How Much Does It Cost to Run an Electric Blanket in New Jersey? (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 $0.025 per hour, or about $5.99 per month at 8 hours a day in New Jersey. Cheap to run
| Wattage | Per hour | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low 50 W | $0.012 | $0.100 | $2.99 | $14.97 |
| Typical 100 W | $0.025 | $0.20 | $5.99 | $29.94 |
| High 200 W | $0.050 | $0.40 | $11.98 | $59.88 |
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
- 2.0hours of a fridge
- 2.2hours of a laptop
- 10hours of Wi-Fi
- 11hours of an LED bulb
In New Jersey, with electricity at 24.9¢ per kWh (source: EIA Table 5.6.A, 2026-06), a typical electric blanket costs $0.025 per hour and about $29.94 per year at 8 hours a day. That is about 36% more than the national average for the US ($4.40 per month), because electricity in New Jersey costs 24.9¢ per kWh against 18.3¢ nationally. Each $1.00 of electricity buys roughly 40.1 hours of use.
How to lower the cost of running an electric blanket
- Turn the room thermostat down a few degrees at night and let the blanket make up the difference.
- Preheat the bed for 20 minutes, then switch to the lowest setting or off.
- Use a timer model so it does not run all night on high.
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.
Compare with
Cost by region
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Canadian provinces
Related appliances
- Heat Pump (Ducted or Mini-Split)2,000 W typical
- Baseboard Heater1,500 W typical
- Portable Fan (Box or Pedestal)50 W typical
- Evaporative (Swamp) Cooler300 W typical
Use the generic electricity cost calculator · Which uses more? Take the quiz