are electric blankets a complete no no?

[Yorkiegirl]

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I love mine...there is nothing as nice as getting into a lovely warmed bed in the winter. Just make sure it is switched off before you go to sleep!

DH wants one - we are running the heating lower in winter (and obv. not on till at least next month!) I haven't seen any figures but if it means you can heat the house (and esp. the bedrooms) less then my bet is they are a good idea. We had them when I was growing up - old house with no central heating, before we had the blankets hot water bottles were essential in winter.

i always worry about the fire risk with these.

I prefer hot water bottle.
You have to ( well I do) turn off electric blanket. Hot water bottle keeps you cosy all night.

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How old are your DDs? I had an electric blanket when I was young and Mum used to unplug it at night. I would wait until she went to bed then put it back on again.

I would not get one for the DCs for that reason. I would rather go for a wool mattress protector (had one of those when I lived in Aviemore)

I had one when I lived on my own in a flat with no central heating (nice) and it was great. I actually found I got too hot if I left it on after I had got into bed, so only used it for pre-heating. I would be irrationally worried about fire and so on if I gave one to DS though.

It's them plugging it back in, after I had unplugged it, that I would worry about.

DS ants one. I had one as a child, best thing eva.

Where would one buy such a thing

What About John Lewis

Lakeland have ones which have 8 heat settings and on the double and king size you can choose to heat only one side (so ideal if dh doesn't want heated)

But the best thing I am swooning over - Lakeland have a heated throw for curling up on the sofa with. I want one

They are all much safer now.

Lauriefairycake, I'm intrigued and DP would be soooooooo jealous.

Do you have a link?

Love my electric blanket and have one of those which has two sides as dh is a hot body. He only uses his side if he's ill!

You can get them in argos etc

fleecy blanket www.lakeland.co.uk/F/keyword/heated+blanket/product/4963_4946_4964

www.lakeland.co.uk/F/keyword/heated+throw/product/21832

heated throw for the couch

www.lakeland.co.uk/F/keyword/heated+blanket/product/4963_4946_4964

heated dual control blanket

I have an electric underblanket. It's Luuvverly! I havn't used it for a while and need to get it checked. Somewhere???

we don't have central heating and sleep in a freezing cold sunroom with lots of windows (and gaps) and no insulation/double glazing

it is a bit like sleeping in a shed TBH

was originally considering a leccy blanket when we moved in there but we don't actually have any power points in the room either!

we have 2 duvets and one of those fleecy acrylicy blankets and it is TOASTY. I wouldn't bother with an electric blanket now, it really is lovely as it is

Bloody hell! Warmfront offer advice and money for heating etc if you are on a low income. You shouldn't have to live like this.

if you're talking to me Scrooged, don't worry! am in NZ where this is perfectly standard for old houses (they are tough over here). There is no piped gas supply so central heating a no-no,we have heatpump/storage heaters etc. elsewhere in the house but not in our room. We could double glaze it but they are v.pretty leadlight windows and it would cost a fortune to get appropriate glazing made. We have a decent income, and have borrowed some money to get the insulation/roof done but just haven't got around to it...(cna get interest free loan for the insulation too,l am just terminally disorganised)

actually am getting very used to no central heating, is quite pleasant. Went to a house with gas central heating (bottled - complete hassle) and I was way too warm.

I have a lovely electric blanket. It warms your feet more than the rest, which is fab. Also double sided. Not used since before I got pg with DS1 though as have been pg / co-sleeping since then. Might start using it to warm the bed again though this winter (DH away) as only have DS1 in with me now and he's 4.

From the Age Concern website

Each year, hundreds of house fires are accidentally caused by a faulty electric blanket.

To help reduce this number, we have joined up with E.ON, the company that runs Powergen, to offer free safety tests for electric blankets during October and November 2006.

Each household can bring up to 3 blankets to be tested. If our authorised assessors consider your blanket to be dangerous, you will instantly receive a free replacement blanket*.

Although electric blankets are made to strict safety standards, any blanket which is used or stored incorrectly or is more than ten years old may be a fire risk.

There are electric blanket testing sessions at 36 locations in England, Scotland and Wales this October and November.

Giod electirc blankets are a flashback to the 70s arent they

I would try a fleecy underblanket first, and putting a hot water bottle in an hour before they/you go to bed to warm it up - you can always take it out.

My uncle was a fireman, and put me off electric blankets, I'm afraid!