Heated blanket or space heater: which costs less?
A heated blanket usually costs a few cents a night. A space heater costs a dollar or more for the same hours. Check it with your own numbers.
Cost per night
How it's worked out: a blanket on a middle setting draws about half its rating once it's warm; a bedroom heater with a thermostat runs about 70% of the time. These are rough figures for comparing, not a bill forecast.
Pick the blanket if
You only need to be warm in bed or on the couch, you're fine with a cooler room, and you want the lowest bill. Look for an auto-off timer, and separate controls for each side if two people share the bed.
Pick the heater if
You need the air warm: getting dressed, working at a desk, or keeping a baby's room at a set temperature. Choose one with tip-over and overheat shut-off, and plug it straight into the wall, never into a power strip.
The cheapest setup for most bedrooms
Turn the central heat down a few degrees at night and sleep on a heated mattress pad or under a heated blanket. Use a small heater on a timer only for the 20 minutes before you get up.
Want exact numbers for your blanket? Use the electric blanket cost calculator.