I've owned this budget electric blanket for fourteen years – it's still one of my favourites

Whenever I talk about the best electric blankets, I like to let you know that I've spent sixteen years sleeping on them. It's rare that I get the opportunity to elaborate on that fact to tell you that fourteen of those years were spent on Silentnight's electric blankets, mainly the Silentnight Comfort Control Electric Blanket.

I was first drawn to the Silentnight Comfort Control because it's an under-sheet electric blanket. This means that the heat you feel can be strong, but it's always softened by your sheets. Whilst this is certainly a plus, the reason that I kept sleeping on Silentnight's electric blankets is because the simple controls, speedy warm-up, and reasonable price tag are hard to argue with. If you want to do a nice calculation for how much it costs to run an electric blanket, you'll want to do it with the Silentnight (it's pennies).

So, now is my chance to put pen to paper (or fingers to the keyboard) to tell you how I've been getting my warmed-up beauty sleep on the Silentnight Comfort Control Electric Blanket and why I've chosen it year after year.

Specifications

Unboxing the Silentnight Comfort Control Electric Blanket

Silentnight sends the Comfort Control Electric Blanket in a cardboard box. It's lightweight and the cardboard is easy to dispose of, which is good to know. Mine was actually a little damaged, which meant that I tore through the handle carrying it upstairs. It didn't cause any problems, because this is still light enough to carry, cradle, or piggyback (if you so choose) up the stairs.

It comes with a few pieces of paper that will issue cautions and various pieces of information about the Silentnight. It's always good to read through these, but you won't really need them. This has elastic straps that go around the end of the bed to keep your electric blanket in place and three, simple temperature settings.

Who would the Silentnight Comfort Control Electric Blanket suit?

As far as budget, compact electric blankets go, the SIlentnight Comfort Control Electric Blanket is the best. Why else would I have bought one sixteen years ago? The one compromise that most people make with cheaper electric blankets is on heat settings. You'll normally lose some heat strength or find cold patches in your bed, but Silentnight doesn't miss a spot. It's really powerful, despite the price.

The Comfort Control is perfect for people who just want a toasty bed. It needs to sit permanently under your sheets, keeping you warm in there. You'll want to set it an hour before bed to get a good, perfect amount of heat. Other options come with sherpa textures or warming throws, but this style is the best for use in bed.

My word of warning would be that the price does mean that some people make compromises. Firstly, tall people. This doesn't quite reach all four corners of the bed, so you'll need to shuffle it to the bottom and sacrifice pillow heat (which is a bit redundant anyway), but you may feel that your head and toes get a bit chilly.

As a petite person, I didn't suffer with this, but my partner did. The other big issue that I have is the controller. This sits higher up the electric blanket, on top of the mattress. So, if you sleep on the edge and left of your bed, you will have a plastic box in your face. It's still tolerable, but not quite the luxury experience that you might imagine that an electric blanket delivers.

What is the Silentnight Comfort Control Electric Blanket like to use?

The beauty of cheaper electric blankets is that they're easy to use. The Silentnight Comfort Control Electric Blanket is my textbook example of this. It's held on the bed with thick, elastic straps.

You can see in the pictures that I've taken that it doesn't quite cover the full length of the bed, so Silentnight recommends that you shuffle it lower down your mattress, leaving the pillow section cold. This is fine for smaller people but might leave tall people a little chilly at their feet and head.

The downside of the shuffle around is that you'll end up with a plastic connector on the left side of the bed at about your shoulder or head. I don't know about you, but I don't find the feeling of plastic all that comfortable. I could still sleep, but I would much prefer it to sit on the side of the electric blanket so that it's not directly in my face.

Size aside, this is a great little heater. The controller lets you select three different heat settings. You won't get any auto-shut-offs or smart features, but Silentnight promises that it will protect you against overheating.

On heat level one, the bed will have a cold edge taken off it, but it won't be enough to elicit an 'ooh' or an 'ah' as you climb into bed at night. The second heat setting should be turned on an hour before bed. You can switch it off when you climb in because the bed will be toasty enough to keep you cosy. and make your bedroom cosy.

Having to remember to set it an hour beforehand is a skill you'll hone. In my family, it's a job that one person lovingly does for everyone and we take it in turns. If you're forgetful, you might need to opt for a blanket with a speedier heat-up time.

Even on the super hot third setting, your bed won't be warm for at least ten minutes. Then, it will quickly tip over into too hot. This is great if the heating breaks or you're super cold, but you won't often touch the top setting. Trust me.

How do you clean the Silentnight Comfort Control Electric Blanket?

Silentnight Comfort Control Electric Blanket is machine washable. I'd recommend using a gentle detergent, such as Ecover's Laundry Detergent (or the brand's laundry capsules).

Then, this will need to air dry. You could use a heated airer if you need it urgently, but polyester will naturally dry quicker than some of the more premium organic electric blankets. If you need some help, we have a whole page on how to clean an electric blanket over here.

How does the Silentnight Comfort Control Electric Blanket?

The Silentnight Comfort Control Electric Blanket is the best budget electric blanket that you can buy. The discerning readers might have spotted that I said I slept on this for fourteen years and yet I've been using electric blankets for sixteen years. That's because, two years ago, I was introduced to the Dreamland Snowed In Organic Warming Mattress Protector. It is about double the price of the Slumberdown, but it's easy to see why.

The Dreamland waves away any concerns I have with the Silentnight: there's no plastic by your head, it heats the whole of the bed, and you can have your bed toasty warm in five minutes. It doesn't stop there either.

This is crafted from quilted organic cotton, which is plusher, really breathable and much more refreshing, for sensitive skin especially.

You also get two controllers, so each half of the bed can sit at a different temperature depending on your needs. It's certainly a luxury offering, but it is one I'm willing to invest in.

Should you buy the Silentnight Comfort Control Electric Blanket?

If you want a budget electric blanket that's cheap to run, quick to heat up, and easy to use, you can't go wrong with the Silentnight Comfort Control Electric Blanket.

I spent fourteen years using these on all the beds in my home because it did an incredible job for the whole family. However, after testing more premium options that cover the whole bed, keep controllers away from my face, and work even quicker, I'd be tempted to look at some more luxurious options too.

How we test

At woman&home I make sure to personally test every electric blanket that we recommend to you. That way, you know that I can vouch for each feature and flaw in the models that we recommend (or don't) for warmer sleep.

I spend my days researching all of the best electric blankets on the market. If I see one that I think you'll like, I do a deep dive into all of the claims that a brand makes, so that I know exactly what to look for and pressure test when it's in my home.

When I feel like I know enough, I'll get it into the bedroom. I make notes on the packaging, how it's held on the bed, how well it fits, and what the controller is like. After that, I'll test the warm-up time for each different heat setting, so that you can get some proper data.

Then (this is my favourite part) I sleep on the electric blanket for months. This gives me a good gauge of what it feels like on the bed, the best heat settings, useful features, and niggles. I'll also have to clean it in this time too, so you get to know everything you need to about the electric blanket.

Then, I'll compare it to different models on the market. At this point, I'll talk about who it suits, whether it's good value, and what else is on the market. This is how you can get that feeling of having shopped around without having to actually do anything. After all, I've tested them, so it makes sense to share everything that I've learned about electric blankets.

If you want to find a more detailed explanation of this process, you can visit our page for how we test electric blankets.