Climbing into a warm bed on a cold night is one of life's great pleasures. An electric blanket appeals as the quickest and easiest way to make your bed warm, but there's a few things to consider before you buy one.

Safety Is A Hot Issue

The main thing to look at when buying an electric blanket is safety. Always buy from a reputable retailer. Buying a cheap electric blanket from any other source means you could be purchasing one that doesn't meet the strict safety standards that each country imposes. Also, pay careful attention to the safety features on every blanket you look at, such as auto shut-off, or waterproofing to stop spills reaching heating wires. You can't put a price on safety, so investing in a blanket with lots of safety features is always a wise move.

The Perfect Fit

A fitted electric blanket sits flat on the bed, adding comfort and convenience, because they're easier to take on and off, and stay flat. This is an important safety feature as well, because a fitted blanket won't crease and fold, which means the heating element wires won't bend, and possibly break.

The More Heat Settings The Better

Some of us are more sensitive to heat than others, and this becomes an issue where electric blankets are concerned. Blankets with a restricted range of settings - say One, Two and Three - offer less heat variation than blankets with more settings. If you're a "hot" sleeper, or a "cool" sleeper, look for blankets that offer a wide range of heat settings on the controller.

For All Over Heat

They say that if your feet are warm, the rest of you is warm as well. Some electric blankets help you achieve this with a heated warm-foot zone, unlike basic blankets where the heat seems to end around about your knees!

An Added Touch Of Luxury

A warm bed on a cold night is a luxurious thing, but to add even more luxury, look for an electric blanket that's thick enough that you don't feel the heating elements within the blanket itself. A fleecy blanket is ideal in this respect. For even more indulgence, check out a wool-pile cover. As well as extra comfort, such a blanket can be used as an underlay when the weather is warmer.

Warm & Washable

Like any piece of bedding, such as a pillow case or a sheet, it's important to keep your electric blanket clean and hygienic. Some models have removable controls which means you can wash the blanket, and keep it in great, and healthy, condition.

For A Nice & Comfortable Power Bill

Electric blankets are reasonably cheap to run, and shouldn't cause your power bill to skyrocket. For all that, some blankets offer energy-saving features, which are particularly useful if you live in colder areas where the blanket will be used more often than in other areas.