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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