With UK temperatures now in single figures, staying warm at home is a necessity, especially in the morning and evening. However, increasing the thermostat now, when energy bills increased in the previous month, can quickly lead to higher costs, and nowadays many people prefer to wait as long as possible before turning on the heating. I was about to turn on my central heating this week; however, I decided to put a nifty household gadget to the test first, which many have raved about — a heated blanket.
Generally, heated throws are considered good for providing cosy and energy-efficient warmth. Although it’s essential to note that their quality can vary, you need to invest in a good-quality one to achieve success. This week, I put Morphy Richards’ EverCosy Large Fleece Electric Heated Throw to the test and was quite impressed by it.
Retailing for £89.99, I tested out the large 200cm x 180cm teddy fleece throw in the brand’s EverCosy range as I didn’t want to skim on size when working at my desk or snuggling on the sofa.
Initially, the biggest selling point of this throw is that it costs “less than 1p an hour” to run, which is far cheaper than leaving your central heating on for a few hours of the day.
According to the UK’s consumer champion Which?, heating your home costs around £1.68 per hour, so if you have your heating on for eight hours, you’re paying around £13 a day. However, if you were to use this £89.99 throw for just a few hours a day instead of your central heating, it could theoretically pay for itself.
Not only is the blanket cost-effective, but it also heats up surprisingly well. I’ve had some heating throws in the past that barely deliver on heat.
Without any power running through it, this feels cosy. The material is naturally super-soft and warming, so I’d happily treat this as a throw to snuggle under, but, of course, it’s more than that.
There are two sides to this blanket. There’s a plush, teddy-like material side and a more velvety side, which Morphy Richards calls flannel fleece.
The blanket has a simple detachable remote that couldn’t be more straightforward to use. The remote control features a dial that allows you to press the plus or minus button to adjust the nine-hour timer and nine temperature settings.
The good news is that it is built with overheat protection, so if having it at full blast for nine hours poses a safety problem, the blanket will turn off.
This got its first proper test after going on an early morning walk in the cold and wet weather. I wrapped myself in the blanket and turned it up to full blast. Within 10 minutes, I began to feel warm.
I also wanted to see what the lowest heat setting was like. I’ve mentioned that this feels warm, even when it’s off, thanks to the fabric. However, if you want a touch extra, the first heat setting is good. It is subtle, but it’s like a warmth that matches your body heat.
The only downside of this blanket, I’d say, is that the colour options are limited to three — green, mocha and navy.
One thing I haven’t yet tested, though, is how well the blanket holds up after it has been through the wash. Morphy Richards designed the remote to be removable, so that the throw can be popped into the washing machine as and when you need to wash it.
As we’re in the season of heated throws and electric blankets, this means that the Morphy Richards EverCosy does have competition. For those looking for a throw similar to this but slightly smaller and more affordable, Express.co.uk has good things to say about the Silentnight Luxury Super Cosy 9-Heat Setting Heated Throw, which retails for £60.
Also sporting a teddy fleece material, Dunelm’s Electric Throw can be picked up for £75. The running cost of this is slightly higher at 3p per hour.
