Warmest Blanket – Top 13 for Winter – October 2024 Update

by blankets

Top 13 out of 120+

This guide is home to the most complete information on the topic of warm blankets out there – here’s why we believe that:

It is:

  • Compiled by experts.
  • Based on the largest pool of data.
  • Regularly updated – once or twice a month (the version that you’re reading is the October 2024 update).
  • It’s crafted to cover it all – from thick and soft to lightweight warm blankets.
  • We’re widening the scope and always testing.

Our in-house experts spent 1,000s of work hours to gather data from over 13,200 personal experiences.

This the bottom line – if you’re looking for the best / warmest blanket for winter, this guide is likely where your search ends.

Since we initially published it, we tweaked the types and price ranges to fit a wide range of needs, preferences & budgets.

Bottom line – we’re well prepared to bring on the heat (pun intended) for the winter ahead.

Last updated: October 2024

warmest blanket collage

First things first – watch Andy’s short explanation on finding exactly what you’re looking for.

How to pinpoint the right blanket for you

Warmest blanket – Top 13 best blankets for winter

 
Winter blanket
 
Info
 
Overall rating
& quick links
 
wool blanket best warmth pick

Desert Breeze - Andean Collection

 
 

‣ Type: classic
‣ Material: alpaca and sheep wool
‣ Sizes available: 1
‣ Color choices: 1
‣ Price range: $$$

 
 
9.42

See all ratings >
 
poyet motte winter blanket

Poyet Motte Aubisque

 
 

‣ Type: classic
‣ Material: wool
‣ Sizes available: 4
‣ Color choices: 5
‣ Price range: $$$

 
 
9.26


See all ratings >
 

 
sunbeam velvet plush

Sunbeam heated
Velvet Plush

 
 

‣ Type: electric
‣ Material: velvet
‣ Sizes available: 1
- (84 x 90 ")
‣ Color choices: 8
‣ Price range: $$$

 
 
9.12

See all ratings >
 
sherpa fleece extra warm blanket

Sherpa Fleece
by LBRO2M

 
 

‣ Type: classic
‣ Material: fleece-sherpa
‣ Sizes available: 3
‣ Color choices: 11
‣ Price range: $$

 
 
9.08

See all ratings >
 

Thomas Collection Luxury

 
 

‣ Type: bed throw
‣ Material: faux fur
(thickened)
‣ Sizes available: 5
‣ Color choices: 1
‣ Price range: $$$$

 
 
8.95

See all ratings >
 
zefabak outdoor blanket

ZEFABAK Outdoors

 
 

‣Type: for outdoors
‣ Material: duck down
‣ Sizes available: 1
(72 x 48 ")
‣ Color choices: 3
‣ Price range: $

 
 
8.5

See all ratings >
 
shavel reversible winter blanket

Shavel
Micro Plush

 
 

‣ Type: electric
‣ Material: reversible
(micro-flannel & sherpa)
‣ Sizes available: 5
‣ Color choices: 5
‣ Price range: $$$

 
 
8.94

See all ratings >
 
creswick blanket

Cresswick
Australian Mills

 
 

‣ Type: classic
‣ Material: wool
‣ Sizes available: 3
‣ Color choices: 5
‣ Price range: $$$

 
 
8.88

See all ratings >
 
warmzone blanket

WarmZone

 
 

‣ Type: classic
‣ Material: poly-fiber
‣ Sizes available: 4
‣ Color choices: 4
‣ Price range: $

 
 
8.84

See all ratings >
 
freelife super warm fleece blanket

FreeLife
SuperWarm

 
 

‣ Type: classic
‣ Material: fleece
‣ Sizes available: 2
‣ Color choices: 10
‣ Price range: $

 
 
8.84

See all ratings >
 
q bedding blanket fuzzy for winter

Qbeddding
Extra Big

 
 

‣ Type: classic
‣ Material : reversible
(faux-fur & sherpa)
‣ Sizes available: 2
‣ Color choices: 2
‣ Price range: $

 
 
8.84

See all ratings >
 
langria ribbed blanket

Langria
Ribbed

 
 

‣ Type: classic
‣ Material : reversible
(faux-fur & sherpa)
‣ Sizes available: 3
‣ Color choices: 1
‣ Price range: $

 
 
8.8

See all ratings >
 
fishers finery soft warm blanket throw

Fishers Finery
Cashmere throw

 
 

‣ Type: light throw
‣ Material : cashmere
‣ Sizes available: 1
(50 x 59)
‣ Color choices: 5
‣ Price range: $

 
 
8.8

See all ratings >

The “problem” with this guide

To be honest, there are simpler guides that do not go into detail about how they chose the blankets.

They just choose pricy products and run with it.

This page might be a peg longer read but imagine yourself under a cozy, soft throw a few winters from now.

Would you regret the extra 5 minutes it took to choose based on warmth data?

If you’re anything like me, I’m guessing no.

So, let’s get right into the juicy stuff…whether you’re looking for a gift or a cozy, softest warmest blanket to pamper yourself with this winter, some of our picks will definitely fit the bill.

The third update of 2024 and first of the winter season

This is the busiest time of the year for this guide – there’s new arrivals to test and a pile of new data to process.

Come winter, we crank the updates up because the market is busier. There are new warm blankets to test.

While we continue to do that, we’ve shifted our focus to efficiency and improving the testing and rating the warmth factors.

We spent most of last week gathering data to improve the rating for throw blankets since the warmth and temperature retention quotas are not the same.

That means the tests and rating systems shouldn’t be either, we’ve recognized that and continue to work on improving it.

Upcoming updates and blanket tests

As we’re approaching winter, we’re working hard to prepare for the most imortant update of the year.

In the two upcoming months, we’ll test and rate (at least) 12 blankets in all the warmth-related categories.

More importantly, these are all pre-selected based on teh conversatiosn we’ve had with the owners.

Bottom line – the next update is probably gonna bring some changes as we add new arrivals.

New testers in different winters and new experts

Specifically, we’re talking to our testers from different climates and adjusting the tests to pinpoint the blankets that a are good for “different winters” – from Jane in the extreme cold of Alaska and parts of Canada, through the cold but less harsh winters North Dakota, Minnesota, Wyoming and Montana, to the milder winters in states with mean yearly temperatures in the 45-60 (F) range.

We’re currently looking for testers in Maine , Idaho and Wisconsin – drop us a line if you feel like you might be a good fit. You get a cozy blanket to test and we get to bore you with a bunch of boring questions about your winters and warmth. Fun times, right?

We also diversified the expert opinions and talked to a few international experts, like Mr. Gaiz Salvaro, a Spanish expert in material sciences out of ICMAB-CSIC and George Elkin, a physicist and an expert in heat retention.

 What changed in the October 2024 update

Most of these (12 out of 13) are for home use, but the latest update includes one recommendation for the outdoors (5th on the list). It’s the first update of 2023, but we have some new data and arrivals that we had to include.

The ratings you’ll see are fruit of over 3,000+ work hours & 106 products analyzed. It’s all based on data from 7 separate sources.

That’s two more blankets compared to the previous update. And we’re currently looking to expand this guide into comforters because we get at least a dozen of e-mails a month with questions about it.

We also tweaked a few things in terms of how we approach the warmth ratings of a blanket. We put more emphasis on weight vs temperature isiolation, so you might see some lighter peiece popping up.

The bottom line is this – this update is richer in data, test results and personal experiences than anything that exist out there. 

Finally, we update the ratings monthly to keep the information fresh and relevant at all times.

We’ve seen some serious changes in this update, so pour yourself a hot cup of coffee and take your time. Ten minutes here can both save you time and money and keep you cozy – it might sound strange but we’re already testing stuff for the winter of 2023/24.

We’ll go through it all – from types of winter blankets to choose from, through the quality analysis to the ever-so-important satisfaction of the users.

We’ve including  the TOG rating in our testing

We were looking for a way to use the TOG rating (Thermal Overall Grade) in our testing since it’s an internationally recognized scale.

It’s not universally applicable to blankets, for two reason:

  1. It was developed for quilts and their warmth retention ability.
  2. It’s define din laboratory conditions. While we can mimic those fairly close in our testing, that doesn’t directly translate to how much heat a blanket will retain in your home.
  3. There’s always a margin of error.

That’s why we’re adding to our equation and testing for a new factor we call – SSTG – short for Sleep Studies Thermal Grade.

OK, at this point I feel like I’m just blaberring on – let’s be more specific about the stuff that adds  value to you, the reader.

We looked into some new blanket types – like fleece and some for extreme cold

The database of blankets tested for warmth properties has grown significantly since this guide was published. We want from around 50 to over 120 – some of them are whole new types with unique sets of data.

Typically, we add these in response to the questions we see in our inbox…and we got a lot of those…with the approaching winter and all.

To be specific – we analyzed and tested the quality and warmth of 12 new warm winter blankets.

New experts for the winter of  ’24/25

We onboarded new members to the consult team this year. This means new eyeballs on our methodology and it means more testing.

Ultimately, for you, it means better data and methods, more accurate results and, well…warmer blankets for the ’24/25 winter.

As we mentioned, we’re getting even more data and talking to more experts and blanket owners in preparation for the chilly season.

We tested new warm blankets

If you are our regular reader, you’ll notice that this update did not bring any significant changes in the ratings of “the classics.”

What did change, however, is the scope of the blanket types we looked at. This change is a direct result of the feedback of our readers. As time goes by, we learn more about the different definitions of “warmth” and how it balances with other quality aspects. In other words, we continue to work on improving this guide to be more accurate on what most people define as “warm” and continue to expand into new types of products to make it more complete.

In other words, we do our best to have it all in mind and improve the guide to cover more ground, needs or price-wise. With that said, let’s get to the detailed analysis of each product.

This especially goes for the frequency of updates – we started out by updating the information on twice-a-year basis but soon we realized that we need to increase the frequency for the data to stay relevant. Fast forward to 2024 and we are doing updates on monthly basis throughhout the year…sometimes even more frequent.

Come winter, we bump that up to monthly updates because there’s a lot going on – from new arivals to quality changes.

Warmest blanket among the classics –

Poyett Motte Aubisque

If you’re looking for a regular blanket (without added heat sources), nothing beats natural wool.

Within that category (based on the stats) no blanket we looked at beats the time-tested quality of Poyet Motte. That hasn’t changed for a while now, including the October ’24 update.

The tradition of Poyet Motte

It’s hard to choose where to start and what quality aspects to stress when talking about this blanket. The tradition of the company probably deserves an article of its own, since we are 10 years away from Poyet Motte celebrating their 200th anniversary. Currently, they are the leading European blankets manufacturer.

But let’s get back to things that can directly affect your decision.

First of all, it’s one of the few blankets that are consistently above the rating of 92% in user satisfaction. If you have in mind fact that there are similar blankets with a lower price tag, that’s a huge plus.

poyet motte - voted wamrest blanket for winter
poyet motte label close up
poyet winter blankets stacked

As we said, we simplify the results by boiling down the ratings to a few simple numbers but, on our side of things, getting to that number is anything but simple.

With objective ratings, we go into the nitty-gritty like craftsmanship, both general and imperfections on arrival and developed with prolonged use. This includes things like loose stitches, changes in shape, pilling (when applicable).

On the subjective side, we analyze how satisfied the users are with specific aspects. For this guide, we adjusted our statistical model to put more emphasis on aspects that are more important for winter blankets.

Long story short, in most of the categories above, Poyet Motte was either dominant or in the top 3 in each update.

In terms of Temperature regulation for the winter, this blanket is at the sweet spot between the nature of the fabric (virgin wool), the density of the weave and breathability.

If you look at other similar blankets, 9 out of 10 times, you won’t even see the 3 most important aspects mentioned – density (thickness of the fibers used), weight per square meter and whether it’s recycled.

That part is especially important with wool, because fiber, ply and yarn make all the difference – you can see Poyet Motte compared side by side with typical wool blanket in the picture.

There’s a reason for that – most of the time, the reason is that these aspects of blankets are nothing to write home about. Poyet Motte is an exception.

The fibers are so fine (33 microns) that they can be we weaved into a blanket of 500 g/m² (GSM). Also, it’s important to mention that the company uses Woolmark licensed Virgin wool.

stitching close up poyet motte blanket
side by side comparison
  • Warmth rating 96% 96%
  • Moisture wicking vs. Temperature isolation 95% 95%
  • Comfort / feel / softness 93% 93%
  • Owner satisfaction 88% 88%
  • Value for $ 91% 91%

What it all means for you

Most of us had that conversation about how products are made these days.

There are two sides typically involved in this kind of conversation. You are either on the more experienced side talking about “the good old days” or on the other side that shrugs it off and saying that “it’s just the way things are today.

Poyet Motte is the type of product that would satisfy the criteria of both sides. In terms of longevity it’s fair to say that this is an heirloom blanket that’s likely to be in your family for decades.

In terms of value for money, in our opinion, it’s worth every cent.

One downside could be the fact that it’s not always available in all sizes and color combinations. Over the course of the last 4 years (since we first published this guide), we have seen it go in and out of stock in some sizes and colors.

Choosing Poyet Motte as the warmest blanket of classic make – the bottom line

If Poyet Motte is available in your preferred size-color combo, our advice would be not to overthink. Chances of being disappointed by this blanket are slim to none. It lives at the intesection between warmt, weight and high-end make.

You can see what the owners are saying about it, current price and size-color combos currently available by following the link in the red box above.

Premium wool blanket for winter

Desert Breeze Alpaca and Sheep Wool blanket

(Andean Collection)

The Desert Breeze is the most significant change in this update.

I’ll be subjective for second – it’s one of my favorite blankets ever made.

Ever. In any price range. It looks much better live than it does in pictures…the only “problem” is staying in stock.

My opinion aside…

It’s been in the Top 15 since we first compiled this guide years ago, which is 20+ updates…and that’s no small thing. In this update, it’s pushed its way to the very top.

This happened for three reasons:

  1. We tweaked our ratings towards natural materials to compensate for the flood of cheap syntetics.
  2. The blanket grew in popularity, with a satisfaction rating among users that’s off the charts – OFF. THE. CHARTS. That’s a good thing as long as they can keep up with the demand.
  3. We added similar blankets to the database – there’s no clear contender in site.
stitching close up poyet motte blanket

Popular in the “finer things” club

This cozy blanket broke into the top tier because it offered luxury materials at a non-luxury price. It also finds the right balance between weight, heat retention and breathability.

This season, it’s into one of the most popular winter blankets among people looking finely brushed softness and extra warmth.

Below are its ratings – based on the owner experiences and statistical analysis from a range of sources across the web.

  • Warmth rating 93% 93%
  • Moisture wicking vs. Temperature isolation 94% 94%
  • Comfort / feel / softness 95% 95%
  • Owner satisfaction 92% 92%
  • Value for $ 97% 97%

Warmest electric blanket

Best blanket for winter in the category – Sunbeam Velvet Plush

The competition for the title of “warmest electric blanket” is fierce. For the potential buyer, this is a good thing because it means higher quality products at lower prices.

In this category, we’re choosing the Sunbeam Velvel Plush.

What gave it an edge over similar products is the category of value for money.

This chunk of the market has made significant leaps over the past decade or so, primarily in terms of safety and seamlessness/versatility of the controls.

Consistency for the win

The difference in those paramount quality aspects is not as significant as it was when we talked about wool. A few products from top companies have been locking horns for the top spots in pretty much every update.

This is one of the blankets that kept its place in the top 5 – it’s been there since we first published the guide and all subsequent updates, both in this guide and in the top 10 heated blankets with you can see here.

Rating this type of blanket is slightly different than simply rating the quality. We included a slight adjustment to account for the balance between the weight and the warmth.

sunbeam micro plush - voted warmest electric blanket
sunbeam plush blanket unboxing
  • Warmth rating 96% 96%
  • Temperature isolation vs. moisture wicking 89% 89%
  • Comfort / feel / softness 93% 93%
  • Owner satisfaction 84% 84%
  • Value for $ 94% 94%

Bottom line

Initially, this adjustment in rating methodology wasn’t a part for statistical analysis and we only included it based on the feedback from our featured testers and readers.

The reason is that it’s not only about the warmth. The soothing effect of thicker blanket is now a part of the rating process. Granted, it is a secondary factor, but it is there as means to adjust the ratings to what people are looking for in a good winter blanket.

If it wasn’t there, there would be a number of blankets with an independent heat source that could be practically rated the same. We’re including this explanation to make the ratings clearer.

What matters most…

We mentioned that these blankets have seen some significant improvements. Two that stand out are the auto shutoff function and preheating.

Initially, the products that included both were more expensive, but things leveled down with time and this Sunbeam is the perfect example. It comes with both features and yet, it’s in the same price range as blankets that include only one (and in some cases none) of the two.

It’s also worth noting that the blanket is covered by a 5-year warranty. Finally, it’s one of the few blankets that fall into the “Premium Soft” category, which is the highest in their categorization.

You can see what owners are saying as well as all color options by following the link on the button below.

sunbeam plush electric blanket warmth testing

Sherpa Fleece by LBRO2M – budget warm blanket for heavy winter

Strange name, good blanket.

We have been reviewing blankets for years now and it’s only once in a blue moon that you see a product with the kind of stats this warm fleece has in user satisfaction.

To be specific, we have seen overall rating in this category this high, but almost never see a blanket with a 5-star rating from 8 out of 10 people.

That’s what makes it unique in the lower-to-medium price range. On the other hand, the fleeces you find below this range are sub-par.

It might not be the warmest per se but, in the bigger picture, the value is there.

The fact that it has been among the Top 20 winter blankets for 13 consecutive updates now is well-deserved. This is, however, the first update that finds it in the Top 10.

velvet berber blue blanket
  • Warmth rating 93% 93%
  • Temperature isolation vs. moisture wicking 84% 84%
  • Comfort / feel / softness 95% 95%
  • Owner satisfaction 88% 88%
  • Value for $ 94% 94%

Premium Thomas Collection Faux Fur

If there is a blanket on the list that made us subjective, it’s this faux fur eye candy from the Thomas collection. It’s also the main surprise of this years update.

The price tag is much higher than that of most similar products, but that’s to be expected.

If you like the fur aesthetic and don’t want to get actual fur, you’ll want to take a look at this.

On the downside, we have seen it go in and out of stock. So, if you really need to treat yourself and do find it available, it might the indulgence you need.

Also, the data volume that we have is not big enough to rate it in the category of owner satisfaction – that’s why you’ll see that rating omitted below.

home designs premium blanket
  • Warmth rating 96% 96%
  • Temperature isolation vs. moisture wicking 85% 85%
  • Comfort / feel / softness 94% 94%
  • Value for $ 83% 83%

There is no blanket on the list that can transform the look of a bedroom more than this luxurious piece.

It’s also one of two products we listed as “exceptions” because we don’t have the data volume to rate it. With this one, we just couldn’t help ourselves.

You can check whether it’s currently available below.

Exta warm blanket for the outdoors

Our pick – ZEFABAK – duck down for the win

Our top pick for an extra warm outdoor blanket is the ZEFABAK duck down, with one caveat – since the ZEFABAK is filled with natural down, it might not be your best bet for humid conditions.

For that scenario, we’d recommend the Rumpl (you can see the complete review of the Rumpl blanket here).

The competition in this category was close – between the ZEFABAK and a few other products. Without getting into the nitty-gritty of it all, what made the difference is the power (density vs. weight) of the natural fill.

In other words, blankets that would be as warm for the outdoors cost more and those in its price range or lower don’t really come close to the heat-retention & reflection properties.

zefabak outdoors - voted warmest blanket for the outdoors

Overall Rating

Warmest electric blanket among reversibles

Shavel Micro Plush

This Shavel is one of the blankets that made us make an exception in terms of our rules for the statistical analysis. When we say that we’re referring to the fact that it’s yet to meet the volume standards for the data we have, which is why we don’t yet have a rating for it.

The reason for making an exception are the numbers in user satisfaction category that we have seen so far. We’ve been reviewing blankets for over a decade now and, in the that time, one develops a “nose” for patterns.

Unless Shavel changes something significant about this blanket, we’re confident that this product “arrived” and is here to stay.

shavel electric winter blanket
  • Warmth rating 96% 96%
  • Temperature isolation vs. moisture wicking 85% 85%
  • Comfort / feel / softness 95% 95%
  • Value for $ 88% 88%
  • Owner satisfaction 89% 89%

Another reason that made us include it in the group of best warm blankets is the reversible construction.

As we mentioned previously, it’s our opinion that a good winter blanket is not simply warmest, it’s more about the balance between all of its properties.

To be more specific, a thicker, cozier blanket like this will be warmer at a lower heat setting.

Again, we rarely make exceptions, and the fact that we did for this Shavel speaks volumes.

Lightweight warm blanket – Creswick Luxurious and Pendleton

The runner-ups in the wool category and trhe top pick in the light weight warm blankets is the Creswick Luxurious by Creswick and Pendleton (shown in the images, respectively).

About Cresswick

In many ways, it’s similar to the Poyet Motte above with the main difference being the weave.

The fibers are even finer (23 micron) which means that it feels somewhat lighter. With the fibers being fine as they are, the finish of the Creswick feels less rugged.

Since it initially appeared on Amazon, its popularity grew to the point where counterfeit products started appearing. At one point, the company itself pointed this out in their listing of the product, warning about the counterfeits.

Our stats

We made sure to only closely follow the original blanket and base our stats on that.

If wool is your choice, the decision will come down to the fact that Creswick and Pendleton are a lighter and thinner than Poyet Motte, which is only natural if you have the fine fibers in mind.

It’s also worth noting that, typically, the finer the fibers the more luxurious the blanket feels, and the price follows.

The ratings below arefer to the Pendleton since Cresswick isn’t available right now.

cresswick lightweight winter blankets on desk
cresswick lightweight - voted second best blanket for winter in wool category
  • Warmth rating 90% 90%
  • Temperature isolation vs. moisture wicking 96% 96%
  • Comfort / feel / softness 94% 94%
  • Owner satisfaction 79% 79%
  • Value for $ 85% 85%

What this means for you

It means that the blankets made of fibers this fine are not cheap. With that said, we did look at other blankets in the same micron range and most of them were significantly expensive than the Creswick.

That’s why one of our ratings is “value for money” instead of simply price.

It also means that the blanket is not as heavy and not as a warm as those of “sturdier weave”. On the other hand, it’s better in terms of adjusting to the shape of the sleeper’s body – a category we like to call “hug.”

The bottom line is that if you’re looking for a lightweight and warm winter blanket, this kind mighty just be the fit.

Updatewe always go for value, so our new pick here is the Pendleton because it stands tall in ratings even compared to blankets twice its price.

Warmest blanket among poly-fiber products – WarmZone

You might have already heard about the WarmZone.

Apart from the electric models, it’s the only blanket on the list designed specifically with warmth in mind.

“Designed” means that it’s heat-reflecting – in other words, the polyester surface is coated with extra insulative layer that reflects back the heat dissipated by your body.

Granted, this also means that it’s not as breatheable or versatile as wool, but it’s crafted to do one job – be warm.

And it does the job well – especially with the price range in mind. So, if you need a budget-friendly throw to curl up under and watch re-runs of Friends, Warmzone might be the blanket for you.

warm zone - warmest blanket among poly-fiber
  • Warmth rating 92% 92%
  • Temperature isolation vs. moisture wicking 84% 84%
  • Comfort / feel 94% 94%
  • Owner satisfaction 82% 82%
  • Value for $ 90% 90%

Warmest blanket among fleeces

updated picks – FreeLife Super Warm & Easeland

Why are these the warmest fleece blankets

If you prefer a minky blanket to wool and if you’re not interested in the self-heating products, our top choice among classics are the FreeLife Super Warm and the Easeland

Understanding a few aspects of micro-fabrics is a must if you don’t want to end up with a blanket that will lose the delicate texture you initially got it for.

In this case – it’s all about the type of polyester-polyamide combo.

freelife warm fleece blanket

Indications of quality – where plush meets extra warm

The type of machines used to make good microfiber are not cheap (especially if it’s split microfiber), so there are many companies out there that compromise in the manufacturing process.

The tricky part here is that, while new, you won’t be able to tell the difference between the types of blankets. That’s why microfiber earned the label of cheap fabric. In reality, a well-made blanket of this type can last just as long as any other.

More importantly, it won’t be prone to losing the feel, shape or look.

If you look at things that way, choosing right becomes just as intricate as with any other type. It’s important tomention that, with time, we came to give more weight to this quality aspect. In recent updates, we also introduced “red flags.”

This is a critical flaw in a product that eliminates it from our top choices. We’ve seen it happen two times in 2020, once in 2021 and we’re likely to see it happen in the winter of 2022/23.

Let’s cut the long story short – rules of thumb:

  • go with a blanket that’s rated both for the dryer and the machine (if the instructions list “hand-wash” only, it can be an indicator of the low-quality blend)
  • go with blankets that include a warranty that pertains to shrinking and fading (if that’s not mentioned, most of the time, you’re looking at a product that will do just that – change shape or not be as soft)
  • go with the blanket that offers a full refund (if there’s an all-in-one indication of quality it’s this – if the company uses a sub-par blend, it doesn’t make financial sense for them to offer a warranty)
  • Warmth rating 92% 92%
  • Temperature isolation vs. moisture wicking 84% 84%
  • Comfort / feel / softness 94% 94%
  • Owner satisfaction 82% 82%
  • Value for $ 90% 90%

Freelife Super Warm ticks all the boxes

If you compare the price of the free life to other blankets of this type (all-fleece), it might seem expensive.

That’s why the analysis above is important – because not all fleece or microfiber is created equal.

This is a premium 330 GSM blanket with a price tag to match. More importantly, it’s time-tested product with 100s of user reviews. You can see them all at the link below.

Qbedding Extra Big Fuzzy – our pick among best winter blankets in faux fur category

This Qbedding blanket is one of those products that you either fall in love with at first sight or be confused about why people like it.

That part comes down to taste and what you think about faux fur.

That’s one part of the story – the arguable part.

What’s not arguable about this Qbedding is the impressive owner satisfaction numbers.

q bedding fuzzy winter blanket
  • Warmth rating 92% 92%
  • Temperature isolation vs. moisture wicking 84% 84%
  • Comfort / feel / softness 94% 94%
  • Owner satisfaction 82% 82%
  • Value for $ 90% 90%

What this means for you

We did look at other faux fur products, but none of them was even close in the owners stats. For you this means that what you see is what you get.

This part is important because faux fur is probably the one material that can be misleading in the pictures.

It’s available in 2 sizes and 2 colors – you can see the details below.

Langria ribbed – soft, warm winter blanket for those on a budget

If you’re looking for a budget-friendly solution that still looks luxurious, there’s little chance that this Langria won’t catch your eye as one of the best blankets for winter ’23/24.

It’s a classic polyester lightweight blanket with a modern twist in appearance, that’s very warm on top of it. The chunky ribbed design gives it a glamorous look.

The flannel side is 300 GSM, while the Sherpa fabric is 200 GSM. That adds up to 500 grams per meter square which is the same as our top overall pick (The Poyet Motte).

To be fair, a combination of flannel and Sherpa fabric can’t really be compared to wool in terms of temperature isolation, but then again, the Poyet Motte costs significantly more.

langria winter blanket for bed
  • Warmth rating 84% 84%
  • Temperature isolation vs. moisture wicking 80% 80%
  • Comfort / feel / softness 93% 93%
  • Owner satisfaction 92% 92%
  • Value for $ 91% 91%

Honorable mention Fishers Finery thin throw

Let’s be clear from the get-go here – on its own, this is not the warmest blanket ever and does not qualify to be a good choice for winter as a standalone product –  it’s too thin & light for that.

We’re including it because, since we first published our picks, we’ve been getting questions from people asking how to add a bit of balm without piling up weight.

Cashmere is the answer for cold weather in homes with decent heating

Cashmere that would be thick enough to keep you cozy in the winter on its own would cost a small fortune. As reference, it takes two goat undercoats for just one sweater.

Note that we’re not saying wool but “undercoat” (which is the fine layer under the wool). The undercoat is hand-combed before it can be used in confectionery products – that’s why these blankets are so thin.

fishers finery cashmere light winter throw
  • Warmth rating 74% 74%
  • Temperature isolation vs. moisture wicking 95% 95%
  • Comfort / feel / softness 95% 95%
  • Owner satisfaction 87% 87%
  • Value for $ 89% 89%

It’s not realistically possible to compare heat-retention qualities of a throw like this to that of wool, let alone flannel or other materials. To do that, you’d have to have two products of same ply and yarn.

With that said, comparison of fiber-to-fiber can come as a shock – Cashmere is 7 to 8 times warmer than wool. The catch is that it is scarce and expensive, so it’s not used for thick blankets – when it isused used in bedding, it’s typically light throws like this.

So, the bottom line here is that this Fishers Finery blanket might be to choice of people looking to cozy up on the sofa with a thin and lightweight, yet soft, warm blanket throw for a nice winter nap.

Reference info & tips on choosing the best warm blankets

If for some reason you didn’t like any of our top picks, the remainder of this guide we’ll go over some reference info on choosing right.

It also might be useful insight into why the products we mentioned are a good choice.

At any point, you can skip back to the top table by clicking the orange button.

Warmest blanket material

It’s not simple to choose the material and describe it as “warmest” because some image the materials we mentioned are not used in the same way as others.

A good example of that is Cashmere. We already mentioned that, if you compared it to wool (same fiber thickness), it can be up to 800% warmer.

It carries the title of “best for warmth” back to the Gobi Desert.

That fact alone doesn’t pain the whole picture when it comes to blankets because there are no blankets of this type that there as thick. The ones that are available are typically thin, lightweight throws.

So, it’s fairly accurate to say that wool is the warmest material.

It’s also the matreial used in most most blankets that scored high in our “good for cold weather” rating. That acore one is is a bit more complex because it includes factors like the warmth of your house.

Why that’s not the full story

In our testing and analysis (based in the owners we talked to and publicly available experiences), we would say that the title of “the warmest blanket for winter” typically goes to products with most well-balanced temperature isolation, weight/hug & mosisture wicking properties.

In case you missed it, “hug” is a quality that we introduced to our testing and rating. To put it simply, it describes how well a blanket contours around your body.

Best blanket for winter – the decision process – from so-so to very warm

It’s easy to get lost in all the lingo when choosing the warmest blanket for winter. So let us take a step back and craft a system of sorts that outlines the steps a smart buyer will make.

Think about the size

Most people skip this step because it seems pretty straightforward. Nonetheless, when we analyzed the complaints of people who weren’t satisfied and had complaints, almost 7% of those were regarding the size.

In some cases, this is a result of companies using the descriptive sizing. In case you have your eye on a product that doesn’t release specific dimensions, let’s clarify what it typically means.

For example, a King size winter blanket would be 108×90 inches, while Double/full/Queen size will be 90 x 90 “. In some cases, the product listings might deviate from these standards. It’s rarely happens in the bigger sizes like King and when it does, it’s almost never smaller. What you might see is a king-size measuring 108 times x 108 “.

A good rule of thumb here is to go with a bed blanket that’s big enough to cover the top of your mattress and has a few extra inches on the sides.

Best for cold weather in homes with decent heating – a good Queen-size winter blanket (based on a poll with 155 participants)

We conducted a poll with 155 people and asked about size of the blankets and the heating in their homes.

Here’s a simplified conclusion from that poll:

A warm queen size blanket with a TOG of 10-12.5 will be the best for most cold-weather conditions. That’s what 71% of them chose.

 

Warmest materials for winter blankets – side-by-side comparison

We don’t have a lot of ground to cover here because we mentioned the material aspect of the choice in pretty much every section of this guide.

So, let’s reiterate:

Wool – we already labeled wool as top-tier material (with a few caveats about ply and yarn). It would be an oversimplification to label it as “top choice” because there are other factors at play (like the price and versatility). What we mean when we say versatility is whether you can use it in other seasons besides winter.

When it comes to price, it’s somewhat more expensive than fleece or microfiber. On the other hand, that ties into “seasonal value.” A thick warm fleece blanket that would be a good choice for winter will probably be too hot for other seasons.

That’s not the case with wool – it has a unique property to keep you comfortable on cold nights and isolate you from the heat come spring or autumn.

Bottom line – wool makes for warmest non-electric blankets, and it’s a great choice for any age – from kids to the elderly. That’s especially true if it’s big and thick like the Poyet Motte.

Those felt extra cozy in the subjective side of our early 2024 tests, and maintained heat the longest, which was also reflected in our newly formed SSTG rating.

Close-up image of a big an thick colorful wool blanket in preparation for warmth testing

Fleece/microfiber – combination of microfiber and other synthetics that feel natural and plush are one of the most popular choices. Based on the conversations and, in some cases, full interviews with the owners, the appearance plays a big role here.

About 80% of the people we talked to sound the cozy, luxurious look of minky micro fabrics or fuzzy combinations to be visually more appealing.

We also mentioned that not all blankets of this type are created equal and that most of those that are on the cheaper side tend to be sub-par in retention, both in terms of weight and tactile qualities (the softness).

plush fleece blanket by Utopia 480GSM red blue start of testing

Knitted /crochet acrylic – not the most popular choice, but a viable one, especially for people allergic to wool.

oversized thick knitted blanket
How comfortable are you with added weight?

This should be an important step when choosing the best blanket for winter. We already said a few times that the better heat-retention properties don’t necessarily mean superior. The type is an essential part of that equation.

Electric vs. non-electric warmth

It’s common sense that externally generated heat will walways yield the highest warmth numbers in tests. To put it plainly – non-electric blankets can’t be directly compared to powered.

We designed our tests to reflect that.

Moreover…

Some people will be more comfortable with a thin, lightweight winter blanket while others find the added weight and thickness to be soothing. In our research, we found that the ratio between the two groups of people is approximately 2 to 8.

This means that 2 out of 10 people will be more comfortable with lightweight throws. If you belong to this group, you’ll probably be better off with a heated blanket. These allow you to get that balmy feeling without the weight. You can see our complete guide and list of our choices among electric blankets here.

If you belong to the majority, you’re not likely to be disappointed by any of the products we listed as our top picks. On the other hand, if weight is a crucial factor for you, and it can be in people with anxiety, you might consider a different approach all-together – blankets with added weight. You can see out list of top 7 heaviest weighted blankets here.

Is your skin sensitive?

The wool products we listed don’t have that scratchy quality that most people don’t like, both have a delicate finish with satin edges.

If you’re researching beyond that, do bear it in mind and.

Fabric strength – go for durable but extra warm

Strength of the fabric is the quality category for doesn’t make much sense on its own unless you’re planning a window escape.

In our ratings, strength is incorporated as a secondary factor into the shape retention and longevity ratings, because it does it play a part.

Fiber to fiber comparison between synthetics and wool will have an obvious winner every time – this synthetics fiber. So that’s not a discussion to be had.

If we’re talking wool, the rankings in terms of fiber strength would be the following (weakest to strongest):

  • South down
  • Lincoln
  • Merino
  • Mohair
  • Alpaca

So, since Mohair & Alpaca are typically used in smaller throws and cost much more, the conclusion is pretty much the same and leads us back to Merino as the warmest material.

Choosing a warm outdoor blanket

If you’re looking for a warm outdoor blanket, things get a bit trickier because you have to factor in the elements. For dry and cold weather, down is superior, but for humid conditions, you’re better of with down alternative.

Winter blanket vs. all-season

Another thing to keep in mind is how you plan to use the blanket – is it a winter-dedicated or multi-season.

Materials like wool are both warm and breathable. This type allows for multi-season use while others are primarily made to be warm and are likely to be stored come spring.

On the other hand, you have the lightweight options that do offer warmth but are not very likely to be enough on their own for harsh winters.

If you ask us, we’re always for simplifying life. In this case, it means getting a soft, warm blanket for bed that will play one role. The more you get into the nitty-gritty of the balance between heat-isolation, weight, moisture wicking…the complicated the choice. That’s just our 2 cents.

Share your thoughts & qualify for our giveaway

If you have questions or feel like there are aspects of choosing that we haven’t covered, drop us a comment below or email us directly. Do you have an opinion on what’s the warmest blanket ever?

Sharing your experience with a specific product would make your contributor and qualify you for our $1000 worth annual giveaway in sleep products.

Don’t be shy, we love hearing from our readers and respond to all correspondence within one day.

The Sleep Studies team

side height measuring of aerobed opticomfort