Electric Blanket vs Space Heater: Cost Compared

The short answer

Heating yourself is far cheaper than heating the room. An electric blanket or heated throw costs pennies an hour; a portable heater costs many times more.

The numbers

Work out the figures for your own appliances and rate with the electricity cost calculator.

Side by side

When each makes sense

• Going to bed: an electric blanket warms the bed before you get in, so the bedroom itself can stay cool.
• On the sofa: a heated throw keeps you warm while you sit still for an evening.
• A room several people use, or you move around: some room heat is unavoidable. Heat one room with the door closed, and only for as long as needed; how much a space heater costs to run explains the sums and the safety rules.

The picks in detail

Use them safely

• Follow the maker's instructions, including whether a blanket may stay on while you sleep.
• Check for wear, scorch marks or damaged cables before each winter, and stop using a damaged one.
• Never fold an electric blanket while it is on, or use it with a hot water bottle.
• Keep space heaters at least three feet from anything that can burn, plug them directly into a wall socket and never leave one running unattended.

Mistakes to avoid

• Heating the whole flat to sit in one chair.
• Leaving a heated throw on when you get up. Use the timer.
• Using a throw as a bed blanket if it is not designed for that.

Working it out yourself

Find the wattage on the label of each product. An electric blanket may use well under 100 W, while a fan heater can use 2,000 W. Multiply kilowatts by hours by your unit price. At the UK price cap rate of 26.32p per kWh, a 2,000 W heater on full costs about 53p an hour; at the US average of 18.2¢, about 36¢.

Safety

Check electric blankets for wear, scorch marks or damaged wiring before each winter, and replace any that are damaged or very old. Do not fold or crease them when in use, and follow the maker's instructions on leaving them on overnight. Keep space heaters three feet from anything that can burn and plug them straight into the wall.

The best of both

Use a heater briefly to take the chill off a room, then switch to a heated throw or blanket. You stay warm for a fraction of the cost.

Which should you choose?

Use a blanket for the bed, a throw for the sofa, and room heat only where you must. For the bigger picture on bills, see what uses the most electricity at home.

How we chose

These are research-based recommendations: we compared published specifications, maker documentation and the features that matter in a small home. We have not tested them hands-on. Most picks are types of product rather than single models, so the buttons open the retailer's results; compare a few listings before you buy, in your own country's store.