Heated Blankets and You: A Story

Are you cold? Learn more about electric blankets and throws, and how they can be used to warm up your life.

Oh man, getting into bed, am I right? The bliss of getting into bed after a long day of being a grown up is a pleasure unmatched by any other pithy invention by man. The pillow under my head. The blanket, heavy on my sore muscles. The sheets welcome me back home, and all feelings of tiredness and stress leave my body and settle into the clouds above my house, a spectre keeping watch with goat-like eyes.

This time of the year, though, a sinister chill creeps into the sheets. Like diving into a pool for the first time, I pull the blanket over and my little feeties are enveloped by the cold of sheets not yet slept in. I rub my feet together like a cricket in the night, wondering if this feeling could be prevented.

I’m here to tell you, friends, that it absolutely can be prevented. You can skip straight to the good part once more. Two words: heated blankets.

Heat the whole bed

To heat the whole bed before getting in, the best thing I can recommend is an electric blanket. They fit over the bed like a fitted sheet, turn it on before you get into bed and when you get in the sheets are already nice and toasty. Our favourite at the moment is the Sunbeam Sleep Perfect Antibacterial Electric Blanket.

Here’s why:

Fast Heat Up

It heats up in 10 minutes so you only have to turn it on just before you get into bed for max warmth and convenience.

Cosy Feet Design

This one really excited me! There’s heating wires concentrated at the base of the blanket to keep your feet warm without overheating the rest of you. No more cricket feet! No more having to wear socks to bed and then finding a bunch of socks in the sheets at the bottom of the bed when I inevitably kick them off.

Sleep Perfect Technology

The blanket continually senses and adjusts to the changes in room and body temperature to maintain your chosen heat setting. As the night gets colder towards the morning you will stay warm.

Plus 9 heat settings, antibacterial treatment, Safety Overheat Protection and its machine washable! Throwing things carelessly into the washing machine is one of my favourite ways to clean.

Best for: The Sunbeam Sleep Perfect Antibacterial Electric Blanket is best for heating your whole bed and keeping you warm all night long.

a woman with brown hair lies in bed on a white pillow and a white blanket, she looks happy and cosy

Heat just you

Many of us are married to spouses who seemingly never get cold. They lie in the bed like a giant hot water bottle and complain if we try to lovingly increase their comfort with a blanket. Rather than shivering and staring at their back with hate in your eyes, you can grab an electric throw blanket and heat just you.

The one I’ve got is the Sunbeam Feel Perfect Snug & Cosy Reversible Heated Throw. I instantly loved this blanket from the very first time I used it. Open the packet, throw it over your legs, and turn it on. My first impression was of the soft microfleece fabric in my hands, it’s soft and fluffy and oh yes, it’s warm. The controller is really easy to use, with 6 heat settings and three time settings. It also heats up in 10 minutes so you can just throw it on whenever you need to and it’s not a big deal.

Where to use it? In bed like I mentioned earlier, or you could use it on the couch or even over your legs in your frosty corporate office (you just need a spare plug). It’s got a pink side and a grey side to match your mood or décor or outfit. It’s machine washable too!

Best for: The Sunbeam Feel Perfect Snug & Cosy Reversible Heated Throw is best for heating just you, heating your legs and body on the couch, in the bed, in the office etc. 

a women in a blue puffer jacket and a hood lined with brown fur breathes into her clasped hands to try to warm up as she stares at the thermostat on the wall

Let’s summarise

It’s winter, it’s cold and it’s going to stay cold for a while. If you’re looking for an alternative to a portable heater then a blanket is a good option particularly for staying warm while you’re sleeping through the coldest part of the night.

If you’re looking for something to keep you warm while you work in an office or at a computer or while you’re knitting or reading or watching tv or waiting for your hair to grow then a heated throw blanket is a great option for you. We carry loads of these at Bi-Rite, as well as a huge range of other heating options to suit your needs and budget. Come see us - it feels warm to Bi-Rite!