03 January 2024 , 15:31
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It’s that time of year. The weather is cold, the twice-yearly energy price increase has kicked in again and payday is weeks away. Up and down the country, many of us are engaged in hotly-debated conversations about exactly how warm the house needs to be overnight.
But a has eliminated such heating-related grousing in our house, helping us reduce our heating use and saving money in the process. What’s more, with the January sales in full swing it can be picked up at bargain prices for anyone keen to keep warm overnight without breaking the bank.
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I am firmly of the belief that when temperatures are regularly going down to below freezing each night we need to leave the radiator on at least the lowest setting to take the chill off the bedroom. However, my husband basically thinks this is like burning twenty pound notes.
Over the years I’ve tried everything from wearing socks and in bed (easy to get tangled up in) to (great, but get in the way and don’t last all night). The bottom line has always been that in one key way we are incompatible - I get very cold and my husband doesn't like to overheat.
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An electric underblanket is the simplest and most straightforward way I’ve found to ensure we both sleep easily and with prices in the Dunelm sale picking one up needn’t break the bank.
The game changer for me was making sure to pick a dual control underblanket and that is what has completely changed our sleep routine.
As the heating elements under the blanket work independently to each other, my husband is able to resolutely leave his side of the bed cold, while I can sneak off and turn on my side half an hour before bed to make sure I climb into a cosy, snuggly cocoon when the time is right - even if our timed heating has already gone off for the night.
We both sleep soundly and it doesn’t matter if one of you runs hot and the other runs cold.
Looking like a cross between a posh quilted mattress topper and a traditional electric blanket, electric underblankets have an elasticated hem to hold them firmly in place on the mattress so there’s no risk of anything pinging off no matter how restless a sleeper you are.
Depending on the brand you pick up, they come with different heat levels meaning the highest levels can be used to give your bed a blast of warmth before you get in while lower levels can be used continuously through the night.
The blankets also come with safety features including auto-switch off in case of any overheating for additional reassurance and are also machine washable although, in my experience, taking the connectors out and adding them back in can be a bit fiddly.
But if, like me, you struggle with sharing a bed with someone who disagrees with your preferred temperature choices, it's definitely worth paying extra for a two-control version. 's best value option currently is the Carmen Fitted Electric Blanket, which starts at £29 and goes up to £49 depending on the size of your bed.
The fully machine washable blanket comes with three temperature settings, overheat protection and a fast heat-up mode. Costing around 13p a night to run, it is also guaranteed by the manufacturer for three years.
The blanket has an average of 4.9 stars out of 5 on its reviews, with shoppers praising it for the generous skirt that runs all the way round and means it sits neatly and securely on the mattress. One happy shopper said they were delighted with , adding: "It has transformed my comfort and sleep for the better."
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A second added: "The three heat settings are perfect for preheating and the lowest setting can be used when you're actually in the bed - lovely if you're getting back into bed with a cuppa on a cold morning."
Dunelm also sells a premium dual-control , which costs between £44 and £59 and has 4.7 out of 5 stars.
This blanket has more functionality than the entry-level , not only coming with nine different heat settings but also a timer and a feet-only warming function as well as overheat protection.
In recent years the cost of living crisis has seen shoppers turn increasingly to gadgets to help reduce heating and energy use. As well as heated underblanket style mattress protectors, retailers like , and have also seen increased popularity in items ranging from and through to more with the post-Christmas sales seeing bargain hunters able to get them for .