Both warm you up from a wall socket, and that is about where the likeness ends. An electric blanket is something you lie under. A heated robe is something you put on, with a wide collar and foot pockets, and then you sit, read, type or watch a film in it.
So the choice comes down to where you are cold and what you want your hands doing. These are the questions people ask before they pick one, answered one at a time.
What is the difference between a heated robe and an electric blanket?
An electric blanket is a flat sheet with a heating wire inside, and it stays where you put it. Woman & Home splits them into two jobs: an electric blanket goes under the sheet on the mattress, a heated throw goes over you on the couch. A heated robe is a third thing. It is a blanket cut like a robe, so it stays on you when you get up for water.
Our Heated Wearable Blanket Robe is C$129.99. It is dark gray flannel outside and cream fleece inside, with a wide collar you pull up round your neck and foot pockets.
Can I use my hands in it?
Yes, and that is the main reason to pick a robe over a throw. With a throw, a hand often ends up holding it closed. In a robe both hands are free for a phone, a laptop, a mug or a book, so it suits a desk or a reading chair better than a flat blanket does.
Can I walk around in it?
Only as far as the cable lets you. It runs off a wall adapter, so you need an outlet within reach of the cable. It suits sitting and short walks inside the cable's reach. For walking outdoors it is the wrong tool, since there is no outlet out there, and we don't sell a cordless one.
How long does the timer run?
The controller sets the timer anywhere from 1 to 12 hours. Set it for the length of the film or the evening. A timer is one of the things People's heated blanket tests tell shoppers to look for, along with an auto shutoff, so check the controller on any heated product you consider, whoever makes it.
How big is it?
It is 127 x 177 cm, one size, in dark gray. The foot pockets take your feet. We only have this one size, so check 177 cm against your height before you order.
How much power does it use?
It runs at 15 V and 22 W off its wall adapter. In the box you get the robe, the controller and the adapter, folded into a box about 37 x 14 x 29 cm. We are not going to put a running cost on it, because that depends on what your local electricity costs per kilowatt hour and how many hours you run it.
Can I wash a heated robe?
We don't know yet, and we'd rather say that than guess. The supplier has not given us washing instructions for this robe, so we can't tell you it is machine washable. If washing matters to you, ask us before you order. Any heated blanket has wiring and a controller in it, so don't put one in a washer on a hunch. Woman & Home makes the same point about wearable electric blankets: they get dirtier than any other kind, so check the washing instructions first.
Are heated robes safe?
Here is what we can say and what we can't. The supplier lists these marks for the robe: CE-EMC, CE-LVD, RoHS 2.0, UKCA-55014 and UKCA 60335-2-17. No cUL, ETL or CSA mark is listed, and the supplier has no test report for the adapter. People's heated blanket test tells shoppers to look for a UL or ETL mark on the label, so we put the gap on the product page in plain words instead of hiding it.
We are not calling it certified, and we are not telling you it is safe to sleep in. If a listed mark matters to you, a blanket that carries one is a fair reason to buy a different product, and we'd rather you know that before you pay.
The Electrical Safety Foundation International says heating pads and electric blankets cause almost 500 fires a year, and that almost all of them involve blankets more than ten years old. Their tips for these products are to replace anything with dark, charred or frayed spots or a cracked cord, to keep nothing on top of a blanket while it is on, to never fold a blanket that is switched on, and to never leave heating appliances unattended or use them while sleeping. Those tips are about electric blankets and heating pads, not robes, but a heated robe is the same kind of product, so we follow them too: wear it awake, switch it off when you leave, and keep the cable clear of the floor traffic.
Which one should I buy?
Pick the heated robe if you are cold while sitting up: at a desk, in a reading chair, on the couch with a laptop. You get warmth on your back and arms, free hands and a timer.
Pick an electric blanket or a heated throw if you want warmth in bed or a flat blanket for the couch and you don't care about sleeves. Look for a listed safety mark on the label, an auto shut-off and a timer, and read the washing instructions first.
Pick neither if the answer is a thicker layer. A fleece wearable blanket with no wiring is C$49.99, needs no outlet and does not plug into anything. We compare it with a regular throw in wearable blanket vs regular blanket, and the Wearable Blanket page has the sizes and colours.
Where to find it
The heated robe ships free to 96 countries with 30 day returns, and you can see it next to the other warm picks in the sleep gifts collection. If you are buying for someone who is cold all the time, the gift ideas in our sleep gifts guide cover the cheaper options too.
Quick answer
A heated robe goes on like clothing and keeps your hands free, with a 1 to 12 hour timer and a cable to a wall adapter. An electric blanket stays on the bed or the couch. Ours is the Heated Wearable Blanket Robe, C$129.99, 127 x 177 cm, and the page lists the safety marks it has and the ones it lacks.