heated mattress pad

Heated Mattress Pad: Effective Cozy Way to Cut Winter Heating Bills

Until several years ago, I didn’t know there existed something called a heated mattress pad. After all, I’d lived in Southern California for most of my life, where it is generally warm all year round. Relocating to Colorado, where the seasons are more pronounced, I had much to learn about heating a house without breaking the bank.

heated mattress pad

That first winter, our heating bills shot through the roof because we were heating the entire house to a comfortable temperature day and night.

Lower the temp

We saw a semi-dramatic reduction in the heating bill when we decided to radically lower the thermostat at night and then use a space heater in our bedroom. That worked relatively well but wasn’t altogether successful. Let’s just say that my husband and I have different internal thermostats. He would be cold while I’d be turning the space heater down a notch or ten.

Electric blanket? No!

That’s when I set out to find a way we could both enjoy a warm and cozy sleeping environment without paying a fortune to achieve it.

We tried going the electric blanket route. That sounded like a great idea until we used it for a few nights. While the cords and wires are advertised to be flexible, we could still feel them, and they felt stiff and bulky. Even at the lowest setting, it felt to me like I was trapped under a layer of heat, and it didn’t feel good.

A better way

A friend suggested that a heated mattress pad might be the solution, an idea that sent me into research mode. I was skeptical. My first concern was how to keep something like that clean. What if there’s an electrical short and it catches on fire? I bet you’re thinking the same things. Well, we can both relax. Let me tell you what we discovered.

Low-voltage

If you do a general search for heated mattress pads, you’ll find dozens of options—most of them rated to run on regular 110v household current, but only a precious few that run on low voltage. A quality heated mattress pad, such as those with patented Safe & Warm non-hazardous low-voltage technology, saves energy because it consumes less electricity than those running standard household 110v, is safe in the presence of moisture, will not harm pets, and emits no EMFs. Safe & Warm low-voltage technology is the only electric mattress pad technology that is certified as non-hazardous.

Dual controls

Quality heated mattress pads come with dual controls on the Queen and larger sizes. This one feature solves the problem my husband and I have with different internal thermostats.

Warm sheets

A good quality heated mattress pad warms the sheets, making it feel cozy to crawl into bed when it’s cold outside. The wires are so thin we cannot feel them at all. And the most amazing thing is that it goes right in the washer and dryer (following the printed instructions on the mattress pad, which are easy).

The first time I put the heated pad on our bed and allowed it to preheat for a couple of hours, I was sure the thing was faulty. It did not feel warm to the touch. After two hours, wouldn’t it have warmed up? Then I read the instructions again, and sure enough, it cautions that the bed will not feel particularly warm when you just run your hands over the top of the bedding. But when you crawl in between the sheets? Oh yeah!

Our heated mattress pad has made all the difference in great winter sleep and has significantly reduced the cost of heating the house. We set our programmable house thermostat to 55°F for the night, then to 68°F in the early morning hours so we wake to a warm house. Our heated mattress pad paid for itself in the first month we used it.

I highly recommend heated mattress pads for my readers who experience high heating bills during winter. On top of seeing a big reduction in those bills, you’ll enjoy the kind of warm and cozy sleep you may have only dreamed of!

Best options

Based on my testing, laundering, and enjoyment over the past 7 years, we have determined that the best-heated mattress pad has these features:

  • Safe & Warm low-voltage technology
  • Controls that attach at the head-end
  • Full-mattress coverage like a fitted sheet (rather than a flat construction that only lies on top of the mattress)
  • Deep pockets. Make sure you know your mattress depth, then select an option with pockets to match.
  • Machine-washable
  • Comes with a decent warranty

Consider this

I am posting below the current availability of the heated mattress pad that meets the above criteria. This is not an ad. I have personally curated this information for you, and it will be updated regularly as details change.

Availability appears to be limited and changing by the day. You may be able to find these products locally. However, my sense is that Amazon is the most reliable resource at this time.

 

 

Important Info

  • Be diligent to keep the instructions and warranty information that comes with the mattress pad. Read them. Follow the instructions.
  • Mattress pads have an auto shut-off feature. Don’t mistake it turning itself off for a defective product. It’s easy to turn it on a few hours before bedtime than flip it off and back on to make sure it remains on until morning. Warm and cozy all night long.

 

Updated with current pricing and availability: 1-4-24


 

We participate in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon-affiliated sites, with no cost or fees for you.

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  1. SHARON says:

    i have used heated mattress pads for many years. i got them for all the beds in the house. which means we have had, single, double and queen size(queen has duel controls) because small children were also in the houshold i put a good waterproof fitted pad over top of the heated one. saved a lot of laundry over the years.

    Reply
  2. Alysa says:

    I have had a heated mattress pad for years but with how much warmer our seasons have been in Florida we have lost most of our heating season, and exchanged it for more cooling. Yah!, lucky us. Anyhow there is a mattress pad that is designed for this too. The Chillipad or the Chilli Ooler. They will operate both for cooling or heating. I bought it for my spouse and he is so happy that I did. I am fine with the normal temperature the house is at. Now we can leave the thermostat at that warmer temperature than what he likes the house to be and he is sleeping comfortably and doesn’t complain that he is sweating.

    Reply
  3. Judi Merrow says:

    I also swear by mine. When it starts getting cold outside, I just turn the button a half hour before bed & it is nice & toasty when I climb in.

    Reply
  4. Ann says:

    I’ve used a heated mattress pad for years and one thing I think should be mentioned is mine, at least, turns off after 10 hours. I am guessing they all have that automatic feature.

    Reply
  5. MARIE TAPSCOTT says:

    I have used a mattress pad warmer for years. When the temperatures get low I put it on my bed, turn it on a few hours before bed, then turn it off once I get in bed and am warm. It makes for a great night’s sleep.

    Reply
  6. Gina Stevens says:

    Mary, I found fleece sheets to be the best for keeping warm in the winter. I’m not talking sweat-inducing flannel sheets. Fleece sheets wicks away sweat and makes you grateful for those LONG winter nights. Another great way to keep the thermostat down is silky Cuddl Duds to wear under clothing. I was skeptical that something silky would be warm, plus they are pricey. The silkiness allows clothes to glide comfortably over the long johns and they’re heavenly during the winter.

    Reply
  7. Barbara G. Conley says:

    Our Temp-Pedic mattress specifically says NOT to use any kind of heated mattress pad on their products. Since we had been using one on another type of foam mattress in our RV (we lived in it full time) for several years, we inquired for more information. Any heat next to the mattress between your body and the mattress prevents the warming softening of the mattress which is what makes their mattresses so wonderful! We were not happy to give up the mattress pad because we found them very satisfactory. Thanks for all your work you do……

    Reply
      • Heather says:

        The type of mattress she is referring too is memory foam. Memory foam needs your body heat to conform to your body to make it comfortable. If you use a heated mattress pad it will not conform to your body as the whole mattress is warm and not just the area of your body. Does that make sense, Ann?

  8. Brenda says:

    Our dual control heated mattress pad we purchased per your recommendation a year or so ago has been a game changer!!! We love it!

    Reply
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