Electric Blankets?

[Catrin]

Talk to me TE women! Do you have an electric blanket? Did it work out like you expected or did it wind up collecting dust in the closet after being dumped for a regular blanket? I need to purchase a blanket this year and am considering an inexpensive electric. I would consider an electric mattress cover but those appear to be outside my budget. I am becoming a cold-weather weenie...

[OakLeaf]

I'm leery of the long term effects of electromagnetic radiation so close to the body.

My best recent purchase has been a Thermalon heating pad. It's stuffed with silica desiccant beads, so it absorbs moisture from the air and releases it to moist heat when you microwave it. Stays warm plenty long enough for me to get to sleep (and I'm ALWAYS freezing, especially at night, and it really interferes with my being able to sleep if I don't have a heating pad). And, it's washable! (Though you have to let it dry 24 hours, which can be a long time to go without a heating pad in winter ... you could always buy two, just like traveling with workout clothes, one to "wear" and one to wash!)

[Pax]

Been using an electric blanket the last eight years or so, wouldn't be without one now. I don't like the feel of multiple heavy blankets, and with my sloooow metabolism as soon as I lay down to go to sleep at night my blood pressure, pulse, and body temperature all drop so much that I can't seem to warm up blankets or down comforter. So an electric blanket has been a lifesaver for me.

I will tell you, even though they are much safer than they used to be, they don't last very long, we get about two years out of one now before they start having large dead spots in them.

[Helene2013]

I don't like over heating during my sleep. BUT I like to get in-between my bamboo sheets when my bed is not frozen.

So we have an electric heater mattress cover and also an over the top sheet electric blanket. Both are duo-control. So if I want no heat, hubby can turn up his side and it does not bother me that much and vice-versa.

We also have a mattress heater in the motorhome.

True it was an expensive purchase. I watched sales and jumped on them when it was on. I would never go without those anymore. In the summer, I remove the top one to put a lighter version - non-electric.

For my bed, the mattress pad has been there for a good 5-6 years and working great. The top one we've had for 2-3 years and does great.

heck...we even have electric floor heating for our ceramic tile floors. I love the cold, more than heat. But during the cold season, I prefer to walk on warmer floors, and getting into cozier sheets. I cannot sleep in flannel sheets or whatever other types of "warm" sheets. Too hot at some point during the night. With electric blankets, I can control when I want the heat - and it is just before entering my bed and turn it right off or when I feel really sick and appreciate some extra heat.

[Crankin]

Electric blankets scare me to death. My close friend from elementary school's dad died in a house fire started by one. Yes, it was in the 80s, but still.
My progression of sleep materials: summer/early fall= really good cotton percale sheets with our down comforter. Ceiling fan (plus central air when needed) on from about March to early October.
mid-October to early December: the flannel sheets go on. This makes a huge difference. I do not get too hot with them.
Mid Dec.- mid March: add in a thermal, but lightweight blanket. The blanket comes off in March, and the flannel sheets usually go bye bye in April.
I would put on the ceiling fan if I needed to, in the winter, but the flannel sheets have eliminated the horrible freezing feeling you get when you jump into bed with cotton sheets.

[roo4]

We have an electric mattress pad. Heavenly! Ours has dual controls, which I recommend if you are sharing the bed. I preheat my side, then turn it off when I am ready to sleep.

[Jolt]

I tend to agree with Crankin...think they're a fire hazard and wouldn't want to use one. I have a quilt, a wool blanket and fleece sheets for the winter and this has been sufficient.

[Pax]

The old ones definitely had fire issues, the new ones are all hi tech and fancy... and short lived. But still soooooo warm!

[Catrin]

Hadn't thought about flannel sheets! I do have "pillows" filled with seed corn that I heat up in the microwave to toss between the sheets before bed, but of course that just provides spot warmth. I've a quilt, but it just isn't warm enough. I don't know why, but it seems like my bedroom has always been the coldest room in my apartment regardless of where I live, and I do live alone. In the summer all I have on my bed are the sheets, but we are past that now. I forget why I decided to dispose of my large blanket at the end of winter last year, but I need to replace it.

I am still a bit nervous over the idea of sleeping with an electric blanket. Perhaps I should explore both a set of flannel sheets and a thermal blanket to go with my not-very-warm comforter and still possibly pay less than for a decent electric blanket. I've my bed-warmer things, whatever you call those seed-corn "pillows" that I have, and I've used them for years, thankfully they don't "wear out"

[Pax]

One thing you can do with an inexpensive twin sized electric blanket is turn it on a couple of hours before bed, on high, pre heat your bed and then turn it off.

[Catrin]

One thing you can do with an inexpensive twin sized electric blanket is turn it on a couple of hours before bed, on high, pre heat your bed and then turn it off.

Hadn't thought about this option, something to consider!

[Pax]

Hadn't thought about this option, something to consider!

It's heavenly getting into toasty warm sheets! Must be what it's like living in the tropics.

[Catrin]

And certain colors are even less, I need to sleep on thus

[ny biker]

Another vote for flannel sheets and down comforter. With a light cotton blanket in between.

When my parents visit I sleep on an air mattress on the living room floor and they use my bedroom (it's just a 1BR condo). It gets very cold on the floor in the winter. So I spread my fleece snuggie out on top of the flannel bottom sheet and sleep on that, and it's very comfortable. So I would recommend a fleece blanket underneath you as something else to consider.

[lph]

Here in Norway electric blankets are unheard of. I've only seen them as a child, visiting my grandparents in the States. Down "dyne" all the way! I don't know if that's a duvet or a comforter, it's downfilled, puffy, and has a washable cover. We have a lightweight summer one and a heavier winter one which can only be used in the coldest winter months. My solution for freezing sheets in winter is to toss in an oldfashioned hot water bottle a little while in advance.