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ENERGY · RUNNING COSTS

What an electric blanket costs to run

On the price cap from 1 October to 31 December 2026, a 100 W electric blanket at full power costs 2.6p an hour, in Great Britain on average and paying by Direct Debit. Put in your own model and region below.

What you know about it

The power in watts on the controller's label, the box or the listing (Currys calls it Power consumption). A dual-control double may give one figure for the whole blanket rather than each side.

Each time it runs

Every day is 7; once a fortnight is 0.5.

How you pay

An hour at full power

2.6p

At 26.32p a kWh: the cap's Great Britain average on Direct Debit, 1 October 2026 to 31 December 2026.

A week
18.4p
A month
80.1p
A year
£9.61

The working

  1. 100 W for 1 hour uses 0.1 kWh at full power.
  2. 0.1 kWh × 26.32p a kWh (Great Britain average, Direct Debit, VAT included) = 2.6p each time.
  3. 7 times a week is 18.4p; × 52.14 weeks = £9.61 a year, or 80.1p a month.

The standing charge (54.83p a day here) isn't in these figures: you pay it whatever you run. On Economy 7 or another time-of-use tariff, the cost depends on when it runs and your supplier's rates.

Real models

Ratings from each maker's or retailer's page. Great Britain average, Direct Debit.

ModelRatingAn hour
Beurer TS 15 Electric Underblanket, Double (single control)100 W2.6p
Beurer Indulgence 30087 Heating Underblanket, Double (dual control)120 W3.2p
Beurer Indulgence 30089 Heating Underblanket, King (dual control)160 W4.2p
Dunelm Fleece Electric Throw100 W2.6p
Dreamland Snuggle Up Electric Heated Throw150 W3.9p

Where you live

A 100 W electric blanket at full power, on Direct Debit. The Great Britain average is 27.80p a kWh paying on receipt of a bill, and 25.52p on prepayment.

RegionA kWhAn hourA year
Great Britain average26.32p2.6p£9.61
Eastern England26.61p2.7p£9.71
East Midlands25.36p2.5p£9.25
London26.60p2.7p£9.71
Merseyside and North Wales27.86p2.8p£10.17
West Midlands25.60p2.6p£9.35
North East England25.46p2.5p£9.29
North West England26.49p2.6p£9.67
Southern England26.47p2.6p£9.66
South East England26.88p2.7p£9.81
South Wales26.55p2.7p£9.69
South West England26.58p2.7p£9.70
Yorkshire25.60p2.6p£9.35
South Scotland26.11p2.6p£9.53
North Scotland26.35p2.6p£9.62

A year is 1 hour a day, every day: my assumption, so put in your own use above.

What it uses

The power in watts on the controller's label, the box or the listing (Currys calls it Power consumption). A dual-control double may give one figure for the whole blanket rather than each side.

Does it always use this much? The rating is for the blanket at full heat. Blankets and throws have several heat settings, and Dreamland's Intelliheat models adjust automatically to body and room temperature. No source I found gives the power drawn on lower settings.

Spending less

Questions

How much does an electric blanket cost to run?

A 100 W electric blanket at full power costs 2.6p an hour at the price cap's 26.32p a kWh (Great Britain average, Direct Debit, from 1 October to 31 December 2026). For 1 hour a day, every day, that's £9.61 a year. The calculator above takes your own model, use, region and how you pay.

Is it cheaper to use an electric blanket than heating?

Usually. Citizens Advice says a heated throw or blanket keeps you warm without turning up the heating, and the Energy Saving Trust says electric blankets can keep you warm at a fraction of the cost of heating the whole house.

How many watts does an electric blanket use?

Check the label: the models I found list 100W to 160W, and throws 100W to 150W. Silentnight says its electric blankets use between 100 and 150 watts.

Can you leave an electric blanket on all night?

Check the instructions. Lakeland advises that if you plan to use one all night, you shouldn't set it higher than the setting recommended for continuous use.

Sources

Other appliances

Compare energy tariffs to see what a year would cost you on each.