February 18th, 2020 by Chris Chapman

Reducing the amount of energy you use has never been as important as it is right now. Even if you aren’t a particularly eco-friendly person, the ever-increasing costs of heating homes through the winter means your energy bills will always be in the back of your mind. Keeping warm for less is something we could all benefit from, which is probably why the myth of the 1p per hour electric heater is so popular! Many people are disappointed to learn that these 1p heaters don’t really exist, but luckily, there is an alternative.

Why Can’t I Find 1p Per Hour Electric Heaters?

Technically, you can, but these heaters won’t be powerful enough to warm up a room. This is because of the way electric heating works. To generate more heat, you need more power – it’s as simple as that. You can find heaters that are designed to retain heat more effectively, yes, but these still won’t get you down to that 1p per hour energy bill.

You can find low-energy heaters, but these are usually small tubular models designed for preventing frost and nothing more. They certainly won’t keep a living room or bedroom warm!

How Can I Keep Warm for 1p Per Hour?

The answer is simple – use an electric blanket! Unlike a heater or a radiator, electric blankets don’t actually get that hot. The hottest they can get is around 55°C or so. Blankets aren’t designed to heat up whole rooms, so they don’t need to be much hotter than that! This means you can lie on top of a blanket in bed or snuggle under a heated throw and keep cosy while only actually using a tiny amount of energy.

This is why, if you just press your hand onto an electric blanket while it’s running, it won’t feel warm right away. It’s only when you lie on top of the blanket for a few minutes that you’ll start to notice it heating up. Compare that to your average radiator, which will feel scalding hot as soon as you touch it, and you’ll realise just why electric blankets cost so little to run.

Using an Electric Blanket in Bed

Electric blankets you use under your duvet are naturally more efficient than heated throws. This is because your duvet traps heat, so the blanket doesn’t have to work as hard to reach its target temperature. This means you can keep cosy all night long for between 1-2p depending on your energy tariff. If you want the most efficient way to keep cosy, this is definitely it!

Homefront Premium Fully Fitted Double Fleece Electric Blanket

Price: £85.00

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Using a Heated Throw

Heated throws are a little less efficient as they don’t have a duvet to help them retain heat, so they have to use a little more energy to reach their target temperature. However, they’re usually made of thicker, cosier material to compensate for this, so you should still be able to run one for less than 1p per hour.

The benefit of a throw is that you can use it anywhere – you aren’t limited to only using it when you go to bed. This means you and a partner can both put your central heating on low and huddle together on the sofa to keep cosy while dramatically reducing your heating bills!

The Most Efficient Electric Blankets – What to Look For

Just like with electric heaters, not all electric blankets are created equal. Technically, all forms of electric heating (and blankets are still a form of electric heating!) are equally as efficient as they all convert 100% of the energy they use into heating, but in practice, this isn’t quite the case. This is because all kinds of electric heating come with different features that let you use them more efficiently. Electric blankets are no different – here are a few energy-saving features to look out for.

More Heat Settings

Most electric blankets have 2-3 heat settings to choose from. However, if you want the most efficient performance from your blanket, you should pick the one with the most heat settings. This will allow you to get the heat settings just right – not too hot, not too cold. Some models have separate heat settings for your feet and your body, too. This means that, if you suffer from cold feet, you can essentially cut the energy cost of your blanket in half by only heating the bottom of your bed.

Sweet Dreams Prestige Fully Fitted Double Electric Blanket

Price: £89.99

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Timers

Timers are becoming more common in modern electric blankets. They let you program the blanket to switch itself off automatically through the night. This means you don’t have to waste energy running your blanket while you sleep when you won’t really feel it! As with heat settings, the more timer settings you have, the more efficiently you can use your blanket as you’ll have greater control over it.

Dual Controls

If you share your bed with a partner, you might not always agree on how warm it should be. If you’re in bed alone, you might not want to heat the other side of the bed at all! In either of these cases, a dual control electric blanket is for you. They run using two separate circuits, so each side of the bed has its own power supply and controller. This means you can run each side of the bed independently – if you’re in bed alone, you can cut the energy cost of the blanket in half by only running your side.