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Silentnight Comfort Control Electric Blanket review: the ultimate budget solution to keeping warm at night?
An electric blanket can keep you warm and cosy on even the coldest of nights, but they can often be pricey to buy initially. We put our best budget pick through its paces to see if it does a good job – here's what we thought.
By Natasha Gregson | Last updated Apr 17, 2024
When you’re facing a particularly chilly night or are looking for solutions to keep the heating low thanks to high energy bills, investing in the best electric blanket can be an excellent way to keep costs down while still staying cosy.
They work by using electricity to heat up a wire or element inside the blanket, which then radiates heat to the user. Unlike a hot water bottle, most electric blankets are often designed to stay heated for as long as you like and come with various temperature settings, allowing the user to set the level of warmth to their liking. So you can slip right out of the best women’s slippers and into a toasty pre-heated bed.
One of the brands that has been getting a lot of love on the Mumsnet forums is Silentnight – at just £35 for a single version of their Silentnight Comfort Control Electric Blanket, it’s not hard to see why. But just how effective is this model? Can a basic blanket really compete with luxury blankets that are over three times the cost? We put the Comfort Control through its paces to see. Read on to see what we thought…
Our verdict at a glance
Price on writing: Single, £35 | Double, £40 | King size, £50
What we love
Offers exceptional warmth and a comfortable feel
Easy to use with straightforward controls
Versatile temperature settings (three options)
Available in single, double or king sizes
Reasonable price tag
Has overheat protection
Energy efficient and cost-effective solution to keep warm
Durable and long-lasting investment
Can be washed at 40C in the washing machine (once electrics are removed)
What to know
Doesn't offer dual control heat setting
Battery can be hard and easily kicked accidentally at night
Number of temperature settings not as high as some other options
"I have a basic Silentnight one that I got a few years ago, and it is excellent. Nothing fancy, just three settings, the warmest of which is so toasty I rarely use it."
Comfort Control Electric Blanket
Silentnight
Argos
Who is the Silentnight Comfort Control Electric Blanket for?
The Silentnight Comfort Control Electric Blanket is a highly-rated electric blanket designed for those who are looking for a comfortable and warm sleeping experience during cooler periods. You place it on your mattress under your duvet to warm you through, so think of it less as a decorative throw, and more of a practical bedsheet that heats up – although we do have a guide to the best heated throw if that sounds more like what you’re after.
It currently has over 23,000 five-star ratings on Amazon, and is ideal for cold sleepers, or those who just want to stay extra nice and snug in bed.
First impressions
Our tester was initially impressed with the blanket from the moment they received it, noting its exceptional warmth and comfortable feel: “I bought the blanket early December when it was around -7 or -5 degrees. The blanket was a life saver and I put it on half an hour before I got into bed.”
"Oh my goodness. The moment I bought the blanket I was over the moon." - MNHQ tester
While it doesn’t have a dual-temperature setting like the Silentnight Yours and Mine Blanket (currently priced at £73 for a double), our tester found the single was still effective at creating a cosy environment if you disagree with your other half over what the temperature should be – our tester was able to stay nice and snug while her partner who hates being warm at night managed to escape the heat.
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Ease of use
Our tester found the blanket incredibly simple to use and intuitive, thanks to the controls being straightforward and easy to operate. They appreciated that all they had to do was place the blanket neatly under the bed sheets, plug it in and set it to their preferred setting. As the blanket is kept on the bed under the duvet, there’s no special storage requirements when not in use – although you may want to stash it away when summer comes around.
There was a minor issue with the battery being hard and easy to accidentally kick in the night, but this was a slight inconvenience, and our tester still rated the blanket highly despite this.
Temperature settings
Now onto the important stuff: how warm and toasty was the blanket? Similar to how a heated gilet works, the warmth comes from elements throughout the blanket, the temperature of which is controlled by the user. Our tester found the heat of the blanket to be exceptional, with three different heat settings available to choose from: “1 is slightly warm, 2 is warm and 3 is basically hot. I usually warm the bed up on 2 or 3 and then once I’m in bed I leave it on 1 until just before I fall asleep.”
The choice of heat settings does offer versatility, although it’s worth noting that many other models offer more settings, usually about six, so if you’re fussy about what temperature you rest at, you may want to go for something with a higher number of settings – this will likely cost you more though. Overall, we think you can’t go wrong with the Silentnight for a great value option that still offers a good range of temperature levels.
Price: is it worth it?
In the midst of the cost of living crisis, many of us are looking for ways to cut costs around the home, particularly when it comes to energy bills. Cranking up the thermostat and leaving it blasting all night is not an option for some, not to mention it can be uneconomical to heat a whole house in comparison to warming the person instead. That's why many people are turning to other cost-effective options like electric blankets, along with insulating rooms with the best draught excluders or thermal curtains.
"One of the best investments I’ve ever made." - MNHQ tester
With the Comfort Control blanket's reasonable price tag (£35 for a single or £40 for a double), it provides an economical solution to keep warm on chilly nights. Silentnight also claims it can heat your bed from as little as 1p (this will vary depending on time used, setting, and the size of blanket you are using, however). We certainly think it's a significant upgrade from traditional blankets, not only because of its warming capabilities, but also its energy efficiency.
Our tester found the blanket to be durable too. They used it every single night for nearly two months, finding it to be a valuable investment for those looking for an affordable solution to stay warm and snug on frosty evenings.
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Final verdict: Silentnight electric blanket review
Overall rating: 5/5
All in all, our tester would highly recommend the Silentnight Comfort Control Electric Blanket to anyone looking for a comfortable and warm sleeping experience through the winter. They found the blanket to be of exceptional quality and value, particularly rating its warmth factor and easy-to-use controls.
Giving it a five-star rating, our tester felt that it was one of the best investments they had ever made. Despite a minor issue with the battery being hard, they felt that the blanket was worth it and would be happy to recommend it to family and friends. What's not to love?
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