Budgeting: Electric blanket running cost, and can it cut your heating bill?
An electric blanket running cost is low, a tiny amount per night, because it warms your bed rather than the whole room. In a worked example, it costs about 5 a winter, against about 60 to heat the bedroom overnight.
By Wealtie Team · 3 min read
Key takeaways
- An electric blanket's running cost is low because it warms the bed, not the room.
- In a worked example, it costs about 5 a winter, against about 60 to heat the bedroom overnight.
- Warming the bed before you get in uses very little energy.
- Check blankets regularly and replace old or damaged ones for safety.
What is the electric blanket running cost?
Very low. An electric blanket uses a small amount of electricity to warm your bed directly, rather than heating the air in the whole room. Most people switch it on for a short time before bed, then turn it off or use a low setting overnight. That makes it one of the cheapest ways to stay warm at night. In a worked example, an electric blanket costs about 5 for a whole winter, compared with about 60 to keep the bedroom heated overnight.
For people trying to cut heating bills, especially older people, students and anyone living alone, an electric blanket can mean turning the heating down or off at night without being cold.
Bedrooms are often the easiest rooms to heat less. You spend most of the night under the covers, so warming the bed itself makes more sense than warming the air around it. Combined with a thick duvet, warm nightwear and closed curtains, an electric blanket lets many households switch the bedroom heating off entirely, which is where the saving comes from.
Electric blankets have improved a lot over the years. Modern ones have several heat settings, timers and automatic shut-off, which make them safer and easier to use. Heated throws work on the same principle and can keep you warm on the sofa in the evening, letting you leave the heating lower for longer.
How does an electric blanket compare with heating?
Here's a worked example over a winter of about 120 nights, in round numbers that work in any currency:
| Option | Winter cost |
|---|---|
| Heating the bedroom overnight | 60 |
| Electric blanket | 5 |
The blanket costs a tiny amount per night. Heating the bedroom costs far more, because it warms the air, the walls and anything else in the room, and much of that heat escapes. Your own figures depend on your energy prices, your heating and how you use the blanket. How to save money on heating covers other ways to cut heating costs.
How do you use an electric blanket to save money?
Warm the bed before you get in
Switching the blanket on half an hour before bed, then off when you get in, uses very little energy and leaves the bed warm. A blanket with a pre-heat setting does this automatically, so you don't have to remember.
Use a low setting or timer overnight
If you like warmth through the night, use the lowest setting and a timer, so it switches off automatically.
Turn the heating down at night
The saving comes from heating the bedroom less. If you use the blanket and keep the heating on all night anyway, you won't save much.
Try a heated throw for evenings
A heated throw on the sofa lets you stay warm while the heating is lower in the evening. The winter budget covers planning for higher costs in the cold months.
How do you use an electric blanket safely?
Follow the manufacturer's instructions. Check the blanket for wear, scorch marks or damaged wires before each winter, and replace it if it's old or damaged. Don't fold it while it's on, and don't use it with a hot water bottle. Many modern blankets have overheat protection and automatic shut-off, which are worth looking for. Dual controls let two people choose different settings on a double bed, so one person isn't too hot while the other is cold. Store the blanket loosely rolled rather than tightly folded over summer, so the wires inside aren't damaged. Some local services offer free safety checks, so ask if you're unsure about an older blanket.
Is an electric blanket worth buying?
For most people who feel the cold at night, yes. An electric blanket costs about the same as a few weeks of heating the bedroom, and lasts several winters. Work out the cost per use: a blanket used most nights for several winters costs very little per night. If you're retired or on a fixed income, small changes like this can make a real difference. How to budget in retirement covers managing a fixed income, and how to save money on your electric bill has more ways to cut energy use.
How do you track energy costs in Wealtie?
Add energy bills as recurring transactions, so they log themselves on their date. Keep them in their own expense category, and compare winter bills before and after changing how you heat at night to see the saving.
Questions people ask
Very little. In a worked example, about 5 for a whole winter, because it warms the bed rather than the room.
Yes. In a worked example, it costs about 5 a winter against about 60 to heat the bedroom overnight.
Many people warm the bed first and switch it off. If you use it overnight, choose a low setting and a timer.
Modern ones are safe if used as instructed. Check for wear each winter and replace old or damaged blankets.
This article is general information, not financial, tax or legal advice. Your situation is your own; check the numbers that apply to you before you act on them.
