7 things I test before recommending an electric blanket – I'm a Sleep Editor, and this is my testing criteria

Wondering how we test electric blankets at Ideal Home? As Ideal Home's Sleep Editor, I'm here to explain all.

Alongside my team of trusty product reviewers, I've put fifteen of the best electric blankets on the market through their paces so far, and each blanket has been tested according to the following criteria.

How we test electric blankets

We test each electric blanket at home, on our own bed, for at least a week. During testing, we assess the following factors.

1. Attaching the electric blanket to the bed

First up, we assess how easy it is to attach the electric blanket to our mattress.

We also assess whether the electric blanket covers the entire mattress surface (I’ve found that many electric blankets scrimp on size) and how securely the blanket stays in place throughout the testing period.

2. How comfortable is the electric blanket to lie on?

Next up, it's comfort. Once the electric blanket is attached to the mattress, we lie on it and assess any changes to our sleep comfort.

Can we feel any of the electrical wires through our bedsheet? Is the blanket padded at all? And if so, does that padding make our bed more or less comfortable?

We also note the location of the electrical sockets, and if they're in a comfortable place where they can’t be felt when we’re lying down.

3. How quickly does the electric blanket heat up?

There's nothing worse than lying there shivering whilst an electric blanket takes twenty minutes to heat up. So next up, we time how long it takes the blanket to reach maximum temperature.

We also investigate how many heat settings the electric blanket has, and how easy it is to find our ideal temperature. (The more heat settings, the easier it is to fine-tune your ideal warmth level).

4. Does the electric blanket work for couples?

We also note whether the larger sizes of the electric blanket (i.e. the double/king/super king sizes) have dual controls.

Dual controls are very useful if you share your bed with a partner, as it means both sides of the electric blanket can be operated independently.

That means that if you're hot-blooded whilst your partner sleeps cold, you can each tailor your comfort to suit your individual requirements (with less arguments about the thermostat!).

5. How easy is the electric blanket to use?

Next up, we test how easy we find the electric blanket to use.

We consider whether the controls are physically easy to operate, and if we can see the controls and temperature settings in the dark.

We note whether the electric blanket has a timer so it automatically switches off at a set time, in case you fall asleep whilst it's on.

We also note if the electric blanket has an auto-shut-off feature that turns off the blanket if the internal sensors detect dangerous overheating, as well as any other useful functionality.

6. Ease of care

Next, we find out if the electric blanket can be washed. If so, we note the care instructions and wash and dry the electric blanket according to the manufacturer's advice to check how easy the process is.

7. Value for money

Lastly, we consider the electric blanket's value for money. We consider how much it costs to buy, and if we think this offers good value for money for what the product delivers.

Plus, we find out the electric blanket's wattage, and consider how much the electric blanket costs to run.

We also compare the blanket to other similar products we've tested to see how it compares to its competition.

Ultimately, we sum up what we like about the electric blanket, what we don’t like, and whether we'd recommend it to you, our readers.

We then use this testing data to rate each electric blanket we review out of five stars.

How we come to our star rating

Any products that score below four stars we tend not to recommend, unless there are exceptional circumstances, such as a very low price or specialist functionality.

Our Certified Experts

Our Certified Experts are members of the Ideal Home team who have developed specialist knowledge in their subject area. They have hands-on, practical experience with industry-leading products, regularly conduct product testing, and have conducted research into each product category they review.

Each Certified Expert must complete a five-stage process to gain this accreditation, involving the following stages:

1. Testing Our Certified Experts have hands-on experience testing the bestselling and highest-rated products on the market. This then becomes the benchmark against which other products are reviewed and judged.

2. Product research Our experts immerse themselves in each product category, learning everything there is to know about the product, from how it's made, to its biggest pros and cons.

3. Behind the scenes As well as hands-on product testing in a home environment, our Certified Experts have also gained insider knowledge on the products they test. This might be through factory visits, showroom tours, or comparison testing days at our testing facility.

4. Industry knowledge Our experts know the nitty-gritty of each product category. They regularly speak with industry experts such as product developers and retailers, they know the market leaders and the growing trends within the industry. They are non-biased and able to formulate an honest judgement about the USPs offered by different products on the market.

5. Wider opinions Our experts don't just rely on their own knowledge, they also seek input from the wider team and carefully research customer product reviews to gauge wider product satisfaction, noting and investigating any regularly occurring customer feedback.