If you’re shopping for a child’s bed or are someone who’s prone to spills or messes, we recommend avoiding mattress pads that are spot-clean only. The hassle of scrubbing out stains might outweigh the heating benefits, so you’d be better off with a machine-washable option. This one also avoids a lot of the usual underblanket pitfalls: it’s big enough to cover most of the bed; the deep, elasticated skirt stops it riding up during the night; there’s no cold central zone between the two regions, and any wires are nicely unobtrusive. There’s a super-king size available and you can even wash it at 30˚C. The Homefront is a blanket with a mid-range price tag but one that works and feels like a high-end option. The idea of waking up in the middle of the night on fire isn’t exactly going to (excuse the pun) warm you to the idea of buying an electric blanket, and so many people are put off buying one due to safety concerns. However, electric blankets are perfectly safe as long as you buy from a respected brand and retailer.

Blankets come in two basic types: heated mattress covers or pads that sit on top of the mattress but beneath the sheets, warming you and the duvet from below. Meanwhile, an overblanket slips inside your duvet cover to keep you cosy from above – some versions replace your duvet entirely. All blankets have a range of heat settings, but the number might vary from three to 12. More advanced blankets might even have different settings for different zones, so you can have additional heat for your feet or different heat levels for the two sides of a double bed. What other things should I look out for? The blanket straps to the mattress securely with a corner tie and Silentnight claims it’s fine for use with memory foam mattresses. It’s also machine-washable at 40˚C. The Comfort Control isn’t the longest blanket, so it might not keep your tootsies warm, but otherwise it’s great. If you don’t want extras such as specially heated zones or dual controls, why pay more? Smart features: The only way to actually adjust the exact temperature of your sleeping environment is with active cooling properties that circulate air or water through the surface of the pad or topper. You can set the exact temperature for a cool feel in the summer and more warmth in the winter. These are great options for couples as you can customize the feel of each side of the mattress separately. Note that these smart features tend to be pricey.All electric blankets warm your bed, but they differ in how long they take to heat up and how much control you have over the temperature. Some take under five minutes to warm up, while others take substantially longer. That’s not necessarily a problem if your blanket has a timer and your bedtimes are regular, but it’s worth thinking about. From improved support to temperature regulation and mattress longevity, Slumberland mattress toppers provide a host of benefits to sleepers seeking a rejuvenating sleep environment. Our mattress toppers are meticulously crafted to provide unparalleled sleeping satisfaction. Carefully crafted from latex and memory foam, our mattress toppers are always made from premium components.

This mattress pad was about 75 degrees Fahrenheit on its lowest temperature setting and 78 degrees Fahrenheit on its highest setting, so it left a bit to be desired in terms of the temperature range. We were satisfied with how warm it was on the highest mode, but we wished the lowest setting was a bit cooler. While heated mattress pads and electric blankets function similarly, they can produce different results. Heated mattress pads provide better overall heat retention, as the bedding on top of the pad creates insulation. They are also less likely to become bunched up or tangled as you sleep, and they’re better at hiding the feeling of heating elements as they go beneath your sheets. But if you want a heated element to use in your living room and your bedroom, an electric blanket is more transportable and versatile than a heated pad. With each type of mattress pad, we took the temperature in three different areas and recorded the average overall temperature. For mattress pads that include a pre-heat function, we started the pre-heating process and measured the temperature after 10 minutes. For pads with a single controller, we set the heat to its highest setting and recorded the temperature, assessing whether the pad hit the manufacturer’s listed range. Hyde Lane Premium Mattress Heating Pad : This dual-control heated mattress pad offers 20 heat settings to select from, which is higher than most of the others we tested. While it’s comfortable and has an adequate heat range, we found the controllers challenging to use, especially if adjusting at night. This heated mattress pad is also on the higher end price-wise. There's an affordable, easy way to help improve the comfort of your mattress: Add a mattress pad or mattress topper. For many, mattresses can trap in heat causing night sweats, especially as the temperature climbs higher during the spring and summer. Cooling mattress pads can make your mattress feel cooler and plusher. But what's the difference between a mattress pad and a mattress topper anyway?We washed any machine-washable mattress pad according to the manufacturer's instructions. If compatible, we also tumble-dried it and noted whether it took multiple cycles to completely dry. If the heated mattress pad was spot-clean only, we blotted the apple juice stain with a wet rag and then treated it with a Tide pen if any discoloration remained.