The Berkshire Blanket VelvetLoft Striped Heated Blanket, also called the L.L.Bean Wicked Cozy Heated Blanket, was recently recalled due to product safety issues. We no longer recommend it as best heated blanket for extra warmth and have removed links to purchase throughout this piece. We recommend the Beautyrest Plush Electric Blanket as the best heated blanket. For more options, see our best heated blankets review.
The thick L.L.Bean Wicked Cozy Heated Blanket made by Berkshire Blanket will guard against cold, snowy winter nights. It won the best heated blanket for extra warmth in my comprehensive best heated blanket review. For a more lightweight heated blanket, I recommend the Beautyrest Plush Electric Blanket for its silky, thin construction and exhaustive heat options.
The L.L.Bean Wicked Cozy Heated Blanket is thick blanket made up of three layers that sandwich ... [+]
Several features make the L.L.Bean Wicked Cozy Heated Blanket a solid runner-up in my list of best heated blankets, including a ribbed, corduroy-like design that doesn’t let wires poke through, consistent performance and easy-to-operate controller. It was the heaviest blanket I tried, which some sleepers may prefer. It’s sturdy enough to stand alone without a comforter, which was a feature I loved.
L.L.Bean Wicked Cozy Heated Blanket Features
Bedding With Bulk
I tried out seven heated blankets in all, and what set the L.L.Bean apart from the rest was its sturdy weight and classic style. The thick blanket is made up of three layers that sandwich wires, so you can’t feel them while sleeping—a rare feature among the heated blankets I tried. A top layer of PrimaLush, with a super soft and velvety feel, sandwiches wires between a bottom layer made of luxe Velvetloft, which has a ribbed design to channel the heat flow on the bed. Thanks to the layered design, the L.L.Bean blanket felt the heaviest of all the bedding I tried. While some people may find this blanket overkill, it’s definitely the best option for extra warmth.
Comfort Like A Comforter
The Wicked Cozy Heated Blanket is so substantial that I could have ditched my cotton comforter underneath completely—and I plan to do so as spring approaches and nightly temperatures rise above freezing. Many of the blankets I tested were thinner and more lightweight, intended to be put on top of other forms of bedding. But this blanket can stand on its own with just a top sheet underneath. With construction this thick, it’s wickedly good at concealing the wires that warm the blanket. Unlike other blankets I tested, I had to work to find them across the surface and underneath. If you’re looking for the least wiry-feeling blanket of all, I recommend the Warmee, my choice for best smart heated throw. The L.L.Bean, however, was still one of the most comfortable blankets I tested.
The L.L.Bean Wicked Cozy Heated Blanket is a heavy blanket that's the best option for extra warmth.
Easy Operation
In all honesty, I didn’t find any of the controllers of the blankets I tried very difficult to operate. This one, too, was very straightforward. One button turns the unit on and off. A heat/timer button toggles between the two. Hit the plus or minus button to adjust the heat settings, which range from 1 to 10. It has auto-shut off that will turn off the blanket 10 hours after the controller is turned on, but you can also set the timer to shut it off sooner.
The blanket’s biggest caveat, and one of the main reasons it didn’t top the list, was the length of the cords. They measure approximately just over 14 feet long, 5 feet shorter than my top pick, the Beautyrest. So depending on the size of your bed, you may see the L.L.Bean’s cords trailing from either side to your nightstand where the controller rests. I have a very large sleigh bed, so the cords tugged at the controller on my nightstand slightly and were not long enough to be concealed under my bed while I was using it, unless they were completely unplugged from the wall.
Consider Size When Cleaning
Bulky blankets do have some downsides.While I loved the weight of the Wicked Cozy Heated Blanket, I hadn’t realized washing it would pose unique challenges. Because it’s a very thick blanket and I tested the king size, it stressed out my 6-year-old machine, prompting an “uneven load” message to appear after about 30 minutes. The instructions say never to put this blanket in a commercial dryer, but I wasn’t able to fit the blanket in my home dryer. It took 4 days to air-dry due to its thickness. If you have a smaller washer and dryer, this blanket may not be your best option.
Since I couldn’t machine-wash the blanket, I spot tested it with coffee. I was wowed by how easily I was able to clean the stain off this blanket with a sponge, water and mild soap. It would have been a total breeze if I hadn’t let the coffee soak in for 5 minutes, too.
How Does The L.L.Bean Wicked Cozy Heated Blanket Compare To Other Blankets?
The Wicked Cozy Heated Blanket won best heated blanket for extra warmth, thanks to its layered construction. It is well-built bedding that enhances decor but also heats evenly and consistently. I used it on a 34-degree night over the holidays, without using the electric heat, and found it kept the bed really warm on its own, too. The retail price for this blanket is higher than any of the other king-size blankets I tried, but it definitely seems to have a longer-lasting quality, too. The warranty for this blanket—if purchased directly from the L.L.Bean website—is 1 year, after which point L.L.Bean will consider any items for return that are defective due to materials or craftsmanship.
How I Tested The L.L.Bean Wicked Cozy Heated Blanket
To test each blanket, I opened the bedding and studied the instructions. I took notes on the feel, construction and ease of setup, and I played around with the controls.
I slept under the L.L.Bean blanket for more than three nights, adjusting the heat settings in the dark and observing how evenly the blanket heated my bed. After letting it heat up to its maximum setting (10) for 30 minutes, I used an infrared thermometer to more objectively test the consistency of the heat across the blanket. I found it measured largely from the high 70s to the low 80s on the surface, on a par with the Beautyrest, my main pick.
I also measured cords, studying how they laid beside or underneath my bed. This was the only blanket of seven that I tried to wash in my machine, but it was too bulky to wash and dry. I might feel more confident tossing a twin or throw version of this blanket in my washer.
My Expertise
I have more than two decades of experience writing about lifestyle, health, celebrity and pet content. I was the founding senior editor of People.com’s pets channel, and I frequently reviewed pet, baby and parenting gear for the website. More recently, I’ve been writing product reviews for brands like Consumer Reports and ScaryMommy.com.
Plus, I live in a drafty house in New England that feels cold even in the summertime. Flannel sheets, slippers and space heaters are all staples around here. I welcome extra warmth in any form, so electric blankets fit right in.
I consulted with two experts for this piece. Joel Hawk, a veteran of Illinois-based UL Solutions, the organization that created a nationally recognized safety standard called Electrically Heated Bedding UL 964 and independently tests electric blankets to ensure they meet the necessary requirements, gave me insight into how to shop for these blankets. Since I recently discovered I have a bulging disk in my back and have been using heat therapy as comfort, I also spoke with TPI Level 1 certified physical therapist Cindy Langer, founder and owner of BodyFit Physical Therapy in Connecticut, who explained how it works.
What Heated Blanket Gets The Hottest?
All of the blankets I tested brought a warm and cozy feel to my bed—was there one that was wildly hotter than all of the others? Not that I could tell. I could, however, feel that my top picks warmed more evenly across the blanket than others.
When I waved an infrared thermometer across the surface of the L.L.Bean at its top setting, it measured in the high 70s, low 80s. My top pick, the Beautyrest Plush Electric Blanket, had readings that were the most consistent of the group, with measurements ranging from 80 to 88 degrees.
Other blankets I tested were less consistent and had hot spots near the wires. The Sunbeam Royal Luxe Sherpa Heated Blanket—which had thermometer measurements ranging from the low 70s to even a few readings over 100—had hot and cold spots I could feel. The heat from the Bedsure Fleece Electric Blanket was largely the same. While the Thermee Micro Flannel Heated Electric Blanket with Sherpa kept me warm for one night, it broke before I could test it with the thermometer.
Why Does Added Heat Feel So Good?
The sensation of heat is immediately recognized by your skin, which has nerve cells that detect differences in temperature. These nerves send positive feedback to your brain. “Your brain gets overloaded with this nice comfortable sensation, and that can be very comforting,” says Langer, who notes there are many heat-related methods people gravitate toward for relief from aches and pains, like saunas or float tanks. “That goes hand in hand with those weighted blankets; you’re getting this overload of sensation.”
What Is The Best Material For Heated Blankets?
The best material for you will depend on what you like. Some of the blankets I tried were flannel or sherpa lined, others had three layers of material and one had no lining at all. Look at product details and read reviews to determine what design suits you the best. You’ll also need to think about what is easiest to launder.
