How Much Does It Cost to Run an Electric Blanket in the UK? (2026)

An electric blanket warms you directly instead of the whole room, which is why it costs a small fraction of a space heater. Single blankets draw around 50 watts, doubles up to 200 on the highest setting, and most cycle down once warm.

A typical electric blanket (100 W) costs £0.026 per hour, or about £6.32 per month at 8 hours a day in the UK. Cheap to run

Hours used per day
WattagePer hourPer dayPer monthPer year
Low 50 W£0.013£0.11£3.16£15.79
Typical 100 W£0.026£0.21£6.32£31.58
High 200 W£0.053£0.42£12.63£63.17

Formula: watts ÷ 1000 × hours × price per kWh. Typical use is 8 h/day for about 150 days a year (the heating season) ≈ 120 kWh per year.

One hour of an electric blanket (0.10 kWh) is the same electricity as

Electricity per year at typical use, on a log scale: #40 of 95 appliances, from least to most.

In the UK, with electricity at 26.3p per kWh (source: Ofgem price cap 1 Oct–31 Dec 2026, 2026-10), a typical electric blanket costs £0.026 per hour and about £31.58 per year at 8 hours a day. Each £1.00 of electricity buys roughly 38.0 hours of use.

How to lower the cost of running an electric blanket

Frequently asked questions

Is an electric blanket cheaper than a space heater?

Yes, by roughly ten to fifteen times. A 100 watt blanket for 8 hours uses under 1 kWh, while a 1,500 watt heater uses 12 kWh.

How much does it cost to leave an electric blanket on all night?

At 100 watts for 8 hours, under 1 kWh, so a few cents in most regions.

Do electric blankets use a lot of electricity on low?

No. On low most blankets draw 20 to 40 watts, similar to a bright LED bulb.

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Use the generic electricity cost calculator · Which uses more? Take the quiz