Electric blankets

They are very safe nowadays Granny23 even if you spill something on them, we have an underblanket with a skirt around it that tucks under the mattress, rather than the tie on ones which are a real pain as they tend to move and are a @ugger to put on . It's also machine washable which is very handy although I don't do it too often.
It has dual controls so that I don't have to have my side on just because he does.. also has a timer control but I always switch mine off as soon as I get in but you can fall asleep and it will switch off after the set time. I can have a peek at the make if you want me to.

I love mine. Go upstairs, turn on blanket, clean teeth, after 5 mins on full power the bed is lovely and cosy. They are also nice if you wake up in the night and put them on low. The warmth can be very soothing.
In NZ the housing is flimsy and you get an electric blanket in all hotel and motel beds. During my winter in NZ I sometimes used it overnight because otherwise the chill never went off the mattress, I would turn over and it would be icy.

Nothing like a bed warmed by an electric blanket on a cold night! We only have an ordinary one with ties and it does slip around a bit - I just settle it right when I change the bed.
I think they are now very safe but we have ours on a timer and if it is still on when we go to bed I turn it off or we get far too hot. Never used an over blanket so cannot give any feedback.
There are a great variety of prices now - I was so surprised when I did a bit of research a couple of years ago.

Beats the hell out of trying to persuade a husband to go to bed an hour early to warm up the bed!

Absolutely fantastic things. Couldn't be without mine. Hot water bottles are so yesterday (and so dangerous. I've still got a nasty red shiny blemish on my leg where I burnt myself on a hot water bottle about 15 years ago! I don't think it'll ever go away now )

Yes, the ones with a skirt are great. Mine though is just a tads narrower than the mattress and so often "pops off" one corner in the night which is annoying. Perhaps measure up more carefully than I did! Lesson learned. Maybe!

Finally, I once saw an offer on a shop door (I remember it was in rural Staffordshire!) maybe 10 years ago for testing of electric blankets by the local Fire Brigade. Seems very sensible. One Saturday in late summer, you could take yr electric blanket down to the local Fire Station and they'd give it a basic electrical safety test. The snag was that if it failed, they binned it there and then! You weren't allowed to take it home. The poster warned exactly that! But what a sensible idea. Does anyone know of something similar? In Leicester, where I live, especially!

I imagine that they can be highly dangerous if the cabling gets worn, scuffed or brittle.

I guess "worn, scuffed and brittle" is not a bad description of how I fee this morning. Not up yet. Snuffly nose. Typing this on my laptop in bed

PS I only know of underblankets. I don't think overblankets are made any more. I'd buy online from a reputable supplier, big chain store. Electric blankets aren't very heavy so the postage won't be huge.

We bought this one for daughter last Xmas She loves it. (Chilly mortal)

Am I the only person to actually enjoy getting into a cold bed and warming it up myself?!

you can get heated duvets too

Yes jO5 that Dreamwell underblanket is the one I have and at much the same price. Recommended.

Heated duvet seems a bit OTT. Isn't that more or less a heated overblanket by another name??

Aaaaagh jO5, are you receiving help over yr weird enjoyment of leaping into cold sheets. Even the thought is horrific. No no no. If God had meant us to do that, she wouldn't have invented electric blankets

Testing of electric blankets by chunky young firefighters, eh isthis? . I wonder if they also test the tog rating of duvets, fleecy sexy PJs ?
Actually I would like to add my voice to the supporters of eceltric blankets, it sounds as if many of you have the same type as we do and the bliss of being to turn it on (albeit low) in the middle of a sleepless night, or when the back is playing up, is a boon.

The Dreamwell electric blankets are cheaper from Amazon, BTW!

Wow! Thanks folks - seems that everybody (bar 1 ) loves their blanket. I shall look for one with a skirt, and measure the matress carefully.

Of course you could try a firefighter.........................

Ha, ha - I misread that, gracesmum and thought you were recommending using a 'firelighter'!

Might have a similar combustible effect!!!

Wot r u lot LIKE!?
Getting back to e. blankets - they are very very cheap to run!

I have recently been thinking of getting an electric blanket (for the first time in my life).

j05 John Lewis are out of the blanket you recommended and out of quite a few others as well so I am about to order one from Amazon.

It's fleecy and fits to the mattress. I'm assuming fitted is best.

Am I right in thinking an ordinary sheet goes on top?

Can somebody reassure me you can't feel the wires?

I'm quite excited at the thought of the cosiness and envisage going to bed very early in the cold weather.

Also it will save me getting into a hot bath to warm up before bedtime.

I bought a new electric blanket last year. Only a single one that fitted under my side of the double bed as OH didn't want any extra warmth. It ended up in the bin as the connection between the blanket and the flex was so bulky that I kept lying on it in the night and it was really uncomfortable so do check that detail petallus. At least with Amazon you can read other peoples reviews. I've now gone back to using the one I've had for years. Our local fire station is doing a free check on electric blankets so I really ought to take mine along.

Many years ago when I shared a flat in London with several girlfriends, I had an electric blanket that "blew up" on me just before I got in to bed - it left a huge hole in the mattress and a nasty burnt smell. Strangely enough I moved out of that flat soon afterwards!

The one I have got has a sort of fleecy layer on top. i can't feel the wires. And I am the bloody princess with the flaming pea when it comes to sleeping. Can manage Ok as long as I have my own blankets, my own pillow and I have not eaten anything too sweet, too spicy, too late, too much or drunk any alcohol or coffee. Or the house is too hot or cold. etc
And just for the record you don't need to take new electric blankets down to the fire station

Unless you really want to.....

Oh yes Petallus. Didn't notice that. Sorry.

Yes. Sheet on top.

I'm not quite sure how they managed it but my parents narrowly missed a disaster.
They stored their electric blanket in its box, under the bed, during the summer.
On opening the box to start using the blanket again, they found only ash.
Somehow it had been put in the box still plugged in ( and presumably switched on!).
I avoid them!