Is an electric blanket cheap and safe to run? Yes. A 100 to 150 watt electric blanket costs about 15 to 22 cents per 8 hour night at the August 2026 US average price, a tenth of a 1,500 watt space heater. The real risk is a damaged or recalled blanket.
Key Takeaways
- Australian tester CHOICE says most electric blankets draw around 100 to 150 watts; check your own label (CHOICE).
- At the August 2026 US average of 18.16 cents per kWh, a 150 watt blanket on for 8 hours (1.2 kWh) costs about 22 cents (EIA Table 5.6.A).
- DOE: a 7 to 10°F thermostat setback for 8 hours a day saves as much as 10% a year (DOE Energy Saver, archived copy).
- CPSC’s September 17, 2026 JKMAX recall covers about 195,000 heated blankets and pads after 577 reports and 53 burn injuries (CPSC).
- Sunbeam’s booklet says not to use its heated products with an infant, a diabetic or anyone insensitive to heat (Sunbeam manual, archived copy).
How many watts does an electric blanket use?
Most electric blankets draw roughly 100 to 150 watts at full heat, but your bill depends on the rating on your own controller. CHOICE, the Australian consumer testing group, writes that most electric blankets have a wattage of around 100 to 150 watts, based on its measurements of models sold for 230 volt Australian homes (CHOICE).
The Sunbeam booklet and product pages we checked print no wattage. If a label shows amps, DOE says to multiply the current draw by the voltage, noting that “most appliances in the United States use 120 volts” (DOE, archived copy). A label reading 1.25 amps at 120 volts works out to 150 watts.
The heat comes from resistance wire, the same physics as electric baseboard heat, aimed at one body instead of a room.
What does an electric blanket cost to run per night?
At the August 2026 US average of 18.16 cents per kWh, an electric blanket costs about 15 cents a night at 100 watts and about 22 cents at 150 watts, assuming 8 hours at full rated power (EIA). Lower settings cost less.
The arithmetic is DOE’s: “(Wattage × Hours Used Per Day) ÷ 1000 = Daily Kilowatt-hour (kWh) consumption,” then multiply by your utility rate (DOE).
| Device and use | Watts | Hours | kWh | Cost at 18.16 cents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blanket, 30 minute preheat | 150 | 0.5 | 0.075 | About 1 cent |
| Blanket, CHOICE low end | 100 | 8 | 0.8 | About 15 cents |
| Blanket, CHOICE high end | 150 | 8 | 1.2 | About 22 cents |
| Blanket, to 10 hour auto-off | 150 | 10 | 1.5 | About 27 cents |
| Portable space heater | 1,500 | 8 | 12 | About $2.18 |
Preheat and auto-off times come from Sunbeam’s booklet. Over 30 nights, a 100 watt blanket uses 24 kWh, about $4.36, and a 150 watt blanket uses 36 kWh, about $6.54.
Your state’s rate matters more than the blanket: the same 1.2 kWh night costs about 15 cents in Nevada at 12.72 cents per kWh and about 57 cents in Hawaii at 47.18 cents, the lowest and highest states in EIA’s August 2026 table. Look up your state’s current electricity price and swap it in.
Is an electric blanket cheaper than turning up the heat or running a space heater?
Yes, for warming one sleeper. A 150 watt electric blanket uses 1.2 kWh over 8 hours, while a 1,500 watt space heater uses 12 kWh, ten times as much at any price; see our space heater running costs.
The bigger saving is what the blanket lets you do to the thermostat. DOE says “you can save as much as 10% a year on heating and cooling by simply turning your thermostat back 7°-10°F for 8 hours a day from its normal setting” (DOE, archived copy). A warm bed makes the overnight setback bearable.
Apply that percentage to your annual heating bill and compare it with a few dollars a month for the blanket. Our guide to winter thermostat setbacks explains programming.
Our data on typical thermostat settings shows where most homes start. Do not set back so far that pipes on outside walls are at risk; see when pipes freeze.
Are electric blankets safe to sleep with all night?
Many electric blankets are built to run all night, but testers disagree on whether you should. Sunbeam’s auto-off turns a “blanket or mattress pad off after 10 hours of continuous use (3 hours for throws),” on “selected models,” and an “Auto-Off Select” button can disable it (Sunbeam, archived copy).
The booklet warns of “increased heat in areas where heated product is bunched or folded while in use.” CHOICE takes the cautious line: “To be on the safe side, we advise against all-night use, even if the blanket has an all-night mode.”
The US safety standard is UL 964, “Electrically Heated Bedding,” edition 12, published August 31, 2011 and last revised September 18, 2020. Its scope covers “electrically heated blankets, comforters, quilts, sheets, mattress pads, mattresses, foot warmers, throw blankets and similar bedding” on 110 to 120 volt circuits (UL Standards and Engagement). For heating equipment as a fire cause, see our home heating fire statistics.
Myth check: auto-off is not a fire control
A timer limits hours, not faults. The 2026 JKMAX and OCTROT hazards were overheating elements and a cord that “can detach and ignite,” faults that occur while it is on.
What do the 2023 to 2026 electric blanket recalls show?
Four CPSC recalls from March 2023 to September 2026 covered about 766,000 heated blankets, throws and pads after 1,282 incident reports (our sum). All four were sold through Amazon.com.
| Recall | Units | Reports | Injuries | Hazard |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JKMAX, September 17, 2026 | About 195,000 | 577 | 53 burn injuries | Internal heating wires overheat |
| OCTROT, July 30, 2026 | About 178,000 | 555, including 27 fires | 15 burn or shock injuries | Cord can detach and ignite |
| Bedsure (Bedshe International), March 9, 2023 | About 350,000 | 137 | 17 burn injury reports | Controller can malfunction |
| Sunbeam brand, distributed by Star Elite, March 16, 2023 | About 43,000 | 13 | None reported | Blankets can overheat |
The OCTROT notice says the firm received “555 reports of blankets or throws melting, sparking and smoking, resulting in 27 fires and 15 burn or electrical shock injuries” (CPSC).
The Sunbeam brand recall told owners to destroy the blanket “by cutting the power cord at the plug” before a refund (CPSC). Search your brand on cpsc.gov before winter.
Who should not use an electric blanket?
Sunbeam’s booklet lists the people who should not use a heated product: “an infant, a child, an incapacitated or immobile person, a paraplegic, a quadriplegic, a diabetic, one insensitive to heat such as a person with poor blood circulation, or anyone who cannot clearly understand the instructions and/or operate the controls.”
The same booklet rules out several setups:
- Waterbeds, sofas, bunk beds and mechanically adjustable beds.
- Extension cords; the blanket must plug into a 110 to 120 volt outlet.
- Pins, which “may damage the electric wiring.”
- Cords routed between the mattress and box spring, or pinched in slats or frames.
- Pets, analgesic cream or another heating device used with it.
Our review of the best temperature for sleeping covers what sleep research says about bedroom temperature.
How do you wash an electric blanket without damaging it?
Wash it briefly, cold and gently, with every cord removed, and never dry clean it. Sunbeam warns that if washing instructions are not followed, the product “may shrink and possibly cause a fire hazard.” Its steps (your maker’s may differ):
- Unplug at the wall before detaching the control cord; check no wires show through the fabric.
- Presoak for 15 minutes in mild soap and cold water.
- Wash on the gentle cycle in cold water for two minutes, no bleach, then rinse and spin.
- Preheat a home dryer on low for 2 minutes, then tumble 10 minutes on low; never a laundromat dryer.
- Remove it damp, stretch it to size and drape it over a shower rod.
- Reconnect only when the blanket is completely dry.
What should you check before buying an electric blanket?
Check these before price:
- A certification mark for UL 964 or an equivalent listing on the label.
- Auto-off hours, and whether the control lets you disable them.
- Dual controls on queen and king sizes, so each sleeper sets their own side.
- Rated watts or amps, for the cost math above.
- The brand and model against CPSC recall notices.
To warm the whole room instead, compare an oil filled radiator.
How we researched this
Research date: October 31, 2026. We consulted 20 sources and cite 10: EIA Table 5.6.A, two DOE Energy Saver pages (archived copies), the UL 964 listing, an archived Sunbeam booklet, four CPSC recall notices and CHOICE. Costs are our arithmetic at full rated wattage.
Excluded: retailer wattage listings (not maker documents), utility and content farm cost claims (no stated rate), Wikipedia’s uncited wattage range, UK fire estimates and electromagnetic field health claims (no primary source reviewed). Reddit was skipped: electrical safety topic. No retail prices are given.
Frequently asked questions
Do electric blankets use a lot of electricity?
No. A 150 watt electric blanket run for 8 hours uses 1.2 kWh, about 22 cents at EIA’s August 2026 US residential average of 18.16 cents per kWh. A 1,500 watt space heater uses ten times that energy over the same night, about $2.18.
Can you leave an electric blanket on all night?
Many are built for it, but CHOICE advises against all-night use to be safe. Sunbeam’s booklet says its auto-off turns blankets and mattress pads off after 10 hours and throws after 3 hours, on selected models only, and some controls can disable auto-off. Never leave one on folded or bunched, and stop using any recalled blanket.
Is an electric blanket safe for someone with diabetes?
Sunbeam’s instruction booklet says not to use its heated products with a diabetic or anyone insensitive to heat, such as a person with poor blood circulation. The concern is that a person who cannot feel heat may not notice overheating. Ask a doctor first.
Can you use an electric blanket on an adjustable bed or waterbed?
Not according to Sunbeam. Its booklet says not to use a blanket or mattress pad on a waterbed, sofa, bunk bed or mechanically adjustable bed, and not to route cords between the mattress and box spring. Sunbeam warns that damaged cords can lead to fire.
How do I know if my electric blanket has been recalled?
Search the brand on cpsc.gov. Recent notices include JKMAX (about 195,000 units, September 2026), OCTROT (about 178,000, July 2026) and Bedsure (about 350,000, March 2023). Each tells owners to stop using the blanket, and several require cutting the cord before a refund is issued.
Is it cheaper to use an electric blanket or turn up the heat?
For one sleeper, the blanket. DOE says turning the thermostat back 7 to 10°F for 8 hours a day can save as much as 10% a year on heating and cooling. A 150 watt blanket for those 8 hours costs about 22 cents a night at the August 2026 US average price.
Sources
- US Energy Information Administration. “Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A.” https://www.eia.gov/electricity/monthly/epm_table_grapher.php?t=epmt_5_6_a. Accessed October 2026.
- US Department of Energy. “Estimating Appliance and Home Electronic Energy Use” (archived copy). https://web.archive.org/web/20260101020334/https://www.energy.gov/energysaver/estimating-appliance-and-home-electronic-energy-use. Accessed October 2026.
- US Department of Energy. “Programmable Thermostats” (archived copy). https://web.archive.org/web/20260101032624/https://www.energy.gov/energysaver/programmable-thermostats. Accessed October 2026.
- UL Standards and Engagement. “UL 964, Electrically Heated Bedding.” https://www.shopulstandards.com/ProductDetail.aspx?productId=UL964. Accessed October 2026.
- Sunbeam Products. “Heated Blanket, Mattress Pad and Warming Throw Instruction Booklet” (archived copy). https://web.archive.org/web/20110124154628/http://www.sunbeam.com/BeddingManuals/SunbeamBedding/Universal.pdf. Accessed October 2026.
- US Consumer Product Safety Commission. “JKMAX Recalls Heated Blankets and Heating Pads Due to Fire and Burn Hazards.” https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2026/JKMAX-Recalls-Heated-Blankets-and-Heating-Pads-Due-to-Fire-and-Burn-Hazards. Accessed October 2026.
- US Consumer Product Safety Commission. “Heated Sherpa Throws and Blankets Recalled Due to Risk of Serious Injury or Death from Fire and Burn Hazards; Sold on Amazon by OCTROT.” https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2026/Heated-Sherpa-Throws-and-Blankets-Recalled-Due-to-Risk-of-Serious-Injury-or-Death-from-Fire-and-Burn-Hazards-Sold-on-Amazon-by-OCTROT. Accessed October 2026.
- US Consumer Product Safety Commission. “Bedshe International Recalls Bedsure Electric Heating Blankets and Pads Due to Fire and Thermal Burn Hazards.” https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2023/Bedshe-International-Recalls-Bedsure-Electric-Heating-Blankets-and-Pads-Due-to-Fire-and-Thermal-Burn-Hazards-Recall-Alert. Accessed October 2026.
- US Consumer Product Safety Commission. “Sunbeam Heated Blankets Recalled Due to Burn and Fire Hazards; Distributed by Star Elite.” https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2023/Sunbeam-Heated-Blankets-Recalled-Due-to-Burn-and-Fire-Hazards-Distributed-by-Star-Elite. Accessed October 2026.
- CHOICE. “Electric blanket and heated throw buying guide.” https://www.choice.com.au/home-and-living/bedroom/electric-blankets/buying-guides/electric-blankets. Accessed October 2026.
Leave a Reply