You are looking for a way to stay warm at night. Maybe an extra blanket isn\u2019t helping and a hot water bottle won\u2019t cut it.<\/p>\n
You still have two more options: a space heater or an electric blanket.<\/p>\n
Both provide even heating, you can control the precise temperature and they are relatively inexpensive. But which one is the best in terms of cost, energy efficiency, heating effectiveness and ease of use?<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s find out.<\/p>\n
Both electric blankets and space heaters are affordable heating options. With \u00a350 or less, you can get a good quality 1500W space heater and a decent Queen size electric blanket.<\/p>\n
Of course prices for each vary a lot based on size, heating capacity and extra features.<\/p>\n
For space heaters, there are small \u00a310 heaters with a capacity of just 500W. These are good for much smaller rooms.<\/p>\n
On the pricey end of the scale, you\u2019ll come across \u00a380+ heaters with wattage of 2000W or more.<\/p>\n
As for electric blankets, price varies mostly with size. Double size blankets can cost as little as \u00a320 while King sized blankets go for \u00a360 or more.<\/p>\n
Generally, in terms of price, there isn\u2019t much difference between these two options. So let\u2019s move on to the other important factor.<\/p>\n
The simple question here is: how well and quickly does each warm you up?<\/p>\n
The answer is easily an electric blanket.<\/p>\n
The main downside of a space heater is exactly that\u2026it has to heat an entire space. This takes time compared to an electric blanket which only has to warm the bed.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s even slower if you get a heater that is too small for the size of the bedroom.<\/p>\n
An electric blanket will warm up the bed in just a few minutes and keep it warm even after you turn it off.<\/p>\n
One other thing I love about electric blankets is that they are better able to maintain a specific temperature.<\/p>\n
Some even have dual control where you set a different temperature for each side of the bed. That\u2019s great for couples who can\u2019t agree how warm or cool the bed should be.<\/p>\n
Electric blanket wins again. It is much more energy-efficient compared to a space heater.<\/p>\n
An electric blanket uses very little energy to warm up the bed. After all, it doesn\u2019t have to warm an entire room.<\/p>\n
Most electric blankets consume no more than 200 watts per hour of electricity on the highest setting.<\/p>\n
Assuming you use the blanket for 5 hours a night, that\u2019s 0.2kWh (200W\/1000) * 5 which comes to 1kWh per day.<\/p>\n
Assuming your electricity provider charges you 14 pence per kWh, that comes to a total running cost of 14 pence per day and around \u00a34.20 per month.<\/p>\n
In a year, you\u2019ll spend around \u00a350.<\/p>\n
A 750W space heater on the other hand will use 3.75kWh daily when run for the same amount of time as the blanket (750W\/1000 * 5hrs). The daily running cost is 3.75kWh * 14 pence which comes to 52 pence.<\/p>\n
The monthly running cost is approximately \u00a315 and the yearly bill comes to around \u00a3180.<\/p>\n
The energy costs of a space heater go up the more powerful the heater is. So a 1500W or 2000W heater run for 5 hours daily is going to cost you even more.<\/p>\n
This one is an easy win by space heater.<\/p>\n
You can only use an electric blanket in the bed. It doesn\u2019t warm up any other area of the room and you cannot easily move around with it.<\/p>\n
An electric heater on the other hand is much more versatile. It can warm you while in bed, while reading on the desk and you can easily move it to another room.<\/p>\n