Institute Textiles Lab ranked it first of twelve blankets and handed it the Good Housekeeping Seal after 74 safety tests, and CNN independently named it Best Budget. The flannel face over a sherpa reverse gave it the softest feel in Good Housekeeping's testing, and the Queen ships two controllers for dual-side warmth. At around 84 dollars it undercuts the premium picks by a wide margin. You give up a few heat settings and some weight, but you are buying the blanket that a rigorous lab rated best overall, for budget-blanket money.
What It Won't Do
The Bedsure asks for two small compromises. It has six heat levels rather than the ten to twenty on the premium blankets, which is enough for most people but less precise. And the flannel-and-sherpa build that makes it so cozy is also heavier and bulkier than a thin plush throw, so it is better as a top-of-bed blanket than a layer under a duvet. One quirk to know: Amazon lists this SKU as Ribbed Flannel while Bedsure markets it as GentleSoft flannel, so match the model before you buy.
Who Should Buy Which
Serta Luxuriously Soft Plush Electric Blanket
CNN's tested overall pick, one of the few blankets that actually ran hot in the lab
- Couples who want independent heat on each side of the bed
- Anyone who cares most about strong, measured heat output
- Sleepers who want a thick, even plush on both faces
- Buyers who want a blanket that won top marks across several tests
- People comfortable paying a premium for the top pick
Bedsure GentleSoft Solid Flannel Heated Blanket
The Good Housekeeping lab's overall winner, and it costs far less than the premium picks
- Budget shoppers who still want a lab-tested, Seal-winning blanket
- Anyone who wants the softest flannel-and-sherpa feel for less
- Couples who want dual controllers without the premium price
- People who want a cozy top-of-bed blanket rather than a thin layer
- Buyers who trust the Good Housekeeping Seal