Space Heaters Vs Electric Blankets: Which Saves More Energy

Winter energy bills can be surprisingly high. That’s why learning smart ways to keep yourself warm without spending a fortune is important. If you wonder whether a space heater or an electric blanket will save you more money, the answer is it depends on your usage.

How much electricity do they really use? 

You’ll instantly see electric blankets winning this category. Running a standard model will use between 50 and 200 watts of power. That translates to about the same electricity usage as your laptop computer. Thus, keeping one plugged in all night will cost you around 2 to 6 cents.

Space heaters, on the other hand, consume much more power. Most models use between 750 and 1,500 watts per hour. Therefore, the cost to run one of these devices is 11 to 22 cents per hour. Over an eight-hour night, that equals 88 cents to $1.76 just to keep your room warm while you sleep. The difference is night and day. 

Why electric blankets win for personal heating 

When you are trying to keep warm at night in bed, you don’t need to heat your entire bedroom. Instead, electric blankets are ideal because they let you heat your body directly. They create your own personal space heating without wasting energy on empty space.

Think of your own body heat as free warmth that you produce naturally. An electric blanket simply traps that heat and adds to it. Therefore, you can create your own personal comfort zone without having to touch the thermostat. Personal heating beats heating cubic feet of space that escapes every time you open a door.

The best modern electric blankets even give you multiple heat settings. So, you can kick back on high at first to get nice and warm fast. Then you can switch it down to low and go to sleep. Because you can adjust them, you’re never using more electricity than you want to.

When to use a space heater instead 

The Heater Shop mentioned to us that pace heaters aren’t always evil villains in this story. You’ll find them useful anytime that you need to heat a specific room for hours at a time. As such, they work great for home offices, bathrooms, or any basement workshops where you spend extended periods of time.

Say you work from home in your office downstairs. Instead of heating your entire home to 70 degrees F, you can set your thermostat to 65 and use a space heater in just that room. You’ll end up saving money overall despite the higher wattage of the space heater.

Ceramic and infrared models also beat traditional space heaters with coil wires. Not only do they heat up faster, but they also hold the temperature better. Therefore, your heater won’t turn on and off as often which saves you money.

Compare the actual cost to use each 

Now it’s time to crunch some numbers. You’ll understand the savings better when we compare how much each device costs to run monthly.

Using an electric blanket 8 hours per night at 100 watts only costs you about $3.60 per month. This calculation is based on the national average electricity cost of 15 cents per kilowatt-hour. You could even run it every night from December to March for less than $15.

A 1500 watt space heater used for the same 8 hours each night will cost you about $54 per month. Therefore, you’re paying 15 times more for whole room space heating than you would for personal heating. Over the course of three winter months, that’s $162 compared to $10.80.

Now what if you forget to turn off your space heater? It’s possible to spend $100 or more per month in that scenario. Therefore, electric blankets also offer significant safety advantages over space heaters. Most have automatic shutoff timers built in these days that eliminate all-day power usage.

How to use both and save money 

That doesn’t mean you can’t use both space heaters and electric blankets. In fact, using both can help you lower your energy bills more than choosing just one.

First, use your electric blanket as your main source of heat when you go to bed. It provides all the heat you need at night and saves you tons of money. Then, only use a space heater when you need to heat a room for daytime use.

As a result, you get personalized heating at night and whole room heating when you need it. This combined strategy will save you more money than picking one or the other.

Safety and comfort considerations 

Electric blankets have come a long way in terms of safety features. You can find options with automatic shut-off, overheating sensors, and even blankets that you can machine wash. As a result, they are much safer than they used to be in decades past.

Space heaters, by contrast, require you to baby-proof your home. You have to keep them away from curtains, bedding, and furniture at all times. Therefore, they are not well suited for overnight use while you sleep. Features like tip-over switches and overheat sensors can help but you should still be careful.

Comfort is another factor to consider with both of these products. Some people sleep worse under electric blankets. Others find that space heaters dry out their sinuses. Therefore, think about what will make you most comfortable.

Final Words

 Unless you plan on using your space heater all day every day, an electric blanket will save you more money. Electric blankets use 90% to 98% less energy than standard 1,500W space heaters. Therefore, if lowering your energy bill is your primary goal, get an electric blanket first.

Space heaters are only cost-effective when you need to heat a room for a few hours. So use your space heater for things like home offices, hobbies, and family rooms. As a result, using both wisely allows you to save money and stay warm.

The biggest money savings happens when you lower your central thermostat. Then use space heaters and electric blankets to make up the difference. By using this trick, you could lower your heating bill by 20% or more while staying cozy.

Pick up an electric blanket tonight and you’ll see savings on your next energy bill. You’ll also sleep warmer than ever before.

FAQ’s

1. Does running an electric blanket really cost less than a space heater?

Yes — dramatically so. An electric blanket consumes roughly the same amount of electricity as your laptop. By contrast, many space heaters use about as much energy as a mini fridge. So for the task of keeping yourself warm in bed, electric blankets rank among the lowest-cost heating methods.

2. Why is heating me directly so much cheaper than heating an entire room?

Because there’s a lot less space to heat! Space heaters have to warm up the air, the furniture, and the four walls of your bedroom. Even if you spend half the night under the covers. By heating you directly, an electric blanket cuts out all the wasted energy. It’s efficient heating for your body instead of heating dozens of cubic metres of barely-used space.

3. When would a space heater be better than heating just myself?

Anytime you need heat for longer than an hour or two — but only during the daytime. Space heaters are best when you’re working from home, stuck at your basement hobby shop, or otherwise confined to a single room for an extended period. And ideally you only turn them on while you actually need the heat. Not while you sleep. 

4. Are electric blankets safe to leave on all night?

A lot safer than most people realize. Many electric blankets have automatic shut-off features and built-in overheating sensors. If you use the blanket according to the directions, and don’t attempt to use a damaged blanket, electric blankets are almost certainly safer than running a space heater overnight.

5. Can I use both an electric blanket and a space heater and still save money?

Yes — and doing so is actually the most efficient option of all. Electric blankets can take care of keeping you warm at night, while space heaters handle the times you’re actually using rooms during the day. Throw in turning your primary thermostat down a couple degrees, and you can save a lot of money.

6. What’s the worst thing you can do with a space heater?

Run yours too often or forget to turn it off. Space heaters pack a lot of heating power, which means they’ll drain your electric bill quickly if you abuse them. Think of them as supplemental heating, not a replacement for your central heat.