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13 Best Weighted Blankets of 2020

Even if you’ve braced yourself for their limb-pinning heft, the first time you slip under one of the best weighted blankets is a bit of a surprise. Even the weighted smock of your once-annual dental x-rays can’t prepare you for the enveloping embrace. These heavy blankets, typically filled with plastic or glass beads, have a way of physically pinning you down. 

You might be inclined to react by writhing around a bit, just to make sure you still can. But as you give in to the weight, sinking deeper into your bed or your couch than you’ve ever felt possible, you’ll find yourself reaching heretofore unimaginable levels of serenity and coziness. Don’t take our word for it. Pretty much every online review of a weighted blanket is laced with superlatives: “I have never slept so deeply in my life.” “It felt like I was getting a hug all night long.” “You feel so snug, like a little nut wrapped up.” Like “a little nut wrapped up!” What more could you ask for?

Weighted blankets were initially developed to help soothe and provide a better night’s sleep to people suffering from PTSD or high anxiety. Their effectiveness in these areas remains wholly unconfirmed, in large part because it’s difficult to control for variables around anxiety and PTSD (and also because double blinds are hard to pull off when any tester can immediately tell whether a blanket is conventional or heavy). Still, the anecdotal evidence lauding the comfort-enhancing and anxiety-reducing power of these blankets abounds. 

We went hunting for the best weighted blankets of 2020. We wanted to find weighted blankets that, like normal high-quality blankets, are big enough to cover you, soft enough to swaddle in, and breathable enough that you won’t immediately overheat. Our top picks checked all the boxes.

Which weighted blanket is right for me? 

The only other variable you have to consider is the actual weight of the blanket. As a rule of thumb, most makers recommend sticking with a blanket that’s no more than 10 percent of your body weight (i.e. a 200-pound man should opt for a blanket weighing 20 pounds or less). This recommendation should be taken especially seriously if you’re considering giving a weighted blanket to a child (they should never be given to a baby or small toddler), who might not have the strength to wriggle themselves free from under one. 

For most able-bodied adults, the weight you choose will come down to personal preference. If you’re looking for a blanket for your couch or want to be able to get up from bed easily in the middle of the night, consider a lighter weight option. On the other hand, if you don’t mind having to work a bit harder to get out from under your sheets in the morning, you can try something heavier. And, if you’re going to stick to the 10% rule and you’re between corresponding weights, size up.

With all these criteria in mind, we tested a wide range of weighted blankets. Some were covered in coarse textured fabrics, others were smooth. Some were throw blankets, others were comforters, but we made sure to attempt a full night of sleep under each at least one. Below are the ones we kept, er, gravitating towards. They’re the best weighted blankets we’ve found.

The Best Overall Weighted Blanket: Helix Weighted Blanket

Helix Weighted Blanket

Available: 10-lb, 15-lb, and 20-lb blankets

Considering that the company makes our favorite overall mattress, it’s no surprise that Helix’s weighted blanket is the closest thing to a jack-of-all trades we’ve found, largely thanks to its double-sided cover. One side is made with smooth fleece, but the other is a more textured shearling, like that on your favorite fleece jacket. Either side is super cozy, but having the ability to switch between both sides makes using the blanket a kind of choose-your-own adventure in comfort. The glass-bead-filled Helix works as a permanent couch blanket or as a transitional blanket for your bed in the spring and fall. The blanket only comes in one size—big enough to serve as a blanket for your full sized bed, but not so big that it would be ridiculous as a throw.

A Great Non-Fleece Alternative: Baloo Living Weighted Blanket

Baloo Living Weighted Blanket

Available: 12-lb, 15-lb, and 20-lb blankets 

$140

Amazon

The Baloo Living blanket offers many of the advantages of the Helix weighted blanket, but in a less dynamic package. Instead of coarser fleece, the slim Baloo blanket has the same kind of smooth, crisp-feeling exterior of a luxe percale sheet. It’s not as breathable as one of those thin sheets, but it’s still more breathable than similar weighted blankets we tested. Plus, the blanket’s elegant design looks like something plucked from a rural Italian villa. The blanket comes in three different sizes, each with a different weight provided by glass microbeads. If you want, you can use the queen and king size with a duvet cover as a comforter, but due to its lack of fluff, we think you should get the 12-lb twin-sized blanket and use it as a throw.

A Breathable Upgrade: Bearaby Tree Napper Weighted Blanket

Bearaby Cotton Napper

Available: 15-lb, 20-lb, and 25-lb blankets

$249

Bearaby

Bearaby’s weighted blanket would make for a visually striking and cozy throw even if it weren’t heavy. Loosely woven fabric loops—rather than glass or plastic beads—give this blanket its heft. They also make it hyper-breathable, much like the wool blanket your grandmother knitted for you when you were heading to college. This is especially important for a weighted blanket, which is often thick enough to make being underneath them fairly sauna-like. A cool and cozy, highly breathable knitted weighted blanket made heavy with nothing but layer upon layer of natural, organic cotton. The Tree Napper is made from natural, organic cotton and is available in several muted colors.

The Best Budget Weighted Blanket: Tranquility Fleece Weighted Blanket

Tranquility Fleece Weighted Blanket

Weights Available: 12-lb, 15-lb, 18-lb, and 20-lb blankets

$40

Walmart

The Tranquility fleece weighted blanket looks a little bit like the inexpensive blanket you probably had in your college dorm room. But its fleece cover is soft enough to make up for a lack of good looks. We did find this blanket to be less breathable than others, and we don’t love the single shade of grey it comes in. But if you’re interested in test-driving a weighted blanket filled with glass beads before springing for something more premium, this is a good starter blanket. It’s available in

The Best Weighted Comforter: Brooklinen Weighted Comforter

Brooklinen Weighted Comforter

Available: 15-lb, 20-lb, 25-lb, 30-lb, and 35-lb blankets

$249

Brooklinen

When you’ve decided to fully embrace all forms of heavy bedding, it’s time for a weighted comforter. As we’ve established, the best comforters are fluffy and warm, but yet still breathable, like a cloud. Finding one that’s weighted while still maintaining all these qualities is a challenge. The best weighted comforter we’ve found is the glass bead-filled one from Brooklinen. Be warned: once you have a weighted comforter, you might find yourself staying in bed for far longer than you intend each morning. 

Best Textured Option: Brooklyn Bedding Dual Therapy Weighted Blanket

Brooklyn Bedding Dual Therapy Weighted Blanket

Available: 15- and 20-lb blankets

$139

Brooklyn Bedding

The Brooklyn Bedding dual therapy weighted blanket has similar advantages to the Helix, with two differently-textured sides. One is a fleece, speckled with raised bumps, the other is nice and smooth. The fleece side delivers warmth while the smooth side has a cooling effect. 

Crisp Percale-Like Hand Feel: Casper Weighted Blanket

Casper Weighted Blanket

Available: 10-lb, 15-lb, and 20-lb blankets

$169

Casper

The Casper weighted blanket is comparable to one from Baloo, but it’s not machine washable and costs a bit more. It’s made of breathable cotton and comes in a rich, navy hue.

Another Dual-Side Option: Nest Bedding Weighted Blanket

Nest Bedding Weighted Blanket

Available: 15-lb, 20-lb, and 25-lb blankets

$129

Nest Bedding

Another one of our top picks for a dual-sided blanket is this fleece and cotton blanket from Nest. The fleece side, naturally, is warm and cozy—but if you find yourself overheating in the summer months, you can flip it over and use the smooth cotton side to stay cool.

Best Value: Luna Weighted Blanket

Luna Weighted Blanket

Available: 5-, 7-, 10-, 12-, 15-lb, 17-lb, 20-lb, 22-lb, 25-lb, and 30-lb blankets

$66$40

Luna

Luna’s weighted blanket is another solid budget option. It’s got the smooth surface of some of our more expensive picks, but we found it to be slightly less breathable. This blanket is available in 12 colors and every bed size. 

The OG Weighted Blanket: Gravity Blanket

Gravity Blanket

Available: 15-lb, 20-lb, 25-lb, and 35-lb blankets

$189

Gravity

The Gravity Blanket was first launched on Kickstarter in 2017 and was the first to really introduce weighted blankets to the mainstream. It’s a soft, plush blanket that most people find really pleasant to use.

Best Bespoke Option: SensaCalm Custom Weighted Blanket

SensaCalm Custom Weighted Blanket

Available: 3 to 20-lb blankets (in 1-pound increments)

$220

SensaCalm

SensaCalm’s weighted blankets were introduced even before those from Gravity blanket, back in 2008. They offer standard sizes as well as travel weighted blankets. We’re particularly fond of their custom option, which lets you choose your weight and fabric, and whether you would like to add Poly-fil to make it fluffier. You can even get a matching pillowcase for your custom creation.

2 More Weighted Blanket Options

We haven’t had a chance to test these last three options ourselves yet, but they all come top rated on Amazon. 

Best Weighted Blanket for Hot and Cold Weather: YnM Blanket Set

YnM Weighted Blanket

Available: 5-, 7-, 10-, 12-, 15-lb, 20-lb, 22-lb, 25-lb, and 30-lb blankets

This super-affordable three-piece weighted blanket set from YnM comes with not one but two removable covers. One is cool and smooth for warm nights and the other has a furrier, fluffier texture (a faux “minky” fabric) for cool nights. Swap them depending on whether you sleep hot or cold, or just switch them out each season. If you’re looking for versatile color and pattern options, good news: this blanket set is available in seven different options. If that’s not enough for you, scope out the next option, also from YnM.

Most Patterns and Color Options: YnM Weighted Blanket

YnM Weighted Blanket

Available: 5-, 7-, 10-, 12-, 15-lb, 20-lb, 22-lb, 25-lb, and 30-lb blankets

YnM’s blankets also start at five pounds (featherweight in weighted blanket parlance), which make them another great option for every member of your household, including kids. This blanket can be used on its own, or as a duvet insert. It’s available in 35 colors and patterns (including everything from superheroes to polka dots to ducks). 

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