Dreamland’s heated throws are so popular with our customers year after year – they’re fast becoming everyone’s go-to way of keeping warm when the cooler days and evenings are approaching, and it’s easy to see why. With super-soft to the touch material that just makes you want to snuggle up underneath it, this Dreamland Emerald Heated Throw is styled in a luxurious, deep emerald colour with a stitched herringbone pattern to add a sophisticated finish. This is a heated blanket that will not only make you feel good, but it’ll look good while doing it. With the ongoing cost of living crisis and energy bills remaining high, finding ways to stay warm and comfortable at home without breaking the bank has become a priority for many. This is where the best electric blanket and heated throw can help, offering an affordable and energy-efficient solution for keeping warm and cosy in colder temperatures. It may be an investment, but it's one that pays in the long run: "I’ve recommended it to many of my friends who work from home already as a replacement for having their heating on during the day. I think it’s definitely worth it if you’re struggling to stay a comfortable temperature at home."

This clever electric blanket warms up in just 5 minutes (why not make yourself a hot chocolate to enjoy while you’re waiting!) and offers six different heat settings to keep you warm, but never too hot. The Intelliheat+ technology automatically monitors and adjusts the temperature of your blanket regularly, so it keeps you at just the right level of toasty-ness, saving you from having to constantly adjust the settings. And as this heated throw costs only pennies to run – as little as 5p per hour on the lowest setting – you don't have to worry about the impact on your electricity bill. She also loved how stylish the blanket looked initially too, noting how easily it fitted in with her other decor. Our tester gave the Dreamland Deluxe Throw an impressive five-star rating. After five months of use, they're still using the blanket and love its softness, energy efficiency, and ease of use. With six heat settings, you can switch between modes and find the one that suits you. We're impressed it had this many settings - some cheaper blankets only offer around three, so it's a good choice if temperature control is high on your list of priorities when shopping for a blanket. With a plush, soft-to-the-touch texture, and its availability in a range of rich colours, the Dreamland is a winner when it comes to style. Our tester found that the herringbone design felt modern too and that the emerald green colour looked expensive: "I think it looks very stylish and it doesn’t look out of place in my rented flat."

Electric Blankets and Heated Throws

Given the current economic climate, it’s understandable that you may be looking for more cost-effective ways to stay warm and save on your heating bill. Electric blankets can come in handy here, as they're becoming increasingly more energy efficient. At the Good Housekeeping Institute, our experts made up a double bed to test each electric blanket on, measuring how evenly temperature was distributed as well as whether the warmth fluctuated or remained consistent over an extended period of time, across different heat settings. We measured energy consumption, too. Under blankets, for example, can run for up to eight hours, so you could opt for this at night instead of central heating, while a throw can keep you warm while working from home. Sometimes we can be hesitant to wash something with an oh-so-cosy texture for fear of losing some of that softness. However, our tester had no issues at all when washing the blanket.

What's more, when you don't fancy being swaddled in warmth, it looks great on the sofa or bed too as a decorative throw so you can use it all year round. Under blankets operate a bit like mattress toppers and tend to come with elasticated straps or as a fitted sheet, so you can secure them to your bed and drift off on top of them. Many can run for up to eight hours at a time, so you stay warm all night long. Over blankets and throws In contrast, over blankets are meant for curling up under; they’re a more versatile choice as you can use them on the sofa or even at your desk if you work from home. Some even resemble a fleecy blanket, which not only feels extra soft against the skin, but will look good in your living room if you want to leave it out. Throws tend to have shorter operating times though – most we tried time out after three hours. Wearable electric blankets or heated ponchos

Warmth factor

On chilly winter nights, what better way to keep cosy and warm than with an electric blanket or heated throw? Costing far less than you might think to make sure your bed is the perfect cosy temperature for a better night’s sleep, a heated blanket is just one option if you’re on the hunt for something that can help you get a great sleep. All the electric blankets on our list come with varying heat zones and settings – some include extra foot warmth too. There are also some incredible economic benefits to owning an electric blanket. Costing just pennies to run, sandwiching yourself between your electric blanket and duvet is a low-cost way to keep you toasty warm throughout the night. Much better than relying on the central heating to warm the whole house, when settling down for the night, a cost-efficient electric blanket might be just what you need. Heated Electric Throws Intelliheat, always the right warmth. Intelligent software and a 5-layer ultra-thin heating sensor wire built in to our blankets to detect its temperature 25 times per second, automatically regulating warmth safely. There's also a handy timer setting for the heat too - you can choose between one, three or nine hours, and it will automatically shut off after this time. We think the one hour setting is ideal if you want to pop it on when you're sleepy, but are worried about it being left on if you do nod off. Design

We also tested an electric blanket, which buttons up, allowing you to wear it like a poncho to retain heat. Aside from the extra design features that make them wearable, these ponchos operate in an almost identical manner to electric throws, with a range of temperatures and a timer. Electric blanket featuresWhile your heated blanket warms your bed before you even step in, it can also help to maintain your body temperature throughout the whole night. This can help you remain in a deep and relaxed sleep, stopping you from being woken up during the night with chilly toes! With three heat settings and a pre-heat switch so you can get straight into a warm bed, you don't have to worry about getting too hot either as they incorporate an overheating protection facility. Unlike electric blankets of old, these electric under blankets are elasticated, so are simple to fit over your bed – and even when the electric blanket is off you'll still be sleeping on soft, fleecy luxury. Shop premium brands like Dreamland for heated under blankets that slip over your mattress and under your sheets for your cosiest and warmest sleep yet. Why use an Electric Blanket? Note that dual control under blankets are plugged in on both sides, meaning they can use double the electricity versus those with a single control. How we test electric blankets Read next: The best thermal underwear for women to keep you extra warm in cold weather Warmth factor

If you ever wondered how it feels to sleep on a cloud, we imagine this is the closest you’ll get. This wonderfully soft Mustard Heated Throw by Dreamland is just right for snuggling under on a chilly evening, and with its detailed Herringbone Pattern, looks super-stylish draped over the sofa too.On unboxing the blanket, our tester was impressed, particularly with the size and the softness of the material. She found it was straightforward to get started too: "This was my first heated blanket, so I wasn’t 100% sure how to set it up. However, it was really easy and intuitive." All the heated blankets on our list have auto-shut off settings, which turn them off after a certain amount of time, minimising the risk of any accidents. Some even let you decide how long they run for, thanks to nifty in-built timers. Where the blankets had dual controls, we also looked at how accurate the settings were on each side and if there was any temperature crossover when the settings were different.