How Much Does It Cost to Run an Electric Blanket? Calculate Your Exact Cost

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The cost depends on two numbers: your blanket’s power rating in watts and your electricity unit rate. Calculate it with (watts ÷ 1,000) × hours used × price per kWh. For example, a 70-watt blanket used for eight hours at 27.69 pence per kWh costs about 15.5 pence for that night. The 27.69p rate is the dated January 2026 example used by EDF Energy, not a universal tariff.

Use the wattage printed on your blanket or in its manual and the unit rate on your own bill. Because tariffs, wattages, heat settings and usage times differ, there is no single reliable “cost per night” for every electric blanket.

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The formula for an electric blanket’s running cost

Electricity suppliers charge by the kilowatt-hour (kWh), while blanket labels normally show power in watts (W). Convert the rating to kilowatts, multiply by the number of hours the blanket is switched on, then multiply by your price per kWh.

Cost = (power in watts ÷ 1,000) × hours used × electricity price per kWh

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If your bill quotes pence rather than pounds, the result is in pence. National Energy Action expresses the same calculation as an hourly figure: running cost (p/hour) = power rating (W) × electricity unit rate (p/kWh) ÷ 1,000. The Australian Government’s appliance guidance also advises converting the input wattage to kilowatts before multiplying by time and tariff.

Step 1: Find the blanket’s rated power

Look for a number followed by W, such as 60 W, 70 W or 100 W, on the product label, packaging, manual or manufacturer’s specifications. The Australian Government notes that the input power is usually marked on the packaging or in the manufacturer’s information. If you cannot verify the rating, do not substitute a guessed “average”; obtain the model’s documentation or ask the manufacturer.

Step 2: Convert watts to kilowatts

Divide the wattage by 1,000. A 70 W blanket is 0.07 kW; a 100 W blanket is 0.1 kW.

Step 3: Multiply by the hours switched on

For an eight-hour use period, multiply the kilowatt figure by eight. This produces an energy estimate in kWh before applying the tariff.

Step 4: Apply your unit rate

Use the electricity unit rate on your bill, not a headline rate from another country or supplier. A tariff may vary by location, plan and time of use. Keep the currency and unit consistent: multiply kWh by pounds per kWh for a pound result, or by pence per kWh for a pence result.

Step 5: Extend the estimate over several days

Multiply the daily estimate by the number of days used. Seven identical nights gives a weekly estimate; 30 identical nights gives a 30-day estimate. This assumes the same tariff, wattage setting and hours each day.

Worked examples with real arithmetic

The first row uses EDF Energy’s published illustration: a 70 W blanket and an example rate of 27.69p/kWh cited for January 2026. The remaining rows are hypothetical calculations showing how changing wattage or tariff changes the answer. None establishes a typical blanket rating or a current rate for all households.

The 70 W example demonstrates why an overnight figure cannot be copied from one article to another. At the same wattage, changing the tariff changes the result; at the same tariff, changing the wattage or hours changes it again.

How to calculate a night, week, month or season

One night

Use the actual number of hours the switch is on. If a timer runs the blanket for two hours before bed rather than eight hours, enter two. If you use different settings during the night, calculate each period separately when the ratings are known, then add the results.

One week

Calculate one night and multiply by the number of nights used. If weekdays and weekends differ, calculate each pattern separately instead of multiplying one night by seven.

Thirty-day period

Multiply the daily cost by 30 only when the blanket is used for the same duration each day. For the dated 70 W, 27.69p/kWh illustration, eight hours nightly for 30 nights is approximately £4.65. That is an example based on the stated rate, not a forecast of any reader’s bill.

Heating season

Multiply the verified daily estimate by the number of days you expect to use the blanket. A seasonal total is especially sensitive to behavior: occasional pre-heating, warmer nights, timer use and different heat settings can all reduce the hours or power drawn compared with a fixed eight-hour assumption.

Why your actual electricity use may differ from the rated calculation

The formula uses the blanket’s rated power as though it drew that amount continuously. National Energy Action explains that appliances which regulate temperature can draw more power while heating and less after reaching the set temperature. Electric blankets commonly use controls that modulate heat, so the rated-power result is an estimate of maximum continuous operation rather than a guaranteed meter reading for a whole night.

EDF Energy also notes that a lower heat setting requires less energy. The available guidance does not establish a blanket-specific duty cycle or a universal percentage reduction, so do not apply an invented adjustment such as “half power after an hour.” If you need an observed figure, compare the blanket’s documented consumption with a suitable electricity meter under your own tariff and use pattern; otherwise label the result as a rated-power estimate.

Timers and automatic shutoff change the hours in the formula. A control that turns the blanket off after a set period can reduce consumption simply by reducing operating time, but the feature’s presence does not prove that a particular overnight routine is safe. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions separately from the cost calculation.

What to compare when choosing between blankets

Running cost is only one comparison. A lower wattage produces a lower rated-power estimate at the same tariff and hours, but it does not by itself establish comfort, warmth, safety or suitability for a particular bed. Compare the complete specification and instructions.

Safety checks before trying to reduce the bill

WorkSafe New Zealand advises inspecting an electric blanket for wear or damage, keeping it flat so the heating elements are not damaged, following the manufacturer’s instructions and switching it off before getting into bed. This is New Zealand regulator guidance; readers elsewhere should also follow their local safety advice and the instructions supplied with their own blanket.

Do not treat a low calculated cost as evidence that any use pattern is safe. A calculation tells you about estimated energy cost only. It does not assess damaged wiring, folded elements, age, compatibility with bedding or whether leaving a particular model on while asleep is permitted. Resolve those questions from the product instructions and applicable safety guidance before optimizing hours or heat settings.

A practical worksheet for your own bill

1. Write down the exact wattage from the blanket’s label or manufacturer documentation.
2. Record the electricity unit rate and its currency from your bill. If your plan has different rates by time or day, identify the rate that applies while the blanket runs.
3. Record the actual hours of operation, including any pre-heating period and any timer shutoff.
4. Calculate (watts ÷ 1,000) × hours × price per kWh.
5. Round only at the end. Keep extra decimal places during the calculation so a small hourly cost is not distorted.
6. Multiply the daily result by the number of days for a weekly, monthly or seasonal estimate.
7. Label the result as a rated-power estimate and note the wattage, tariff, hours and dates used.

Common calculation errors

• Using watts as kilowatts: dividing by 1,000 is essential. Entering 70 instead of 0.07 makes the estimate 1,000 times too high.
• Using the standing charge: the formula needs the unit rate per kWh, not a fixed daily or monthly charge.
• Copying another household’s tariff: rates vary by location, supplier and plan. Use your own bill.
• Calling the 70 W example typical: it is a single dated illustration, not a representative statistic for all blankets.
• Ignoring time: an eight-hour estimate is not valid for a two-hour timer cycle or a blanket used intermittently.
• Assuming rated power equals measured consumption: thermostatic controls can draw more while heating and less after reaching temperature.

What the result tells you

Your own wattage, tariff and hours provide the defensible answer. The arithmetic can show the cost of a planned use pattern and let you compare settings or timer durations on the same blanket. It cannot supply a universal overnight price, prove a blanket’s safety, or replace the manufacturer’s operating instructions. Recalculate whenever your tariff, blanket, heat setting or routine changes.

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