The best heated blankets perfect for fall 2020

Today’s heated blankets aren’t the old wire-filled blankets your grandmother used to give you on cold nights. They’re safer, more flexible (thanks to advancements in the wiring inside that heats the blanket), and many have built-in smart features to better regulate the heat they produce, keeping you from overheating. The best heated blankets can help you sleep more comfortably.

At a glance:

• Best overall:

  Sunbeam Heated Blanket

• Best for the couch or reading chair:

  Sunbeam Heated Throw Blanket

• Best dual-control for sharing:

  Biddeford Blankets Sherpa Heated Blankets

• Best safety technology:

  SoftHeat by Perfect Fit

• Best for sore muscles:

  Perfect Fit SoftHeat Smart Heated Mattress Pad

• Softest:

  MaxKare Flannel & Sherpa Reversible Fast Heating Blanket

• Best oversized:

  Holmes Velvet Heated Throw

Best overall: Sunbeam Heated Blanket

The queen-sized Sunbeam Heated Blanket heads our list because it is one of the bestselling heated blankets out there (the company’s been making heated blankets for nearly 100 years) and has a host of great features. Unlike many heated blankets, Sunbeam’s is extremely plush. On a cold night, this blanket is sure to keep you warm. It also includes 10 different heat settings, allowing you to dial-in the amount of heat you need.

The blanket has also got a bit of smarts, too: The heat is adjusted automatically to ensure you don’t get too warm, and you get two controllers to control the amount of heat on either side of the blanket — a great option for your bed partner who might not be as sensitive to the cold as you are. Finally, a preheat function allows you to heat up your sheets before you hit the hay, making sure you never crawl into a cold bed.

Best for the couch or reading chair: Sunbeam Heated Throw Blanket

Not looking for a heated blanket for your bed, but rather one that you can use around the house? Sunbeam’s Heated Throw Blanket is a great alternative. While you don’t get the adjustability of the heated blanket we just talked about, you’ll still get three different heat options to keep you nice and cozy. The blanket is made of soft microplush similar to your traditional high-quality throw, and a three-hour auto shut-off prevents your blanket from staying on if you forget to shut it off. This blanket is both machine-washable and dryer-safe.

Best dual-control for sharing: Blankets Sherpa Heated Blanket

Biddeford isn’t a very well-known name, but their sherpa heated blanket makes our list because it’s a lower-priced alternative to the more expensive Sunbeam blankets, but with the same amount of functionality. The sherpa lining will help keep you much warmer, and you’ll likely not need as high of a heat setting as you might with other less-insulated blankets. If you’re a little nervous about purchasing from a brand you might not have heard of, Biddeford offers a generous five-year warranty against any manufacturer defects.

You can get these blankets in a variety of colors and sizes, ranging from twin to king. Like Sunbeam’s heated blanket, this blanket also has 10 different heat settings for you to select from, and an auto shut-off safety feature. What’s more? The twin and full-size heated blankets come with one controller, while the queen and king options include two controllers.

Best safety technology: SoftHeat by Perfect Fit

By nature, heated blankets are pretty bulky. This is because the wires inside are normally pretty thick — so more padding is needed in order for you to not feel those wires at all. If you want a thinner cover, we recommend the SoftHeat by Perfect Fit. While considerably more expensive than some of our other options, this blanket is about half the thickness.

On queen size and larger, you’ll get dual-zone heating control with 10 different heat settings. You’ll also get the same auto shut-off safety features of the other blankets we’ve recommended and a five-year warranty covering any manufacturer defects.

Best for sore muscles: Perfect Fit SoftHeat Smart Heated Mattress Pad

Don’t want to change your current comforter? Perfect Fit makes a mattress pad for just this reason. This is placed under your bedsheets, heating you from underneath — and if you’re sore from working or exercise, your muscles will feel a thousand times better after resting on this. You get all of the same features of the SoftHeat blanket, and the pad and wires themselves are thin enough that you’ll barely notice it.

This mattress pad is machine-washable, so if it gets dirty, all you need to do is throw it in the washer and dryer, and you’re good to go.

Softest: MaxKare Flannel & Sherpa Reversible Fast Heating Blanket

Indulge in thick, plush luxury that warms up in seconds when you snuggle up under the MaxKare Flannel and Sherpa Reversible Fast Heating Blanket. Conquer chilly nights with the touch of a button and choose from three heating levels with this gorgeous 50-by-60-inch throw that’s ideal for the sofa, reading chair, or over the bed. It shuts off after three hours of operation and has worry-free overheating protection built in. Machine-washable with a detachable controller and perfect with a cup of hot cocoa, this decadent blanket is so thick that you can’t feel the wires inside.

Best oversized: Holmes Velvet Heated Throw

When especially tall people are in need of a blanket, they often end up with their feet peeking out. Not with this oversized throw from Holmes, though! At 60 by 70 inches, this velvety throw can tuck in even the tallest and largest folks among us, keeping them snug from head to toe. Available in warm walnut or rich garnet colors, this blanket has nearly undetectable thin heating wires, automatic shut-off after three hours, and three distinct heat settings. It’s also washer and dryer safe and comes with a five-year warranty.