The Lowdown on 5 Weighted Blankets, According to Consumer Reports' Tests
These heavy hitters promise to cozy you up and calm you down. Our experts take a closer look.
By Mary H.J. Farrell
Some days you just feel like you need a big hug. That’s one of the benefits touted by the makers of weighted blankets, who also claim that the blankets can calm you down if you’re anxious—or help you sleep if you have insomnia. But scientists have said that evidence-based research on their ability to help you sleep better is sparse.
Still, weighted blankets have their fans, as evidenced by sales that have been soaring since well before the pandemic. In 2019, the global weighted-blanket market was an estimated $399 million, according to Business Research Insights, and it is projected to exceed $1 billion by 2026.
How Does a Weighted Blanket Work?
A weighted blanket distributes weight uniformly so that the user experiences a bit of gentle pressure along with some warmth. Weighted blankets (including the ones we tested, below) typically resemble a comforter, but instead of down or fabric filling, it consists of glass beads or plastic pellets. Some users believe that these smooth, tiny glass beads make the blanket quieter and feel less like a beanbag. All the blankets we tested have glass beads. You might also find weighted blankets, like the Bearaby, that are woven with thick yarns of fabric, so there’s more airflow. (These were not included in our tests.)
In terms of comforter-style options, the best weighted blankets enclose the beads in small pockets throughout the product. This prevents pooling and offers a better drape—“even as you shift or roll over,” says Bernie Deitrick, the test engineer who conducted our weighted-blanket tests.
Weighted blankets have been used for people with anxiety, and studies suggest they can be a helpful tool. The limited research on weighted blankets and sleep is more mixed.
“I have patients who like weighted blankets and others that don’t,” says Rafael Pelayo, MD, a sleep specialist and clinical professor in psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford University and author of “How to Sleep.” “Those that like them, really like them."
He suspects that the weight of the blanket is associated with comfort and helps the person feel better. That weight can be considerable: The 15-pound blankets we tested have a per-square-footage weight of roughly three to four times as much as that of a similarly sized polyfill comforter.
If anxiety or a racing mind is keeping you up at night—and you typically like piling multiple layers of bedding on your body because you find that pressure appealing—a weighted blanket may be worth a try. All the blankets we tested allow you to return the blankets within 30 days, though some require that you pay return shipping.
How Consumer Reports Tested Weighted Blankets
Manufacturers suggest choosing a weighted blanket that’s around 10 percent of your body weight. So if you weigh 150 pounds, you should choose a 15-pound weighted blanket. That’s the weight we tested.
In the lab, Deitrick weighed each blanket and recorded how close each came to the claimed weight of 15 pounds. The good news is that they all came pretty close, and the differences shouldn’t be too noticeable, he says. But keep in mind: With total weight being equal, the smaller the blanket the more weight you’ll feel on your body. That’s why we also provide the pound-per-square-foot value, below.
We also wondered whether the weighted blankets would sleep hot. So our lab used a tin-man-like series of temperature-controlled metal boxes to measure the insulation level of each blanket. Interestingly, a heavy blanket isn’t necessarily an excessively hot one. “All the blankets were fairly close to the warmth that you would get by adding one fluffy down comforter to your bed,” Deitrick says. Of course, the models with duvet covers felt hotter than those that didn’t have one.
Finally, we tested how easy the blankets are to wash and whether a typical washing machine can handle such a heavy load. All the blankets came through with flying colors and with no damage. But our front-loading washing machine became unbalanced during the spin cycle.
The Lowdown on 5 Weighted Blankets
We tested the 15-pound version of each of the five blankets listed below in alphabetical order. But each manufacturer also offers multiple weights, ranging from 15 to 35 pounds, and multiple sizes.
CR’s take: The Baloo weighted blanket has a cotton cover and glass beads. It comes in white and a graylike “silver sage.” Linen covers, in a choice of six colors, are sold separately. Baloo says the blanket is machine-washable and dryer-safe.
Buy at: Amazon, Baloo Living
CR’s take: The Gravity blanket comes with its own “micro-plush” (kind of like velour) duvet cover. Gravity says the cover is machine-washable in cold water and can be tumble-dried on low. The inner weighted blanket, which includes glass beads, is hand-wash and air-dry only (though we did run it through one wash cycle because it seems unwieldy to hand-wash something so large and heavy). This blanket is sold in seven colors.
CR’s take: The Harkla weighted blanket comes with a fleece duvet cover. The beads are glass. Harkla says both the cover and the inner blanket can be machine-washed in cold water on the gentle cycle and put in the dryer on low heat. There are three color options on the company’s site (it lists a kids’ blanket, but you’ll find size and weight options suitable for adults, too), but often fewer choices on the sites of various third-party sellers.
CR’s take: The cover of the Luna blanket is cotton, and it’s filled with glass beads. It does not come with a duvet cover, but you have several colors and materials to choose from if you’d like to buy one separately. Luna says you can wash it in cold water on the gentle setting and hang it to dry or tumble-dry on low heat.
CR’s take: The YnM blanket has a cotton cover and does not come with a duvet cover, though YnM sells covers separately. The beads are glass. YnM says you can wash and dry it by machine on the gentle cycles but strongly recommends washing the duvet cover rather than the inner blanket. Color options depend on the size and weight you choose.
Buy at: Amazon, Walmart, YnM Home
More from Consumer Reports:
Top pick tires for 2016
Best used cars for $25,000 and less
7 best mattresses for couples
Consumer Reports is an independent, nonprofit organization that works side by side with consumers to create a fairer, safer, and healthier world. CR does not endorse products or services, and does not accept advertising. Copyright © 2022, Consumer Reports, Inc.
