Is Your Electric Blanket Using Too Much Energy? How to Prevent Electricity Vampires
Be sure to choose an electric blanket with an auto-off setting to avoid hazards.
Published Feb. 18 2025, 10:20 a.m. ET
There are many ways to stay warm throughout the winter, from choosing the best sustainable weighted blankets to washing your favorite blanket and snuggling it straight out of the dryer. Many people find that electric blankets are the most efficient way to increase their core temperature quickly.
If you are mindful of your overall home energy usage, you are likely wondering how much electricity an electric blanket uses.
There are many steps we can take each day to reduce our energy consumption. If you find that you and your family members rely on electric blankets to keep warm during the harshest parts of the winter, it is crucial to understand how much electricity your blankets are using.
Below, we explore the ramifications of using an electric blanket and some important safety tips to keep in mind.
How much electricity does an electric blanket use?
Measured in watts, the amount of electricity used by an electric blanket varies depending on factors such as the size of the blanket and the length of time the electric blanket is left on.
According to HowStuffWorks, some electric blankets can use 200 watts of power. If such an electric blanket were utilized for 10 hours, they estimate the cost to be between 15 and 30 cents. That estimate can fluctuate, however, depending on one's location and energy supply company.
According to Anker SOLIX, a small blanket might use as little as 60 watts. A king-sized electric blanket could use more than 100 watts.
Other factors affecting how many watts an electric blanket uses include the heat setting, the material of the blanket, and its ability to insulate the heat.
On the higher end, Sleep Advisor estimates electricity usage between 200 and 400 watts for electric blankets.
According to the JSB Healthcare website, heating pads average between 50 and 100 watts, though similar factors may influence more or less power consumption.
Are electric blankets eco-friendly? Here's how they compare to traditional heating.
Some electric blankets will contain eco-friendly designations on their labels, which helps consumers to understand the materials used and how much energy is recruited to power the blanket. For example, some electric blanket brands may use materials that are biodegradable and plant-based. Others may be made from synthetic materials that are anything but kind to the planet.
That said, confused.com contains helpful resources for those living in the United Kingdom to assess what is most efficient for their gas and electric needs. Per confused.com, the cost of utilizing a heating source such as a boiler can be more than 20 times the price of an electric blanket — making an electric blanket the clear choice over a commercial heating unit for those seeking eco-friendly methods to keep warm in the winter.
Sleep Advisor estimates that electric blanket energy use pales compared to space heaters, which it claims may utilize between 750 and 1,500 watts. Especially over a long period, a space heater running up to 12 hours could use a significant amount of electricity, when small electric blankets for an individual or family could be the more eco-friendly way to go.