Has anyone used an electric blanket to stay warm at night?

[Donna D.]

We are currently discussion furnaces and cube heaters, etc. as methods to stay warm at night. My question has to do with a good ole electric blanket.

I prefer to sleep in sheets, I do have a sleeping bag but prefer not to be confined. I use an electric blanket here at home. Turn it on high, get the bed nice and warm... then shut it off. Once I'm asleep I usually stay pretty warm. It's just when I'm freezing, I love to get into a nice toasty warm bed. I have gotten up in middle of the night and flipped the blanket back on for 15-20 minutes, then shut it off again.

Hence the question. BTW: I'd only use it when at an electric site...

[Bobbie Mayer]

We are currently discussion furnaces and cube heaters, etc. as methods to stay warm at night. My question has to do with a good ole electric blanket.

I prefer to sleep in sheets, I do have a sleeping bag but prefer not to be confined. I use an electric blanket here at home. Turn it on high, get the bed nice and warm... then shut it off. Once I'm asleep I usually stay pretty warm. It's just when I'm freezing, I love to get into a nice toasty warm bed. I have gotten up in middle of the night and flipped the blanket back on for 15-20 minutes, then shut it off again.

Hence the question. BTW: I'd only use it when at an electric site...

I use an electric mattress pad when it is really cold.

Bobbie

[Gina D.]

I am not real fond of them. I had an accident from a malfunctioning one that ended me up in a wheelchair for two months recovering from the burns and skin grafts.

so, er, ... nope.. I don't use one.

[Scott S.]

yup, electric blankets are great. even just to take the chill off before you hit the hay. getting into a warm bed makes me go out WITH the light. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

we watch for them at garage sales.
and BTW... we don't leave them on... just warm the bed. they scare me too.

[lynneh]

Our Scamp 5-er loft has a memory foam mattress with cotton jersey sheets and, yep, an electric blanket. On cold nights when we have hookups, I flip it on 'preheat' about 15 minutes before bedtime. It is WONDERFUL to get under the warmed-up sheets. Like others, I also turn the blanket off while sleeping.

Too bad we didn't have hookups during those 20 degree nights in Yellowstone....


--Lynne

[Taylor Kissinger]

Because we Boon Dock a lot I bought old fashion Low Tech Hot Water Bottles They are safe and last all night. I call mine My Girl Friend < Aquina Caliente> We turned Nancy and Mike on to the Idea one cold wet weekend in Early March on the Oregon Coast

[Jim Bennett]

I prefer cuddling. 5 minutes under some warm blankets and we are all warmed up.
I actually love the feeling of a cool bed and the comfort in knowing it will be toasty warm from body heat in no time.

Besides, I rarely ever have hookups.

A down tick and comforter will warm up way faster than other types of bedding.

[Kevin K]

12 volt models have a round cigarette lighter plug.




http://www.kansaswindpower.net/bed_warmers.htm

[Greg Yother]

Because we Boon Dock a lot I bought old fashion Low Tech Hot Water Bottles They are safe and last all night. I call mine My Girl Friend < Aquina Caliente> We turned Nancy and Mike on to the Idea one cold wet weekend in Early March on the Oregon Coast

OK, now we're talkin' !! I love the old-school, low-tech goodies. So just the plain ole rubber bottle with only hot water in it? How does it last all night? I guess one's own body heat slows down the cooling process?

[Doug Mager]

NOW WE'RE TALKIN .....

I prefer cuddling. 5 minutes under some warm blankets and we are all warmed up. .

Cuddling is also much more 'green' than any of the other (thus far listed) options, LOL!!

[Kurt & Ann K.]

We used Bobbie's method when "Nuestra Casita" was functioning as our bedroom during our home remodel.
With the bathroom door open, a cube heater with thermostat was set to keep the temp at 60F. When the outside temp dropped into the teens and the door was closed, night time "visits" were like stepping into a refrigerator. Since we kept the plumbing operable, the cupboard doors were also left open. If the daytime temps were not forecast to reach above freezing, the cube heater had a low setting just for that purpose. It kept the inside temp [at] about 40F.
Our kitchen and bathroom in the house were functional so the "head" in the TT was only occasionally used and the fresh water tank lasted for the whole winter. The grey water tank had been drained as a preventative measure.
Worked for us during the of 2007!.
Kurt & Ann K.

[Dusty D]

We just made a great purchase that kept us warm everywhere on a trip to the chilly coast. Its a PowerCat made by Coleman. Its an indoor/outdoor catalytic heater that runs on propane canisters. We rarely have hookups so it seemed like the perfect solution. We used "Buddy" outside when we didn't have a fire and took it indoors with us at bedtime. He kept us plenty warm even with the vent open. Notice that he is worthy of earning a name!

Dusty

[Donna R]

Also old fashioned......but when there is no hot water bottle handy I have used one of those big plastic (2.84 L Newman's own) juice bottles as a stand in. Big capacity of very warm- not boiling water last all night, keeps me toasty and gets re used many times before it feels like it is time to retire the slightly now miss shappened bottle.
Has never leaked for me yet.

[pjanits]

If you want to take the chill off just fire up the wife's hair dryer and blow it around under the blankets for a few minutes.
Nice and cozy, your body heat will take over from there. If of course you have a down comforter and those fuzzy sheets.
Being a guy I can't remember what they are called, But I'm sure the ladies will step in shortly with the proper name.

[Chris Z]

http://www.electricblanket.net/p-14-safe-l...ic-blanket.aspx

FYI - now ther are blankets that are safer than the old ones mentioned above.

[Doug & Anna-Marie P]

Do you mean flannel sheets??
We use them year round in our trailer---so cozy even when it is 90 outside!!!!!

[Robin G]

Donna , you need a couple of fur baby's, they will keep you warm. By the time I put down their blankets that they sleep on, on top of our comforter then put blankets over them the bed is overly warm at least for me. And no safety issues. LOL........... Two Doxie's and their b's on top of your bedding, you be plenty warm all night long . Robin

[pjanits]

Do you mean flannel sheets??
We use them year round in our trailer---so cozy even when it is 90 outside!!!!!

Yep thats it. nice and cozy

[theresa p]

we use brunswick sheets...they are the kind made of fleece. soooooo cozy. i am hesitant to try an electric blanket, due to safety concerns...but do so enjoy being warm when i get into bed. when we boondock at our lot, it's either use the furnace, pulling the covers back to allow warm air inside first...or else body heat.

[Donna D.]

Thought I'd let everyone know, I'm trying out the electric blanket in the trailer this weekend. It's NOG weekend and supposed to get down to around 37 degrees Friday and Saturday nights. Not especially cold, but I don't have any FurKids or partner to cuddle with... so I'll give this a whirl. Have a twin bed blanket that's only two years old, so it should be safe and I won't leave it turned on while sleeping... just to heat up the bed prior to the sheet show!

I'll give everyone my impression of it's worth when I get back on Sunday or Monday.