# The heated blankets worth buying this winter

> Taste of Home tested 11 heated blankets for warmth, comfort, cleaning and safety. Four picks rose above the rest.
- Title: The heated blankets worth buying this winter · Taste of Home
- Summary: Taste of Home tested 11 heated blankets for warmth, comfort, cleaning and safety. Four picks rose above the rest. Choose a heated blanket by use case first…
- Keywords: shopping, home, winter, bedding, safety, heated, blankets, worth, buying, Taste of Home
- Source: Taste of Home — https://tasteofhome.com/collection/best-heated-blankets
- Author: Marisa Hillman
- Published: 2026-09-15T17:27:01+00:00
- Read time: 3 min
- Topics: shopping, home, winter, bedding, safety
## Warmth has options
The best heated blankets now range from couch throws to bed-size blankets, wearable shawls and battery-powered outdoor wraps.
## Safety comes first
Look for auto shutoff and overheat protection. Tyler Lewis recommends a safety sensor that turns the blanket off if it gets too hot.

> automatically shuts off after a certain time period
## Eleven blankets tested
Taste of Home testers inspected 11 models, measuring heat, comfort, cleaning and design before naming four top picks.
## Best overall pick
The Beautyrest Microlight Reversible Berber Luxury Heated Throw won for plush fabric, strong heat, many colors and sizes, and a simple remote.

> Beautyrest has you covered
## Beautyrest heats fast
On high, the Beautyrest reached 95.1 degrees in the center. Testers liked the cozy feel and the choice of throw through king sizes.
## Edges stayed cooler
The Beautyrest had a roughly foot-wide unheated border, so testers bunched it up to warm their feet. Heat was strong, but not even.

> There is a foot of non-heated space around the entire perimeter
## Coffee cleaned out
A coffee stain came out of the Beautyrest with Dawn Powerwash, a damp microfiber cloth and cold water, even without a full machine wash.
## Best budget buy
The Homemate Heated Blanket Electric Throw costs less, heats quickly and comes in several sizes and colors with an easy remote.

> No need to crank up the furnace.
## Homemate runs smaller
The advertised 50 by 60 inch throw measured 46.5 by 58 inches. Testers found it thinner than expected, but still soft and cozy.
## A cold middle
The Homemate hit 92 degrees in a corner on high, but only 81.5 degrees in the center. Testers still found it cozy for the price.

> The middle coils just didn’t heat up nearly as much
## Best wearable blanket
The Comfort Spaces Electric Blanket Shawl fits well over shoulders at a desk or chair, delivers even heat and includes fuzzy socks.

> Gotta love anything that comes with a free pair of fuzzy socks
## Shawl heat impressed
On high, the Comfort Spaces shawl reached 97.3 degrees at a corner coil and 96 degrees in the center, with steady warmth across the blanket.
## Remote could improve
The shawl remote has no screen, only buttons and LED labels for low, medium and high. Testers found that hard to read in a dark room.
## Best for outdoors
The ActionHeat 7V Battery Heated Throw is cordless, compact and comes with a carrying bag, making it better for cold outings than indoor lounging.

> a nice, compact blanket
## Battery hit three hours
The ActionHeat battery died almost exactly at three hours. That matched the manual for medium use, though testers used high heat often.

> The battery died almost exactly at the three-hour mark.
## Hot, not claimed hot
ActionHeat reached 111 to 119 degrees on high, but never hit the 135 degrees listed on the packaging. Sheri measured 108 degrees after 30 minutes.

> It was very toasty
## Some near misses
Berkshire VelvetLoft and Brookstone Faux Fur both impressed testers, but stock issues kept them off the main winners list.

> Of all the blankets we tested, the VelvetLoft impressed us the most
## Buy from trusted sellers
The Electrical Safety Foundation International recommends blankets listed by labs like UL or CSA, bought from retailers that stand behind their products.
## Use them carefully
Do not leave electric blankets unattended, plug them into power strips, fold them while on, or keep using one with frayed cords, char marks or a burning smell.

> Never fold electric blankets while in use.
## Testing was hands-on
Over 55 hours, testers ran 14 tests per blanket and collected 375 data points, including coil temperatures, evenness, feel, wire detection and cleaning.
## Key takeaway

Choose a heated blanket by use case first, then check for auto shutoff, overheat protection, washability and lab safety listing.