In the colder months, keeping your home warm with central heating can be expensive with energy costs rising across the world. Electric Blankets are a viable option to keep yourself warm through the chilly months. They are also a great option for keeping energy costs low and to be more efficient with your energy usage.
How much does it cost to use an Electric Blanket?
A large 200W electric blanket can cost as little as 4 cents for every hour used. This compares very well with using other heating methods like central heating or using a standalone heating device like a space heater.
How we calculated the energy cost of using an Electric Blanket
To calculate the hourly cost of running a large electric blanket, we need two pieces of information. First is the wattage of the electric blanket. This refers to the units of energy consumed by the device during operation. Secondly, we need a dollar value for energy costs in the USA.
For the first, we have done an extensive survey of Electric Blanket brands available today. From our research of over 20 brands, a large electric blanket (King/Queen size), comes in at around 240 Watts at most.
For the average electricity cost across the United States, we used data from the US Energy Information Administration. We assumed an energy cost of 17.5 cents per Unit of electricity.
Based on these two data points, the cost of running an electric blanket for an hour is calculated as
Electricity Cost = Power (in kilo Watts) x Electricity Cost per unit
This comes to just over 4 cents per hour using the data from above. For smaller electric blankets like throws or twin size, the cost will be about half of this.
What are the different types of Electric Blankets available?
There are a few different types of electric blankets available today
- Electric Underblankets or Mattress Pads
- Electric Overblankets
- Electric Throws
Electric Underblankets
Electric underblankets are usually available as fitted sheets or mattress pads. They usually go under your bed sheet. The advantage of the underblanket is that your bed will be super cozy as you get into it in the colder months.
Electric Overblankets
Electric Overblankets are a perfect replacement for your duvet or comforter. They have a heating element inside them which works when plugged in. Most overblankets have features like multiple temperature levels and auto shut-off after a set number of hours running to ensure that you are comfortable through the night.
Electric Throws
Electric throws are a great option to use when you are working from home or are watching TV and want to be comfortable. They are usually smaller and use lesser amount of energy than king/queen size blankets.
Which type of Electric Blanket is best to save energy?
When it comes to choosing between an underblanket and overblanket for when you sleep, there is very little difference between them in terms of energy consumption. You should choose one based on your personal preference.
When comparing electric blankets with throws, throws are usually much lower in energy consumption as compared to larger electric blankets. Using an electric throw during the day is a great way to save on heating costs.
What should I look for in an Electric Blanket for saving energy?
Modern electric blankets come with a host of features that make them even more energy efficient. Some of the most important ones you should be looking for are
- Multiple Temperature levels
- Auto shut-off Timer
- Dual Control Units
- Temperature sensors
Multiple temperature levels
Having multiple temperature levels available ensures that you can change up this setting depending on how cold you are feeling on the day. Some blankets now come with upto 10 different temperature settings which provides fine grained control.
Auto shut-off timer
Most electric blankets have an auto shut-off feature which means that the blanket will stop heating up after a set number of hours of operation. This safety feature ensures that in case you fall asleep or leave the blanket without switching it off, it shuts off automatically. This prevents any over heating and also saves you any unnecessary energy costs.
Dual Control Units
Larger heated blankets (queen or king size) are usually available with two control units, one for each half of the blanket. This can ensure that different users of the blanket can heat it up as per their need. This also saves you from any unnecessary energy cost if half of the blanket is not needed to be heated.
Ambient Temperature Sensors
An ambient temperature sensor within an electric blanket detects the room temperature and then heats up accordingly. This means that you do not have to search for the right temperature setting. However, this is an advanced feature and may not be available on most electric blankets.
Electric Blankets – Electricity Consumption of Different Brands
To help you make an informed decision when you purchase your electric blanket, we have compiled statistics related to many major electric blanket brands
- Abemala Electric Blankets – Running Cost and Electricity Consumption
- Bearhug Electric Blankets – Running Cost and Electricity Consumption
- BeautyRest Electric Blankets – Running Cost and Electricity Consumption
- Caromio Electric Blankets – Running Cost and Electricity Consumption
- DuoDuo Electric Blankets – Running Cost and Electricity Consumption
- Eheyciga Electric Blankets – Running Cost and Electricity Consumption
- Sealy Electric Blankets – Running Cost and Electricity Consumption
- Serta Electric Blankets – Running Cost and Electricity Consumption
- SunBeam Electric Blankets – Running Cost and Electricity Consumption
- Tefici Electric Blankets – Running Cost and Electricity Consumption
- Woomer Electric Blankets – Running Cost and Electricity Consumption
