Heated Blanket vs Space Heater: Which Costs Less, Which Is Safer?

• A heated blanket uses a small fraction of the power. Of the 27 heated blankets, throws and pads we checked, 5 print their wattage, and they use 100 to 115 watts. A plug-in space heater uses 1,500 watts on high.^[8]
• One night costs about 15 cents vs $2.18. That is 100 watts vs 1,500 watts for 8 hours at 18.19 cents per kWh, the U.S. average for January to July 2026. Over a five-month winter of nights, that is $22 vs $327.^[1]
• Both cost less in real use. These are full-power numbers. A blanket's controller (the plug-in switch with the heat settings) and a heater's thermostat both turn the heat off and on to hold your setting.
• They do different jobs. A blanket warms you, not the room. To warm the whole bedroom, see whether a space heater beats your furnace. For one night where you live, see the table for every state.

• Space heaters are tied to more fires. The CPSC (the federal product safety agency) counts about 1,600 fires and 70 deaths a year from portable heaters (2020 to 2022).^[3] The NFPA, a fire safety research group, puts space heaters and heating stoves in one group. That group causes about 3 in 10 home heating fires but 73% of the deaths from them (2020 to 2024).^[2]
• Old heated blankets are the main blanket risk. The Electrical Safety Foundation, an industry safety group, says heating pads and electric blankets cause almost 500 fires a year. Almost all involve blankets more than 10 years old. Its page gives no year for this count.^[6]
• Neither is meant to run while you sleep. The CPSC says to turn heaters off when sleeping.^[3] UL, the safety lab that tests electric blankets, says to warm the bed with the blanket, then turn it off.^[5]
• So, on a cold night: warm the bed with the blanket, then turn it off and pull your comforter up. If you keep the blanket on, set it to low, put nothing on top of it, and let the auto shut-off be your backup.^[4]
• Recalls are common. Since January 2025, the CPSC has recalled about 381,560 heated blankets and throws from JKMAX, OCTROT, MaxKare, and warned buyers about Melinora. Check the model number on your blanket's tag or controller against the list below.^[7]

Heated blankets recalled since 2023

From each recall page on cpsc.gov, read October 17, 2026. Space heater recalls are on our space heater page.

Use a heated blanket safely

• Lay it flat. Don't tuck it in, fold it, or pile blankets or pets on top of it. Let the edges hang over the sides of the bed.^[4]
• Check it each fall for dark, charred or frayed spots and a cracked cord. Replace an old or worn one.^[6]
• Don't use one for a baby, a young child, or anyone who can't work the controls. People with diabetes burn more easily.^[5]
• Never buy a used electric blanket.^[5]

For every pick by situation (shared bed, longest timer, lowest price), see the best electric blankets. Each pick's own listing states its wattage, a UL or ETL mark (labs that test products to safety standards) and an auto shut-off. Among those, it is the top seller of its type on Amazon. We checked each model number against every recall below.^[8]

Heat from below

Bedsure heated mattress pad, queen

A heated mattress pad goes under your sheet and warms you from below. 100 W, ETL listed, 12 hour auto off, model BS-HMQU-2. Costs about 15 cents a night on high.

Check price on Amazon

For the couch

Bedsure heated throw

A throw is smaller and moves from room to room. 100 W, ETL listed, 8-hour auto shut-off, model BS-100T. Costs about 15 cents a night on high.

See GENIANI on Amazon

Bedsure recalled about 350,000 blankets and pads sold in late 2022 (models BS-HB5060, BS-HB6284, BS-HB7284, BS-LV0A and pads BS-HP1224, BS-HP2433, BS-HP2422). The Bedsure models picked here are newer and not on that list; each card shows its model number. On a blanket you own, the model number is on the tag and the controller.^[7]

One night = watts ÷ 1,000 × 8 hours × the state's average home electricity price (EIA). Winter = 150 nights.

• You need the room warm, not just you. Getting dressed, working at a desk, or a cold bathroom. A blanket can't do that.
• Someone else wants the room warm. A blanket only warms the person under it. A partner who won't use one may want the heater on while you're both awake.
• You're awake and in the room. Run it while you're there, and turn it off when you leave or go to bed.^[3]
• Buy one with a thermostat, tip-over shutoff and a UL or ETL label. See our space heater picks, and why a pricier heater doesn't make more heat.

How much does it cost to run an electric blanket all night?

A 100-watt queen blanket on high for 8 hours uses 0.80 kWh: about 15 cents at the U.S. average of 18.19 cents per kWh, or $22 for a five-month winter of nights. That is the most it costs. The controller turns the heat on and off to hold your setting, so on low it uses less. ^[8][1]

Do electric blankets use much electricity?

No. The heated blankets, throws and pads we checked that state their wattage use 100 to 115 watts. A plug-in space heater uses 1,500 watts on high, about 15 times more. ^[8]

Is it safe to sleep with a heated blanket on all night?

UL says to use the blanket to warm the bed, then turn it off before you go to sleep. If you leave it on, use a blanket with an auto shut-off, keep it on low, and never tuck it in, fold it or pile other blankets or pets on top of it. Do not use one for a baby, a young child, or anyone who cannot work the controls. People with diabetes should take extra care: they burn more easily. ^[5][4]

Is it safe to sleep with a space heater on?

No. The CPSC says to turn heaters off when sleeping. Keep a heater 3 feet from bedding and furniture, and plug it straight into a wall outlet, never a power strip or extension cord. ^[3]

Heated blanket or heated mattress pad: which is better?

They use about the same power: the pad we list uses 100 watts. A pad heats you from below, under your sheet. A blanket can also go on the couch. For a bed shared by two, pick one with dual controls. ^[8][4]

Is a heated blanket safe for an older adult?

Yes, if they can feel heat and work the controls. The CPSC home safety checklist for older adults says to lay the blanket flat, never tuck it in, and keep everything off the top of it. UL warns that people with diabetes burn more easily, and that anyone who cannot work the controls should not use one. ^[4][5]

Can I use a heated blanket and a space heater together?

Yes, one after the other. Run the heater while you get ready for bed, turn it off when you lie down, and let the blanket keep you warm. The CPSC says to turn heaters off when sleeping, and UL says to turn the blanket off once the bed is warm. ^[3][5]

Is a heated blanket the same as an electric blanket?

Yes. Both names mean a blanket with heating wires inside and a plug-in controller.

Has my heated blanket been recalled?

Check the model number on the tag or controller against the recall list on this page. Since 2023, the CPSC has announced 6 recalls of heated blankets, throws and pads, plus one warning. Never buy a used electric blanket. ^[7][5]

1. 1

   U.S. EIA: Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.B, average residential price of electricity by state

   Year-to-Date through July 2026, read October 13, 2026. Cents per kWh.

2. 2

   NFPA: Heating equipment safety, statistics on heating fires (2020-2024 annual averages)

   Read October 17, 2026. 37,365 home heating equipment fires a year, 417 deaths. "Space heaters and heating stoves ... accounting for nearly a third (30%) of the fires, but over seven out of ten deaths (73%) and seven out of ten (70%) of the injuries in home fires caused by heating equipment." NFPA safety card: "Keep space heaters 3 feet away."

3. 3

   U.S. CPSC news release, January 23, 2026: Keep warm and safe this winter (generators, furnaces and space heaters)

   Read October 17, 2026. Portable heaters, including electric space heaters: an average of 1,600 fires, 70 deaths and 150 injuries a year (2020 to 2022). 3 feet from drapes, furniture and bedding; plug directly into a wall outlet, never an extension cord or power strip; "Turn off heaters when sleeping."

4. 4

   U.S. CPSC: Safety for Older Consumers, Home Safety Checklist (electric blankets)

   Read October 17, 2026. "Electrically-heated blankets are not folded, covered by other objects, or 'tucked in,' when in use." "Do not allow anything, including other blankets, comforters, and even sleeping pets, on top of the electric blanket while it is in use." "The edges of your electric blanket should hang freely over the sides and end of the bed."

5. 5

   UL Solutions: Electric blankets are cozy, but are they safe?

   Read October 17, 2026. "Use the blanket to heat up the bed — then turn it off before you go to sleep." "people with diabetes are more vulnerable to burns from electric blankets." Not for infants, young children or anyone who cannot work the controls. "Never buy an electric blanket from a secondhand shop or garage sale."

6. 6

   Electrical Safety Foundation (ESFI): Heating pads and electric blankets safety

   Read October 17, 2026 (no date on the page). "Heating pads and electric blankets cause almost 500 fires each year. Almost all of these fires involve electric blankets that are more than ten years old." "Look for dark, charred, or frayed spots..."

7. 7

   U.S. CPSC recalls and warnings: heated blankets, throws and pads, 2023 to 2026

   Each recall page read October 17, 2026 (links in the recall table). Units, hazards, incidents and remedies are from those pages.

8. 8

   Amazon.com listings (wattage, safety listing and timer from each listing)

   Prices checked November 11, 2026; they change, and the button shows today's. Listing text read October 17, 2026.

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