Best electric blankets

Top pick: the Ribbed Heated Blanket — the safest bet in the bunch. It has the strongest track record of the ones I found (4.9 from 685 ratings), six heat levels, ten timer settings and an 8-hour auto shut-off, so it's hard to leave on by accident.

Who the others suit:

• Solid Flannel Heated Blanket — the crowd favourite if you want simple and proven (4.8 from 1,200+ ratings); shorter 3-hour shut-off.
• Striped Flannel Heated Blanket — flannel on one side, sherpa on the other: the cosiest for a sofa.
• Westinghouse Faux Fur — biggest range of heat and timer settings (10 levels, up to 12 hours) for all-night use.
• Beautyrest Micro Fleece — the most adjustable, with 20 temperature settings.
• Heated Under Blanket (Beurer) — goes under the sheet rather than over you.
• BougeRV 12V — for a car, van or camping, not a bed.
• SUNNY HEAT Full — the budget full-size option, though its ratings are the weakest here.

Check the size you need before buying — several of these come in more than one.