How much does it cost to run an electric blanket? |

29 Apr.,2024

 

How much does it cost to run an electric blanket? |

As we all look for ways to keep the costs down at home while also staying warm and cozy this winter, more people are turning to additional heating appliances that might be cheaper than turning up the heating. So, how much does it cost to run an electric blanket? And is it the best heating addition for your home?

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Electric blankets are fast becoming a great alternative to the best throw blankets as we try to make a house look cozy and feel warm this season and, luckily, they are some of the cheaper plug-in heating appliances to add to your home.

Understanding how to work out the cost of running an appliance is one of the best ways of working out how to cut energy bills. Although math is a worrisome task for many, it is luckily an easy calculation that you can apply to all of your electrical items to help save money at home. 

Here, we talk to experts to work out if this heated addition is a good idea for your home, and how to work out the cost of a heated blanket no matter its size. 

How much does it cost to run an electric blanket? 

(Image credit: ISABELLE KILBEY)

'Electric blankets use only a marginal amount of electricity, as little as 200 watts per hour,' explains Christen Costa, CEO of Gadget Review. 'That comes out to approximately two cents' worth of electricity per hour. With such a low run cost, electric blankets are certainly worth the money.'

The overall cost of your electric blanket is easy to work out, however, and is worth doing as varying wattage and electricity costs vary.

'To calculate the cost of running your electric blanket, you'll need to know; the wattage of your blanket, the hours you use it per day, and your electricity rate (per kilowatt-hour),' says Adam Roper, renewable energy and off-grid living expert.

'Here's a quick example,' he continues. 'Let's say you have a twin-size electric blanket that uses 100 watts. You use it for six hours each night. Your electricity rate is $0.12 per kilowatt-hour.

  • Your daily cost to run the blanket would be: 100 watts x 6 hours x $0.12 per kilowatt-hour = $0.72 per day
  • Over the course of a month, that would come out to: $0.72 per day x 30 days = $21.60 per month.'

For you to work this out yourself, you can use the following calculation: 

Appliance wattage x time used in hours x price per kilowatt hour 

Are electric blankets worth the money?

(Image credit: Tim Lenz)

Electric blankets can pose a few challenges in a home, for example, knowing whether or not you can wash an electric blanket, for example, and whether or not they are worth the high, upfront cost. 

'There is no definitive answer to whether electric blankets are efficient or worth the money,' Adam begins. 'It depends on a number of factors, including how often you use them and what your specific needs are. In general, however, electric blankets can be a great way to save energy and money.' Knowing how to work out these costs is the best way of choosing energy-efficient appliances for your home.

'If you live in a cold climate, an electric blanket can be a great way to save on your heating costs. By pre-warming your bed, you can reduce the amount of time that you need to spend using your main heating source. This can lead to significant savings on your energy bill.

'Electric blankets are also very convenient,' Adam adds. 'They can be turned on and off as needed, so you don't have to waste energy heating an entire room when you only need a little bit of extra warmth.

'One downside of electric blankets is that they can be expensive to purchase. However, if you use them regularly, they can quickly pay for themselves through the money you save on your energy bill. Additionally, electric blankets require very little maintenance, so they can be a very cost-effective option in the long run.

'Ultimately, whether or not electric blankets are efficient or worth the money is up to you,' he says. 'If you think they could be a good fit for your needs, then they are definitely worth considering.'

'With most electric blankets made of energy-efficient thin carbon wires that consume about 15 to 115 watts or 13 cents per kilowatt hour, running an electric blanket costs about 1.5 cents per hour or 12 cents for 8 hours of use. This cost is significantly cheaper than central heating,' adds Robert Johnson, the marketing director at Coast Appliances.

Electric blanket vs. Electric heater

(Image credit: Unsplash)

If you are trying to heat your home for less you may well be weighing up the costs of an electric blanket and an electric heater and knowing how much it costs to run an electric heater is essential to this process. 

With electric heaters using a lot more electricity to generate heat than a blanket, an electric blanket is considered to be a much more efficient heating method for your home. Although the appliances have slightly different purposes, with heaters heating a whole space whereas blankets heat only your bed, sofa, or body, in terms of targeting heating, a blanket is a far more efficient and cheaper option. 

You may want to consider one of the best types of space heaters for warmth and cost if you want to add a room heater as well as an electric blanket to your space. 

For more Overheat Protection Polar Fleece Electric Blanketsinformation, please contact us. We will provide professional answers.

Do electric blankets take a lot of electricity?

The different electric blanket makes and sizes will use slightly different amounts of electricity per hour, so there is no definitive answer as to how much electricity they use. Double-heated blankets use, on average, approximately 100 watts of energy to warm a double bed completely before being switched off, although this can depend on the blanket itself.

Is a hot water bottle cheaper than an electric blanket?

A hot water bottle is considerably cheaper to use than an electric blanket, with a kettle or microwave using significantly less electricity to heat up water to a boil than an electric blanket costs to run for one hour. 

How Much Electricity Does An Electric Blanket Use?

Heated blankets cut the cost of your energy bill. At least, that’s one of the main goals. Many people turn to electric blankets in an attempt to keep bills lower by warming up their beds. With a warmer bed, you’ll not need so much energy for heating. That’s the idea, at least.

We will help you work out how much energy your electric blanket actually uses. And, in doing so, how much money you could actually save.

How much does it cost to run an electric blanket? Here's what you need to know

To calculate how much it will cost to run an electric blanket, you need to understand the cost per unit of electricity.

According to the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (Ofgem), in April 2022, the cost per pence/kWh of electricity is approximately 29p, i.e. £0.29 after the recent energy price increase. There is another projected rise expected in October of 2022.

An electric blanket generates heat by running electricity through wires in the fabric. Each electric blanket will have a different power rating, so you’ll need to calculate the overall cost depending on the rating on your blanket’s label.

What does this mean for the cost of an electric blanket, then? Well, it will depend on the type of electric blanket you have and how long you run it for. The examples below are based on a generalised power level of 100W, but blankets could have a lower or higher power rating.

How much do electric blankets cost to run per hour?

For the sake of this example, we’ll use an approximate power of 100W. A 100W electric blanket is pretty common.

  • First, you need to convert to kW. 100W is 0.1kW (or 100 divided by 1000).
  • Then you simply need to multiply this by the pence/kWh unit.

This would be:

0.1*0.29 = £0.029 - this would get rounded up to £0.03

This means that running an electric blanket for one hour would cost 3p in April 2022.

How much does it cost to run an electric blanket for 24 hours?

Running an electric blanket for 24 hours would use the exact same equation as mentioned above, but you’ll have to multiply the amount by the number of hours.

This makes the equation, based on a 100W blanket and 29p per kWh:

0.1*(0.29*24) = £0.70 or 70p.

Is it expensive to use an electric blanket?

Based on the above example, running an electric blanket will cost you around 23p a night (based on 8 hours of use). Which, when compared to other expenses, may not seem that bad. That’s taking into account that the above example uses a relatively powerful electric blanket. For a 50W or 60W blanket, you’re looking at even less.

If you’re only using it at night and for part of the year, the good news is that an electric blanket isn’t super expensive.

Do electric blankets raise your electric bill?

Now, this is the key question, and it’s hard to answer. The very short answer is yes, it will raise your energy bills. But, there are a few variables that you’ll need to consider:

  • The power of your electric blanket
  • How long you’re using it for
  • Whether you’re blasting the central heating at the same time
  • The overall energy efficiency of your house

Adding any form of electric appliance to your home will increase your energy bill. But, if you use an electric blanket as an excuse to turn off your heating, it could well reduce your energy bill. This will, of course, depend on how efficient your heating is at warming your home and how well insulated your home is. It can be challenging to give an exact answer.

What energy-saving features should I look for when buying an electric blanket?

If you’re looking to save as much energy as possible, there are a few simple things to look for in a new electric blanket:

  • Timer - many electric blankets come with a timer, which is a great way to save energy. You can simply set it to turn off after a set period, so you don’t have to leave it running all night. Our Slumberdown Wonderfully Warm Electric Blanket, for instance, comes complete with a timer.
  • Variable power and heat settings - it may not be a surprise, but using a higher heat setting will up your energy consumption. If you have a variable temperature setting, you can use just enough to stay warm and increase it or decrease it as needed.
  • Dual controls for larger blankets - only warm the parts of the blanket that need it! For a single blanket, this could mean the ability to warm just your feet or just your body. For a double electric blanket, it could mean only warming one side of the blanket—a number of the electric blankets we stock offer this flexibility.

How can I reduce the cost of running an electric blanket?

If you’re trying to save money and don’t have an electric blanket with loads of fancy features, you can still do a few things to help reduce your electricity costs. Most electric blankets work well in conjunction with other energy-saving tactics.

A few to keep in mind specifically for your electric blanket are:

  • Turn off your heating or at least turn it down - if you’re trying to reduce the running cost of your heating, then turning it off or down is the simplest way. This also lets you get the most out of your blanket. Rather than running your heating all evening and night, only do it when you need it and use your electric blanket to warm you once you get into bed.
  • Keep it in good condition - if you’re constantly folding it or moving it around, you run the risk of damaging it. Make sure you roll it up when you’re storing it.
  • Prepare in advance: preheat it - rather than blasting it on a high heat before you get into bed, prepare earlier and put it on a lower heat. Doing it on high heat will use more power, but if you simply put it on a low heat further in advance, you won’t use so much.
  • Stay low and add heat when you need it - the same goes for when you’re actually using it too. Start using your electric blanket on low heat. And, if you need a little extra oomph, you can up it for a short period of time.

Explore some of our other bedding at Sleepseeker to create the perfect sleep space. We offer a variety of pillows, duvets, mattress toppers and more to suit your sleeping position.

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