Whether you’re staring out your window at a heap of snow that’s piled up on your front lawn or feel it’s just colder than it’s ever been where you live, the Sunbeam Microplush Heated Blanket could be the very thing to help keep you warm. Sometimes an electric blanket is only needed for the coldest months of the year, but it’s also good to have on hand for those random days when the temperature dips– regardless of the season. This one from Sunbeam offers softness, warmth, and comfort. It has easy-to-use control and comes in a variety of colors. There’s a lot more to it than that, though.
Let’s go over what I discovered about this heated blanket from the features it offers to what others had to say about it– this should help you decide whether or not this is the electric blanket you need in your life.
Is This Blanket Your Defense Against Winter’s Chill?
When this arrived on my doorstep, we were already knee-deep in snow and temperatures well below freezing. I probably should’ve ordered it months ago. The queen-sized blanket fit perfectly on my queen-sized bed, and it isn’t unattractive, but it certainly doesn’t look like my fluffy comforter. Still, it’s an electric blanket, so there’s a good chance it will keep me warmer, right?
Perhaps the best feature of this blanket is the preheat. Just press the preheat button (if your controller has it) about 30 minutes before you crawl into bed, and once you do go to bed, your sheets will be warm and toasty. No more sliding in between icy sheets with this blanket plugged in.
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I found the blanket soft to the touch, and it’s lightweight which meant it kept me warm throughout the night, but I didn’t feel suffocated by heat at night. With that said, it is a thinner blanket than I expected (this is probably why it’s so lightweight) but that means that you may feel the wires as you cuddle under this blanket. It didn’t bother me that much because the wires are pliable and not all that obnoxious.
The controller I got on my blanket was round and had a digital display with a backlit screen. It’s easy to see and adjust at night, but you might get a different controller- I’m not sure why they are manufactured differently.
The different controllers (some are figure-8 style, others are rectangular blocks that look like clock radios) could be because of the different sizes of blankets, or even colors. This blanket is available in twin, full, queen, and king sizes, and are offered in garnet, mushroom, slate, and walnut colors.
The things I didn’t like about my Sunbeam heated blanket are that I couldn’t put another blanket on top of it and that the plug was right next to my feet. Putting anything on top of a heated blanket would be a safety issue, obviously. However, it’s as safe as an electric blanket comes. It’s made of 100 percent polyester, which means it won’t burst into flames, should anything go wrong with it. The plug has to go somewhere, but I’d prefer it at the hem of the blanket rather than inside and underneath. It was right near my feet, which meant I subconsciously played with it with my toes.
Features & Benefits
Here’s a look at what the manufacturer specifications are, and how they’re a benefit to you, or how they fall short.
Microplush Material
The Sunbeam Microplush Heated Blanket is made of 100 percent polyester, so it’s safer than, say, a cotton blanket with heat. Polyester won’t burst into flames if there’s a malfunction, rather it would melt in spots. The texture of this blanket is quite soft as if the material has been brushed to a silky softness. It might not be fair to call this plush as it is quite thin. The wires can be felt through the fabric, but they aren’t heavy or too obtrusive, so it shouldn’t be an issue. You likely wouldn’t want this to be too heavy, though, as it could be too warm on nights that aren’t absolutely frigid.
Cords
The actual cord that plugs into a wall outlet is quite long at 10 feet, so you should be able to plug this in anywhere in your bedroom. You should be able to easily run the cord under your bed so you don’t trip over it in the middle of the night or morning. However, the controller cords are a bit short, and they may not reach your bedside tables.
The Plug
Whether it’s Sunbeam, Imperial Plush, or even Loftec, most heated blankets include a spot where you plug in the cord at the foot of the blanket, which makes sense to keep it out of the way. No one wants a plug near their face. With that said, the plug isn’t at the hem of the blanket. It’s situated underneath and a few inches up from the hem. If you have long legs, you might be able to feel where the cord plugs into the blanket with your toes which could be a bit bothersome.
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Backlit Controllers
If you order a twin- or full-sized blanket, you get only one controller. The queen- and king-sized blankets include two controllers, and each one controls one of two zones of the blanket. It’s helpful when you have one person who sleeps hotter than the other. Whether you get the figure-8 controller, the block style, or the round style, they all include a digital display that’s backlit, which makes it easy to see what level of heat you have it set at, even in the dark of night.
10 Heat Settings
You have your choice of 10 heat settings with this Sunbeam electric blanket. You can put it on “L”, which is the lowest setting, and all the way up to “H”, its highest setting. In between those are numbers from 2 to 9. You may not even need to turn the heat all the way up to its hottest setting because the blanket is thin enough that a 4 could be plenty hot enough.
Preheat Feature
On the controller is a push-button control labeled “preheat”. Just press this about 30 minutes before bed, and your sheets won’t be icy cold when you finally retire for the night. After the preheating is done, the blanket adjusts to whatever default setting you have set it at. So, if you set it at 4, once the blanket has preheated for 30 minutes, it adjusts to the 4 setting and stays.
Auto Shutoff
After 10 hours of keeping you toasty warm throughout the night, this electric blanket automatically shuts off. It’s not only a safety feature but also an energy-saving feature. It’s also helpful to have this feature if you happen to be forgetful.
Auto Heat Adjustment
This blanket must have a built-in thermostat or something because it automatically adjusts the heat throughout the night. This means that regardless of the setting you choose, the blanket will “sense” how warm or cold it is, and it adjusts automatically. As awful as it is to be too cold, it can be equally awful to wake up too hot, so this is a helpful feature.
Five-Year Warranty
Sunbeam offers a five-year warranty on all of its electric blankets, which is reassuring. No matter how much manufacturers try to make sure products are perfect, defects happen. If you happen to get a defective blanket, you can return it to Sunbeam for a replacement or have it repaired.
What Others Have to Say
The Sunbeam Microplush Heated Blanket has been a popular choice for lots of people over the years, and as such, there are plenty of reviews out there from users who have purchased and used it. Some of their comments are included here on some of the most common questions, concerns, and features.
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Heating Evenly
One of the concerns about this electric blanket is how it heats evenly. Most customers say this Sunbeam blanket heats evenly throughout, but there are a handful of people who said it heats in patches. The heat is going to come from the wires throughout the blanket, so if you feel just the fabric itself, you might not notice the heat right away. Overall, the reports are that this blanket heats evenly.
Thin Material
Many reviewers have mentioned that the fabric is quite thin, so they can feel the wires through it. Some of those who have mentioned the material’s attributes seem to understand that it’s a benefit to have a thin blanket, but many others aren’t happy about it as they were expecting a plush, thick blanket. A thinner electric blanket allows it to heat better and quicker, but thin may not be what you’re looking for.
Slippery
A handful of people have mentioned that this blanket is slippery and slides off their bed often. To fix this issue, many people say they use this heated blanket on top of fleece sheets and that solved the issue.
Preheat
Overwhelmingly, the preheat feature is the most popular attribute of this heated blanket. It heats up quickly and warms up every customer’s bed that didn’t get a defective unit. Nearly everyone who has reviewed this feature said the preheat function is alone worth the cost of this blanket.
Low Settings
Most reviewers say they don’t need to go higher than the low settings as the blanket heats up well enough in the lower heat settings. On the flip side, some reviewers also said the lower settings are too hot, and there’s no such thing as a “low” on this blanket. The higher settings are either too hot or heat unevenly, which could be because the blanket readjusts the temperature when it gets too warm.
Defective Units
Although there aren’t many reports of defective units, specifically, there are some reports from confused customers who said their blankets don’t heat evenly, or the blanket shuts off and stops heating after only a couple of hours. Others have said the blanket only heats on one side, and some say it stopped working after only one month’s use. The good news is- this blanket comes with a five-year warranty, so you can return it to be repaired or get a replacement if yours is defective.
Conclusion
When it’s cold outside and inside, you may find yourself bracing to take on those icy cold sheets at night. With this Sunbeam Microplush Heated Blanket, you could look forward to climbing into bed on those bitter cold winter nights. It’s also a great way to enjoy watching movies cuddled under this heated blanket on your couch. An electric blanket- like this one from Sunbeam- lets you enjoy personal warmth without having to crank your heater up each winter. So, you can stay warm and not worry about a hefty electric bill every month in the winter season.
This blanket is a bit thinner than you may expect or want, but the thin material is what ensures the blanket heats up easily and quickly. The preheat setting lets you warm your bed up just before you go to sleep, which is one of the best features of this blanket. And if you need to adjust the heat settings in the middle of the night, you won’t have to turn on a light – the backlit display makes it easy for you to see what setting it’s on and which one you’re choosing. The five-year warranty gives you peace of mind, just in case anything goes wrong. On top of all that, this is an affordable blanket that comes in a variety of colors and sizes.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Will I get too hot during the night?
No, product senses and adjusts to deliver consistent warmth.
How much does it weigh?
6 lbs.
Are there dual controls?
Yes, on King and Queen models.
Is it easy to take care of this product??
Yes, it can be machine washed and dried.