Often on road trips you may want the heat turned down, and one of your fellow passengers might want to heat turned up. Well how do you compromise this? Often someone has to deal with a temperature that feels uncomfortable to them. A heated blanket can help solve this, as it is a localized source of heat powered by your vehicle’s 12-volt outlet or cigarette lighter input. It is also great for kids or pets needing to stay warm. Heated blankets can be used in your car, truck, RV, or camper. They are warmed using insulated wires which are safely built into the blanket.
Product Reviews
Sojoy Heated Smart Blanket for Vehicles
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Product Description
The Sojoy Heated Smart Blanket gives you the ultimate control over your heated car blanket. It has three heating levels, which are controlled by buttons attached to the power cable. This allows you to control your optimal temperature, no matter what the weather is like. This blanket also has auto shut-off periods that can be set for 30, 45, or 60 minutes. Sojoy Heated Smart Blanket comes in a few different colors and plugs into any 12-volt socket. It is made using polyester fleece material.
Features
Weight: 1.8 pounds
- Size: 60” x 40”
Heated Out Stars: 4.7/5
Car Cozy 2 Heated Travel Blanket
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Product Description
The Car Cozy 2 heated travel blanket is great for use on the road, it plugs into any 12-volt outlet. It is equipped with an automatic shut off feature and a 30 or 45-minute safety timer. tHE cAR Cozy 2 is large enough to comfortably fit two people under it, so it’s great for use in the back seat! This blanket is not only recommended for use in cars, but also in your RV, or on your boat. It is made from soft polyester fleece material that is heavenly to touch. You’ll love this heated car blanket if you get it.
Features
Weight: 1 pound
Size: 58” x 42”
Heated Out Stars: 4.5/5
Stalwart Electric Car Blanket
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Product Description
The Stalwart Electric Car Blanket is made for 12-volt outlets/cigarette lighters. Which makes it compatible with cars, trucks, SUVs, RVs, and boats. This blanket heats up quickly and retains a decent amount of its warmth even when it’s unplugged. A nice feature of this heated car blanket is that it has a 96 inch (8 ft.) cord, so you can use it in a variety of spots in your vehicle, which is great for RV use as well. This blanket is built to not overheat and has an indicator light, which lets you know if it’s on or off, which is handy if you have it on sleeping children in the back seat. The downsides of this heated blanket is that it does not have an auto shut-off capability, and is not machine-washable, and it only has a single temperature setting.
Features
Weight: 2 pounds
Size: 59” x 43”
Heated Out Stars: 4.2/5
Why you should consider a heated car blanket
1
Warm you up
If you are cold when you travel, or your car doesn’t have great heating then a car blanket will be able to heat you up, and keep you warm when in your vehicle. They can also be a good safety measure if your car breaks down, and you have to wait for roadside help in cold winter weather.
2
Keep others warm
Your spouse/kids/friends/coworkers may all like different temperatures inside your vehicle. This is a way to avoid arguments by having them be able to use a heated blanket while you drive and enjoy a cooler temperature.
3
Camping and tailgate parties
When you plan activities that will be carried out outdoors, then you always run the risk of the cold putting a little bit of a damper on your day or evening. To avoid this a heated blanket can be used while camping or enjoying a tailgate party!
4
Quickly heat up
Often vehicles can take a bit of time to heat up, to avoid this uncomfortable waiting period a heated car blanket will heat up and keep you warm quicker than it takes to wait for your engine to warm up and heat you.
5
Long trips
Road trips can be great, and they can be difficult. If you have small children, they can be quite challenging, if you have a heated blanket to keep them warm and cozy in you’ll likely have a more pleasant trip.
6
Preheat covered truck bed
If you have a long drive and plan on sleeping in your truck bed, then you can plug your heated car blanket in and put it in your covered truck bed to warm up your sleeping set up, so you’ll be ready to catch some Zzz’s as soon as you need them.
7
Muscle help
If you have back, neck, or shoulder pain you can use your heated auto blanket to relax any muscle tension or aches, this is especially important to maintain your concentration on the road; Instead of any aches and pains caused by muscle or joint pain.
Feature to look for in heated car blankets
Temperature settings
If you want to have more control of your comfort (who wouldn’t?!) then check out blankets that have different temperature settings. At the minimum a blanket that has dual temperature setting (high/low), or more customizable heated blankets with more temperature settings. The more temperature settings you have the more precise control of temperature you’ll have. Fewer 12V models have advanced temperature control settings. Typical heated blankets generally have more heating settings (10-20).
Auto shut-off
Heated blankets with an automatic shut off feature are great. This will typically kick in when the temperature is too high, or when the timer is set to (e.g., 30 minutes). This allows you to use your heated car blanket without worrying to turn it off, no one wants to be playing with controllers when driving. Many heated blankets don’t have this feature, so if this is important make sure to read product descriptions.
Indicator light
If you want to know that your blanket is on and working, an indicator light could be helpful, especially if you have a sleeping child in the back seat using it. The indicator light will be on when the blanket is emitting heat, and off when it is off, so it is handy to tell the operating status without needing to touch the blanket.
Size
If you want your heated blanket to cover your entire body (adult) it would be best to purchase a blanket with a length of at least 58 inches, and width of at least 42 inches. If you are buying for a child, pet, or your lap then smaller sizes than this can work well.
Cord Length
The best electric car blankets have cords that are at least 6 feet long. This enables maximum flexibility, as you’ll be able to plug it into an outlet in your car and use it anywhere (back seats/truck bed). If you need longer coverage then you can purchase an extension cord.
Material
Heated blankets come in a variety of materials. These include polyester, fleece, cotton. Materials can be softer or more durable depending on the one you choose. They also come in different designs, including camouflage and plaid. Choose based on both material comfort and design of your liking.
Type of Heated Car Blanket
12-VOLT
Most cars, trucks, boats, RVs, and other vehicles have 12V sockets. These sockets are also known as 12-volt auxiliary power outlets, or more commonly: cigarette lighter sockets. They can power electronics, including heated blankets. So see if your vehicle has 12V sockets, some vehicles will have multiple plugs, which is great!
Pricing guide for Heated Car Blankets
Heated car blankets will generally cost more than $30, with the average price range between $30-$50 USD.
There are lots of heated blankets on the market, but limited numbers targeted towards vehicle/road travel.
How to care for a Heated Car Blanket
Each heated car blanket will have its own washing instructions, always adhere to these to ensure you do not damage your heated car blanket.
Most heated car blankets are recommended to be spot cleaned, instead of machine washed. Most heated car blankets should not be submerged in water or dried in a dryer.
When you have a heated car blanket by hand, make sure it is unplugged first and not hot. Clean it using spot cleaning techniques.
After cleaning let the blanket air dry, ensuring it is completely dry before plugging it in again.
Safety Tips!
If you notice any damage (frayed wires) or black/brown spots (burn damage) then replace your heated car blanket immediately.
When not using a heated car blanket unplug it.
Unplug your heated blanket when you are not using it, especially if it doesn’t have an auto shut-off (can drain car battery if still on when your car is turned off).
When storing your heated blanket genty roll or fold it up. This will protect the insulated heating wires, place it inside a sealed bag to protect from any moisture.
When your heated blanket is folded over itself be careful, as this can create hotspots and cause damage to the blanket.
Always read manufacturer’s guidelines regarding the safe use of your heated car blanket.
FAQs
It really depends on the quality or brand of your blanket. Some will take seconds to begin to emit heat which you can feel and will warm to their desired heat within 30 seconds, while others can take a few minutes to reach their desired heat.
Generally if you properly care for your heated car blanket, it should last anywhere from 3 to 5 years. So follow manufacturer guidelines for care, and you blanket should last you a decent amount of time.
Just like most blankets if they are being used they will stay warm. However, the residual heat from the heating wires can stay warm for 15-30 minutes, when this wears off your heated blanket will act as a regular blanket.
Yes, they are extremely safe. To ensure additional safety make sure you look for a heated blanket with an auto shut-off timer. If you are to have a safety issue with a heated blanket it could be due to being turned on indefinitely and perhaps folded over itself or bunched up creating a hotspot.
Nobody wants a drained battery. It will really depend on what type of blanket you have (auto shut-off) as well as what type of 12V plug you have. Some 12V plugs only work when your vehicle is on or in accessory mode. If your 12V outlet works when the engine is off, and you don’t have an auto shut-off feature, then your blanket will remain on.