Heated & electric blankets

The Best Heated Blankets of 2026: Safety Listings, Auto Shut-Off and Cost to Run

Updated November 1, 2026

The short answer

The Sunbeam Heated Greystone Blanket is the best heated blanket for most beds. It's cETLus listed, shuts itself off on a timer you can set from 1 to 12 hours, goes in the washer and dryer, and it's rated at 100 watts, so a full 8-hour night at top heat uses 0.8 kWh at most. Want 20 heat settings and a UL-certified build? Get the Beautyrest Microlight to Berber.

Our three picks

Best overall
Sunbeam Heated Greystone Blanket, Microplush, 12 Heat Settings
It's the only pick whose maker publishes the wattage (100 W), so you know a full 8-hour night tops out at 0.8 kWh, and it pairs a cETLus listing and overheat protection with a timer you can set from 1 to 12 hours. Its manual also spells out exactly how to machine wash and tumble dry it.
Best for: Most beds, couples who want a separate control for each side of a Queen or King, and anyone watching the electric bill
DetailsSpecifications
Best for: Most beds, couples who want a separate control for each side of a Queen or King, and anyone watching the electric bill
It's the only pick whose maker publishes the wattage (100 W), so you know a full 8-hour night tops out at 0.8 kWh, and it pairs a cETLus listing and overheat protection with a timer you can set from 1 to 12 hours. Its manual also spells out exactly how to machine wash and tumble dry it.
Model number
32810144
Safety listing
cETLus (ETL listed for the US and Canada); overheat protection
Auto shut-off
12 hours; Sunbeam's 2026 manual says you can set the timer anywhere from 1 to 12 hours
Heat settings
12, on a digital controller that dims after 10 seconds and remembers your last setting
Controllers
Two on Queen and King, one per side, per Sunbeam's 2026 heated bedding manual
Rated power
100 W
Energy use, 8-hour night at full heat
0.8 kWh at most (about 15¢ at the August 2026 US average of 18.16¢/kWh)
Sizes (W x L)
Twin 62 x 84 in, Full 72 x 84 in, Queen 84 x 90 in, King 100 x 90 in
Fabric
Microplush on both sides; OEKO-TEX tested
Care
Machine washable and dryer safe: cold water, gentle cycle; tumble dry low, delicate cycle
Cord length
19 ft
Power
110–120 V wall outlet only; Sunbeam rules out extension cords, smart plugs, plug adapters, generators and inverters
Warranty
5-year limited; covers purchases from authorized retailers and sellers, not third-party marketplace sellers
View on Amazon →Manufacturer’s page: Sunbeam Heated Greystone Blanket, Microplush, 12 Heat Settings ↗
Premium pick
Beautyrest Heated Microlight to Berber Blanket
It gives you the finest heat control of the three, 20 settings, and the longest safety list on paper: UL certification, hotspot sensing, overheating protection and Secure Comfort Technology, designed to virtually eliminate EMF emissions. The catch: the timer stops at 10 hours, and Beautyrest doesn't publish the wattage.
Best for: Sleepers who fine-tune the temperature, anyone concerned about EMF, and setups that run the blanket from a smart plug or a timer
DetailsSpecifications
Best for: Sleepers who fine-tune the temperature, anyone concerned about EMF, and setups that run the blanket from a smart plug or a timer
It gives you the finest heat control of the three, 20 settings, and the longest safety list on paper: UL certification, hotspot sensing, overheating protection and Secure Comfort Technology, designed to virtually eliminate EMF emissions. The catch: the timer stops at 10 hours, and Beautyrest doesn't publish the wattage.
Item numbers
BR54-1942 (Queen, purple); the item number changes with size and color
Safety listing
UL certified (US standard), per Beautyrest's product copy; hotspot sensing and overheating protection
Auto shut-off
Up to 10 hours
Heat settings
20
Controllers
One on Twin and Full; two on Queen and King
Rated power
Not published by Beautyrest
Energy use, 8-hour night at full heat
Can't be computed without a published wattage; check the rating label
Sizes (W x L)
Twin 62 x 84 in, Full 80 x 84 in, Queen 84 x 90 in, King 100 x 90 in
Fabric
Microlight plush face, berber reverse, 100% polyester; OEKO-TEX certified
EMF
Secure Comfort Technology, designed to virtually eliminate electromagnetic field emissions
Care
Machine wash cold, gentle cycle; tumble dry low and remove promptly; no bleach, no ironing
Cords
6 ft power cord, 12.5 ft controller cord
Smart plugs and timers
Compatible, per Beautyrest (Auto-Run)
Warranty
5-year limited
View on Amazon →Manufacturer’s page: Beautyrest Heated Microlight to Berber Blanket ↗
Also great
Serta Plush Heated Blanket
It matches the Sunbeam's 1-to-12-hour timer and its two controllers on Queen and King, and adds overheating protection. It trails on heat control with 10 settings, Serta doesn't publish its wattage, its ETL mark shows up in retailer copy rather than on the maker's own listing, and there's no Twin.
Best for: Couples who want a long, adjustable timer in a soft plush blanket, and Serta bedding fans
DetailsSpecifications
Best for: Couples who want a long, adjustable timer in a soft plush blanket, and Serta bedding fans
It matches the Sunbeam's 1-to-12-hour timer and its two controllers on Queen and King, and adds overheating protection. It trails on heat control with 10 settings, Serta doesn't publish its wattage, its ETL mark shows up in retailer copy rather than on the maker's own listing, and there's no Twin.
Item numbers (Queen)
ST54-0084, ST54-0088, ST54-0092, ST54-0096, ST54-0127, ST54-0131, by color
Safety listing
ETL certified, per Serta's product copy at Kohl's (the maker's own listing names no mark); overheating protection
Auto shut-off
Timer from 1 to 12 hours
Heat settings
10
Controllers
One on Full; two on Queen and King
Rated power
Not published by Serta
Energy use, 8-hour night at full heat
Can't be computed without a published wattage; check the rating label
Sizes (W x L)
Full 77 x 84 in, Queen 84 x 90 in, King 100 x 90 in (the sizes on the maker's listing)
Fabric
Plush face and back, 100% polyester
Care
Machine wash (the maker's listing gives no drying instructions)
Cords
6 ft power cord, 8.5 ft controller cord
Warranty
5-year limited
View on Amazon →Manufacturer’s page: Serta Plush Heated Blanket ↗

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Comparison table

Swipe the table to see every column.

Model	Safety listing	Auto shut-off	Heat settings	Controllers, Queen/King	Rated power	Max per 8-hour night	Care	Sizes	Amazon
Sunbeam Heated Greystone Blanket (Microplush)	cETLus	1–12 hours, selectable	12	2	100 W	0.8 kWh	Washer and dryer (low)	Twin, Full, Queen, King	View on Amazon
Beautyrest Heated Microlight to Berber Blanket	UL certified (brand copy)	Up to 10 hours	20	2	Not published	Not computable	Washer and dryer (low)	Twin, Full, Queen, King	View on Amazon
Serta Plush Heated Blanket	ETL (retailer copy)	1–12 hours	10	2	Not published	Not computable	Machine wash	Full, Queen, King	View on Amazon
Sunbeam Heated Gray Blanket (Brushed Fleece)	cETLus	12 hours	12	2 (Queen)	100 W	0.8 kWh	Washer and dryer (low)	Twin, Full, Queen	–
Sunbeam Connected Heated Blanket (LoftTec), app and voice control	ETL	10 hours	10	2	110 W	0.88 kWh	Washer and dryer	Queen	–
Beautyrest Microplush Heated Blanket with Wi-Fi (Alexa, Google Home)	UL certified (brand copy)	Up to 10 hours	20	2	Not published	Not computable	Machine wash	Queen, King	–

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Why this ranking

We rank models on product criteria only, weighted as shown below. Price and clicks play no part.

Safety listing and overheat protection30%
A heated blanket sits on you for hours, so the first filter is a mark from a lab OSHA recognizes (UL or Intertek's ETL) plus built-in overheat protection. We read the mark and safety features each maker lists for the US model. All three picks list overheat protection. Edge: Beautyrest, which adds hotspot sensing and a low-EMF design to its UL certification. Sunbeam lists its cETLus mark on its own product page; Serta's ETL mark appears only in its copy at retailers.
Auto shut-off timer20%
The timer is your backstop if you fall asleep with the blanket on. A timer you can set short is more useful than a fixed one. Edge: Sunbeam and Serta, both adjustable from 1 to 12 hours; Beautyrest shuts off after up to 10 hours.
Published wattage and cost to run20%
Without a rated wattage you can't work out the kWh, or the cost, before you buy. We take the wattage from the maker's US product page and multiply it by 8 hours and the EIA's August 2026 average residential rate of 18.16¢/kWh. Edge: Sunbeam, the only one of the three that publishes it (100 W, so 0.8 kWh a night at most).
Heat control and dual zones15%
More settings mean finer control, and two controllers on a Queen or King let each sleeper pick a side's heat. All three picks have dual controls on Queen and King. Edge: Beautyrest with 20 settings, ahead of Sunbeam (12) and Serta (10).
Washability and care10%
Blankets get washed, and washing is where wiring gets damaged. We compare what each maker says goes in the washer and the dryer. Edge: Sunbeam, whose manual gives step-by-step wash and dry instructions, just ahead of Beautyrest, whose care label also allows tumble drying on low. Serta's listing says machine wash and nothing more.
Warranty and size range5%
All three carry a 5-year limited warranty. Edge: Sunbeam and Beautyrest, which come in Twin through King; the maker's listing for the Serta starts at Full.

We don't test blankets ourselves. We compared what each maker publishes for the US model, the safety mark it lists, and what Consumer Reports has published, then ranked the three picks on the weighted criteria above.

Sunbeam Heated Greystone Blanket comes first because it's the only pick that scores well everywhere: a cETLus listing with overheat protection, a timer you can set from 1 to 12 hours, the only published wattage of the three, and step-by-step washer and dryer instructions.
Beautyrest Heated Microlight to Berber has the finest heat control (20 settings) and the most safety features on paper, but its timer tops out at 10 hours and you can't work out its running cost before you buy.
Serta Plush Heated Blanket matches Sunbeam's 1-to-12-hour timer, but it has the fewest heat settings, no published wattage, an ETL mark that shows up only in retailer copy, and no Twin on the maker's listing.

How we compare →

UL or ETL listed: what the safety mark tells you

A heated blanket sold in the US should carry a mark from a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory. UL and Intertek, which issues the ETL mark, are both on OSHA's list of recognized labs, so an ETL listing is not a lesser mark than a UL one. Whichever lab does the testing, the US safety standard for heated bedding is UL 964, Electrically Heated Bedding, which covers blankets, mattress pads, throws and similar bedding on 110–120 V circuits.

A revision of UL 964 dated September 18, 2020 added a supplement for remotely operated bedding, smart-enabled models included.
cETLus (Sunbeam) means ETL listed for both the US and Canada.
UL certified (US standard) is how Beautyrest describes the Microlight to Berber. ETL certified is how Serta's copy at retailers such as Kohl's describes its Plush blanket; the maker's own listing doesn't name a mark.

Check the mark and the model number on the label, not just the listing. On March 16, 2023, the CPSC announced recall 23-157 of about 43,000 Sunbeam Queen heated blankets, model 32810027, sold on Amazon and in small stores from September 2022 through January 2023, because they could overheat. That model number is printed on the wash label, and it isn't one of our picks.

Two bigger recalls came in 2026, both for blankets sold on Amazon: about 178,000 OCTROT heated throws and blankets on July 30, because the cord can detach and ignite, and about 195,000 JKMAX heated blankets and heating pads on September 17, because the heating wires can overheat. If you own either, stop using it and contact the company for a full refund.

Auto shut-off: how each pick turns itself off

Sunbeam: you set the timer from 1 to 12 hours on the controller, and the controller remembers it. On a Queen or King, each control runs its own side. After a power outage, the timer goes back to the setting you chose, and you press the power button to restart the blanket.
Serta: a timer from 1 to 12 hours, plus overheating protection.
Beautyrest: shuts off after up to 10 hours, with hotspot sensing and overheating protection.

Sunbeam's 2026 manual also says to turn the blanket off or unplug it whenever you're not using it. The timer is a backstop, not a reason to leave it on all day.

What a heated blanket costs to run

A heated blanket warms you, not the room, which is why it uses so little power. The rated wattage is the most it can draw; on lower settings it cycles and uses less, so these are ceilings.

Sunbeam Greystone, 100 W: at most 0.8 kWh for an 8-hour night, about 15¢ at the US average of 18.16¢/kWh (EIA, August 2026), or about $4.36 for 30 nights at full heat.
Sunbeam Connected, 110 W: at most 0.88 kWh a night, about 16¢.
A 1,500 W space heater over the same 8 hours: 12 kWh, about $2.18.

Your state's rate changes the math. At August 2026 prices, the same 0.8 kWh night costs about 24¢ in California (29.75¢/kWh) or Massachusetts (30.48¢), about 23¢ in New York (28.65¢), 13¢ in Texas (15.91¢) and 12¢ in Florida (14.99¢). The EIA marks its 2026 state figures as preliminary.

Beautyrest and Serta don't publish a wattage for these blankets, so we can't compute theirs. Look for the rating on the label or the controller. Don't measure a Sunbeam with a plug-in energy meter: its manual rules out power adapters and smart plugs.

How to wash a heated blanket without damaging it

All three picks are machine washable. Sunbeam's 2026 manual spells out the steps, and they're a sensible default unless your blanket's care label says otherwise:

Unplug the power cord from the wall first, then detach the controller cord from the blanket.
Machine wash in cold water on the gentle cycle, or hand wash.
Tumble dry low on the delicate cycle, take it out while it's still damp and stretch it back to size, then drape it over a clothesline or rack without clothespins.
Never use a laundromat or commercial dryer: Sunbeam says they get hot enough to damage the wiring.
No dry cleaning, bleach, fabric softener, wringer or iron.
Reconnect only when the blanket is completely dry.

Sunbeam lists the Greystone as dryer safe, and Beautyrest's care label for the Microlight to Berber also says to tumble dry low and remove it promptly. That label parts ways with Sunbeam on one point: if the blanket can't move freely in your machines, it says to use a large-capacity commercial washer and dryer. Serta's listing says machine wash and nothing more. Whichever you buy, follow the care label on yours.

Queen or King: sizes and dual controls

All three picks ship with two controllers on Queen and King, so each sleeper sets their own side; Beautyrest and Serta use a single controller on smaller sizes. Sizes vary more than you'd expect, especially the Full:

Sunbeam: Twin 62 x 84 in, Full 72 x 84 in, Queen 84 x 90 in, King 100 x 90 in.
Beautyrest: Twin 62 x 84 in, Full 80 x 84 in, Queen 84 x 90 in, King 100 x 90 in.
Serta: Full 77 x 84 in, Queen 84 x 90 in, King 100 x 90 in.

On a big bed, cord length matters: Sunbeam lists a 19 ft cord, Beautyrest a 6 ft power cord and a 12.5 ft controller cord, Serta a 6 ft power cord and an 8.5 ft controller cord. Run cords along the floor under the bed, never between the mattress and box spring.

Heated blankets for seniors: what the manuals say

Plenty of people shop for a heated blanket for an older parent, and the manuals are blunt about who shouldn't use one. Sunbeam's 2026 manual says not to use its heated bedding with an infant or child, an incapacitated or immobile person, a person with diabetes, anyone insensitive to heat (such as someone with poor circulation), or anyone who can't understand the instructions or work the controls. It also says to check with a doctor before using one with a pacemaker or another medical device.

If your parent feels heat normally and can work the controls, pick a model with a timer they can set short; on the Sunbeam, the display dims after 10 seconds and lights up again at a touch.
If they can't, Sunbeam's own warnings rule its heated bedding out.
Don't tuck the blanket in, fold it or bunch it up while it's on; Sunbeam warns that bunching can cause excessive heating.
Don't use it with another heated product, such as a heated mattress pad, or on an adjustable bed.

Smart plugs, timers and power outages

Sunbeam: plug it straight into a 110–120 V wall outlet. The manual rules out extension cords, smart plugs, multi-outlet adapters, plug extenders, generators, power converters and inverters. A portable power station's AC outlets run through an inverter, so per Sunbeam it's not an outage option.
Beautyrest: its product copy says the Microlight to Berber works with smart home outlets and automatic timers, a feature it calls Auto-Run.
Want app control without a smart plug? Sunbeam's Connected Heated Blanket (Queen, 110 W) has its own app and voice control, and Beautyrest's Microplush Heated Blanket with Wi-Fi works with Alexa and Google Home.

What Consumer Reports found

Consumer Reports updated its heated blanket roundup on February 8, 2026, after testing six blankets from Beautyrest, Bedsure, Berkshire, Sealy, Sunbeam and Westinghouse. It says it found the best ones and two that aren't worth the money. The model-by-model results are for CR members, so we don't repeat them here. Serta wasn't in that group.

What independent testers found

We don’t test products ourselves. These organizations publish their own results: read them on their sites.

Consumer Reports
Updated February 8, 2026: tested six heated blankets from Beautyrest, Bedsure, Berkshire, Sealy, Sunbeam and Westinghouse and says two weren't worth the money; model-by-model results are for members.
Consumer Reports
January 8, 2009 Q&A: cited the U.S. Department of Energy's figure of about 100 watts for a typical full-size electric blanket, and concluded that warming yourself rather than the whole house can make financial sense.

F · A · Q

Frequently asked questions

Very little. The Sunbeam Greystone is rated at 100 W, so even at full heat for 8 hours it uses 0.8 kWh, about 15¢ at the August 2026 US average of 18.16¢/kWh. Lower settings use less. A 1,500 W space heater uses 12 kWh over the same 8 hours.

Use the automatic shut-off rather than counting on yourself to switch it off: Sunbeam and Serta let you set it from 1 to 12 hours, and Beautyrest shuts off after up to 10 hours. Don't tuck in, fold or bunch the blanket while it's on, and don't use one with an infant, a child or anyone who can't feel heat normally or work the controls.

No. UL and Intertek, which issues the ETL mark, are both labs recognized by OSHA, and the US safety standard for heated bedding is UL 964 either way. What matters is that the mark is on your blanket's label.

Usually, on low. Sunbeam lists the Greystone as dryer safe: tumble dry low on the delicate cycle and take it out while it's still damp, and never use a laundromat or commercial dryer. Beautyrest's care label also says tumble dry low and remove promptly. Serta's listing says machine wash only, so check the care label on yours.

Not a Sunbeam: its 2026 manual rules out extension cords, smart plugs, plug adapters, generators and inverters. Beautyrest says the Microlight to Berber works with smart home outlets and automatic timers. Check your own blanket's manual.

Sunbeam's manual says not to use its heated bedding with another electrically heated product. Pick one or the other.

Five years, limited, on all three picks. Sunbeam's covers only purchases from authorized retailers and sellers and excludes third-party marketplace sellers, so if you buy on Amazon, check who the seller is.