WITH winter on the horizon and heating costs still being so high, a heated throw is an inexpensive way to stay warm without blowing the budget on your fuel bill. The best heated throws cost pennies per day to run and they offer adjustable warmth at the touch of a button.
They usually have a number of heat levels and an automatic timer that switches off the throw at the end of the timer period. The number of heat and timer settings varies between throws but they all offer flexibility to a greater or lesser extent so you can personalise the levels to suit you.
Some of the throws tested are suitable for all-night use, but others switch off after a maximum of three hours, so make sure you check before buying that the blanket has the functionality you need.
As opposed to heated blankets that go on the bed, under the sheet and are generally white or cream, heated throws are for draping over yourself – some are even wearable, with sleeves and a space for your feet.
They’re made from cosy material that you want to cuddle into, such as fake fur, velour or fleece, and they don’t look out of place positioned over the back of the sofa when you’re not using them.
Most of the throws tested are grey – the décor colour of the moment – so they blend with most colour schemes, but they are available in a host of hues, so it’s worth researching online if you’re after a particular shade.
A couple of points I noticed while testing: when you first switch on, some of the throws give off a slightly strange smell, but this dissipates quickly and doesn’t happen with subsequent use. Also, the throws do not heat up from edge to edge – there’s usually a wide margin of fabric all the way around without wires, so of course that part doesn’t heat.
Additionally, some throws have more even heat distribution than others, across more of the blanket; with some, the warmth is concentrated in the centre. None of the throws tested heated up across all of the wires, which surprised me at first, but they were all like that so I have come to the conclusion that’s just the way they work.
One great feature about all the throws tested is they’re all washable – once you remove the electrical cable obviously – on a gentle cycle at 30° or 40°C, so they will stay looking good for multiple uses. There’s a knack to storing them too: roll or fold loosely so you don’t damage the internal wires and don’t stack anything on top of them.
Best heated throws at a glance:
- Best heated throw overall: Dreamland Luxury Faux Fur Warming Throw
- Best value heated throw: Von Haus Pink Heated Throw Blanket
- Best faux fur heated throw: Dunelm Faux Fur Heated Throw
- Best lightweight heated throw: Silentnight Luxury Heated Throw
- Best wearable heated throw: Lakeland The Snuggler
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Dreamland Luxury Faux Fur Warming Throw
10- Luxury Faux Fur Warming Throw, £99.99 from Amazon – buy here
Pros: Safe to leave switched on all night, long electrical cable, timer with several settings, tumble-dryer safe
Cons: Expensive
Rating: 4.5/5
This throw is in a luxurious faux fur material backed with soft micromink (like velour). It feels lovely and is very cosy, perfect for snuggling up on the sofa on a cold evening.
The handset is simple to use: press the on/off button to operate, and all of the LEDs then light up while the unit checks all is functioning as it should. The highest heat setting – 6 – is then automatically selected and you can adjust from there.
Dreamland recommends you use the highest setting for pre-heating quickly. Alternatively, you can also pre-heat on settings four or five, but it takes longer. If you’re going to have the throw on all evening then they recommend settings one to three, which keep you warm but not too hot. You can even keep it switched on all night if temperatures drop to arctic levels.
Set the timer for one, three or a maximum of nine hours and it automatically switches off when the time’s up.
I love this throw, it is cuddly and thick – even my dogs who insist on sitting on the sofa with me try and get under it. It also has the longest cable – 3m – of any of the throws I tested, which is brilliant if your electrical sockets are not handily placed for easy connection.
Dreamland says you can also safely tumble dry the throw, the only one of those I tested that states this.
Comes with a two-year guarantee.
Material: faux fur (100% acrylic) with micromink reverse (100% polyester); care instructions: machine washable at 30°C on a gentle cycle; size: 160 x 120cm; colours: Alaskan husky print; timer/heat levels: 6 heat levels, automatic timer for 1, 3 and 9 hours
Dunelm Faux Fur Heated Throw
- Faux Fur Heated Throw, £70 from Dunelm – buy here
Pros: Large size, nine heat levels, nine timer settings, cosy fabric
Cons: None
Rating: 4.5/5
This throw is so snuggly – it is short faux fur on one side and soft velour on the other – and it’s also slightly larger than the other throws I tested, which does make a difference.
There are nine heat levels with nine being the highest and nine timer settings in one-hour increments, which gives you great flexibility when using your throw. The handset is clear and easy to operate and the heat distribution across the fabric is pretty good.
I found level 5 was comfortable and anything higher was too hot currently, but I did venture to level 9 and it’s good to know there is more heat available when the temperatures drop.
I can see myself using this throw all winter, I love the larger size and the softness of the fabric, it’s perfect for hibernating under.
Material: velour one side, fake fur the other (100% polyester); care instructions: machine washable at up to 40°C on a wool cycle; size: 160 x 130cm; colours: grey; timer/heat levels: nine heat levels, timer from 1 – 9 hours
Mia & Coco Electric Blanket
- Mia & Coco Electric Blanket, £47.99 from Amazon – buy here
Pros: Cosy sherpa fleece, pre-heat function, lots of heat levels and timer settings, price
Cons: None
Rating: 4/5
This cosy throw is velour on one side and sherpa fleece on the other so it’s warm even before you switch on the heat.
The controls are easy to use yet offer lots of functionality: there’s a pre-heat setting, 10 heat levels ranging from 1 – 9 then high, and a timer that’s adjustable from one hour to nine hours with hourly increments. It’s a simple plus/minus to adjust both the temperature and the automatic timer.
Pre-heat warms the throw to the maximum temperature (H) for one hour, then reverts to the previous heat and timer settings. I found level five was great for warmth without too much heat; the higher levels though may well come in handy once winter arrives.
Material: velour one side, sherpa fleece the other (100% polyester); care instructions: machine washable at up to 40°C on a gentle cycle; size: 160 x 120cm; colours: grey; timer/heat levels: 10 heat levels, timer from 1 – 9 hours
Lakeland Brown Arctic Faux Fur Heated Throw
- Brown Arctic Faux Fur Heated Throw, £99.99 from Lakeland – buy here
Pros: Nine heat levels, nine timer settings, luxurious fabric
Cons: Price, timer only up to three hours
Rating: 4/5
I love the feel of this throw – it has a velour finish on one side and a silky, furry fabric on the other. It’s thick and feels comfortingly heavy. Definitely one for snuggling up with on a cold evening.
The control is simple to operate, just switch it on, choose your temperature and your preferred time setting and off you go. It has nine heat levels and nine time settings – from 20 minutes up to three hours before it automatically shuts off.
I found level five to be warm enough, but the heat was concentrated in the middle and didn’t really spread across the entire blanket.
Upping the temperature to seven and then nine improved this and the heat distribution was better across the throw, but it was too hot in the middle. I think the trick is to start off at a high temperature then decrease it as the throw heats up.
Comes with a three-year guarantee.
Material: faux fur with velour reverse (100% polyester) ; care instructions: machine washable at 30°C size: 160 x 120cm colours: brown; timer/heat levels: nine heat levels and nine time settings (1 – 9 hours)
Silentnight Luxury Heated Throw
- Luxury Heated Throw, £42 from Silentnight – buy here
Pros: Easy to operate, lightweight, clear-to-read handset
Cons: Lack of timer function might put some people off, wires more prominent
Rating: 3.5/5
This is one of the more lightweight throws I tested, but that doesn’t make it any less toasty than the others.
The grey fleece is cosy, though you can feel the wires through it, however, I didn’t find that a problem and is to be expected, given it’s a lighter throw.
You don’t get to set a timer with this blanket, once you switch it on it stays on for two hours then it automatically switches itself off. All you need to do though is switch it back on for another two hours of heat. You can of course manually switch it off earlier if you wish.
The handset has a very clear display – nothing but the heat level – and there are only two buttons: an on/off switch and a button to scroll through the heat settings from 1 (the lowest) to 9 (the highest). I found level five perfectly warm enough.
This blanket would be ideal for an older person, such as my 86-year-old dad, as it’s not heavy to lift or when it’s lying on your legs, you don’t need a degree in engineering to operate it and it has a large, clean LCD display. Heat without the faff.
Material: 100% polyester fleece; care instructions: machine washable at up to 40°C on a wool cycle; size: 160 x 120cm; colours: grey; timer/heat levels: 9 heat levels, no timer – blanket automatically switches off after two hours
Lakeland The Snuggler
- The Snuggler, £99.99 from Lakeland – buy here
Pros: Keeps your arms and feet toasty as well as your body, good heat distribution, simple to use as no timer to set (also a con), luxury feel
Cons: Only three heat levels, no timer (also a pro), electrical connection at top of throw heavy on your shoulder, price
Rating: 4/5
A heated throw with a difference – this one has sleeves so you wear it and it also has a foot pouch to snuggle your feet in for extra warmth.
The grey velour on both sides feels thick and luxurious, but it’s slightly let down by the inside of the arms, which are not double-sided.
There are three heat levels but you can’t set a timer with this one – it automatically shuts off after three hours, though of course, you can manually switch it off sooner if you wish.
Level three is very toasty and level two isn’t much less so. I found level one more than warm enough and I was impressed at the heat generated. I wore the throw while working at the computer and I noticed it slipped off my shoulders often, however, I suspect most people will wear this while relaxing watching TV or reading, so I don’t think that will be an issue generally.
All in all, this is great, really warm and snug; however, the cable connection is at the top of the throw, on the left side, which creates a drag on your shoulder so is rather heavy. I wonder why it wasn’t positioned at the bottom of the throw so you don’t have to carry the weight. It may be to do with better heat distribution, but it is a bit of a pain.
Comes with a three-year guarantee.
Material: double-sided velour except for the arms; care instructions: machine washable at 30°C size: 180 x 150cm colours: grey; timer/heat levels: 3 heat levels, no timer – auto switch off after three hours
Glamhaus Heated Throw
- Glamhaus Heated Throw, £47.99 from Amazon – buy here
Pros: Price, nine heat levels, nine time settings, large size
Cons: Fabric thinner than expected so wires are more prominent
Rating: 3.5/5
With one side velour and the other sherpa fleece, I expected this to be thicker than it is. That said, it heats up quickly and feels soft, so overall I wasn’t disappointed.
The gorgeous baby blue colour makes a change from the usual grey and this would make a lovely feature for a living room or bedroom with matching or contrasting cushions.
The control is easy to operate – it has an on/off button, clear LCD display, a temperature control and a time control, both with plus and minus buttons to increase and decrease. There are nine heat levels and nine time settings (1 – 9 hours). The heat automatically shuts off after the stipulated time period.
This throw is also slightly larger than most of the others, which is an added bonus as it you’re using it on your bed it covers more space and if you’re snuggling under it on the sofa there’s more snuggly blanket to go round you.
If you’re using this throw continuously for nine hours the manufacturer recommends sticking with levels 1 – 4, though you can start of with level 8 or 9 to heat the blanket quickly when you first switch it on.
Comes with a two-year Amazon warranty.
Material: velour one side, sherpa fleece the other (100% polyester); care instructions: machine washable at up to 30°C on a gentle cycle; size: 160 x 130cm; colours: aquamarine; timer/heat levels: 9 heat levels, timer from 1 – 9 hours
Beurer HD 150 Heated Overblanket
Beurer HD 150 Heated Overblanket, £99 from Amazon – buy here
Pros: Easy to use controls, sumptuous-feel fabric, large size, no timer (also a con)
Cons: Price, no timer (also a pro), wires prominent through the fabric
Rating: 3.5/5
An extra-large throw in silky soft velour that feels super luxurious and the size makes it perfect for two to snuggle under either on the sofa or in the bedroom.
It has six heat settings and the manufacturer recommends you start off with the highest setting to heat the blanket quickly. If you’re going to have it switched on for a while though, the recommendation is to reduce the heat to the lowest setting.
The controls are simple to use: the on/off switch is on the side of the handset and you simply slide it up for on and down for off. You can’t set the time with this throw but it automatically switches off after three hours. You can obviously switch it off manually before then though.
I found it took a while for the throw to heat up fully, but 30 minutes later on maximum setting, it was toasty, but not too hot. I was also surprised the wires feel as prominent as they do through the material.
The easy controls make it particularly suitable for older people who don’t want to be fussed with lots of options and just want something to warm them. However, it is on the heavy side due to its size.
Comes with a three-year guarantee.
Material: fleece velour with fleece velour reverse; care instructions: machine washable at 30°C on a gentle cycle; size: 200 x 150cm; colours: taupe; timer/heat levels: 6 heat levels, no timer – auto switch off after three hours
Von Haus Pink Heated Throw
- Von Haus Pink Heated Throw, £47.99 – buy here
Pros: Price, good heat distribution, timer (1 – 9 hours), nine heat levels including pre-heat function, large size
Cons: None
Rating: 4.5/5
The instructions say to pre-heat the throw for 30-60 minutes on its highest temperature – 9. That seems rather a long time to have it switched on before using so I set it to preheat, but had it draped over my legs at the same time to benefit from the warmth.
There are nine heat levels, including preheat: L, 1 – 7, and H (preheat). There’s also a timer that you can adjust for one to nine hours before the throw automatically switches itself off.
This is a warm, snuggly blanket without being switched on and the fleece is very soft, adding heat into the mix just makes it even more toasty. It is also larger than some of the others reviewed, which is an added bonus.
I found the warmth was pretty evenly distributed across the blanket but level 9 is too hot for October – come January though it will be a different matter.
For me, taking the middle ground at level 5 was ideal.
Material: 250gsm double flannel with fleece lining; care instructions: machine washable at 30°C size: 160 x 130cm colours: pink and grey; timer/heat levels: nine heat levels and nine time settings (1 – 9 hours)
How much do heated throws cost?
You can pay anything from around £40 to over £100 for a heated throw, depending on your budget and what kind of fabric finish you’re after. Cost doesn’t necessarily indicate tech level though, with some of the mid-price throws in our selection offering more functionality than some of the more expensive ones.
Where to buy heated throws
You may find heated throws in department or chain stores on the high street, but your best bet is to search online.
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We found the throws tested in our review at:
- Amazon
- Dreamland
- Dunelm
- Lakeland
- Silentnight
- Von Haus
Sun Vouchers is your one-stop shop for every deal and discount code currently available from your favourite online retailers. Don’t click ‘buy’ until you’ve checked Sun Vouchers for a discount code to apply to your basket.
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