Why spend money heating the entire house while you sleep? Investing in an electric blanket and turning down your thermostat at night can save you significantly on your fuel bills. For every one degree you set back your thermostat during an 8-hour period when you sleep, you can save 1 percent on your heating bill, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.
Electric Blanket Safety
Don’t risk your family’s safety to save energy. Follow these tips to use electric blankets correctly.
- Read and follow the manufacturer’s directions. Some blanket manufacturers recommend removing all comforters and blankets on top of the electric blanket when it is in use.
- Make sure the cord is not trapped between the mattress and boxspring.
- Do not use an extension cord with your electric blanket, according to the manufacturers of the Sunbeam brand of electric blankets—the cords should be directly connected to a 110-120 volt outlet.
- Use only one warming device in your bed at a time. A heated mattress pad beneath an electric blanket may result in burns.
- Match your electric blanket to the size of your bed. A blanket that is too big may become folded or pinched between furniture and damage the heating wire.
- Always turn off your blanket when not in use.
- Follow manufacturer’s directions for washing your blanket by hand or in the washing machine. Never dry clean an electric blanket—dry cleaning solvents may dissolve the plastic insulation of the heating wires.
- Keep the adjustable controls away from windows and any location where they can get wet.
Here is a selection of electric blankets and heated bed covers from online retailers.
Acrylic Sunbeam Electric Blanket
The Jarden Store, the online store for Sunbeam products, offers a 100-percent acrylic electric blanket that offers a digital control with 20 heat settings that automatically shuts off after 10 hours. A “preheat” function allows you to warm up your bed before sleeping. The king and queen sizes feature dual controls for each side of the bed. Sale price in mid-January 2008: twin, $49.99; full, $54.99; queen, $69.99; king, $83.64. Shipping: $14.95 (free shipping on orders over $100).
Fleece Chattam & Wells Low-Voltage Electric Blanket
Comfort House sells the Chattam & Wells brand of low-voltage electric blanket, which features a power supply box that converts the AC power out of a standard socket into low-voltage DC power, adding to the safety of conventional heated blankets. The micro-fleece blanket comes in ivory and feature auto-shutoff and two controls for queen and king sizes. Price: twin, $69.95; full, $85; queen, $115; king, $125. Shipping starts at $8.95.
Beautyrest Embossed Electric Blanket
One of the prettiest electric blankets on the market, the Beautyrest Embossed Electric Blanket comes in blue and vanilla with swirls of paisley accents and is available at Overstock.com. Features: preheat cycle, dual controls. Price: $79.99 for king or queen. Shipping: $2.95.
Low-Voltage Electric Comforter
If you prefer a fluffy comforter to an electric blanket, check out the Low Voltage Heated Comforter at Cozy Winters. The tan-and-white-striped electric comforter has a washable cotton cover and uses low-voltage DC power. The comforter comes in full/queen ($139.95) and king ($159.95) sizes and features dual controls, plus a remote control. Free ground shipping.
Judith Zwolak - Judy is a mother of two and a freelance writer living in South Dakota. Raised by notoriously frugal parents, she comes by her family ...
