I tested 13 electric blankets and this is the best one – and could save on heating bills

As part of the Mirror's shopping team I've had the cosy pleasure of testing out plenty of heated electric blankets over the years, to find out which ones are really worth buying to combat autumn's chilly temperatures – and this smart model came up tops for comfort, warmth, ease of use and value for money.

Electric blankets come in 'over' or 'under' designs; ones that go 'over' your bedding, chair or body and resemble fleecy throws that plug in and warm up (ideal when working from home), whereas electric 'under' blankets are more like mattress protectors and fit between your mattress and your sheet. It was the latter category that I put to the test, trialling modelling from brands such as Dunelm, Dreams and John Lewis.

The one that came out on top for me, however – and the one I've used ever since – was the Dreamland Snowed In Organic Cotton Heated Mattress Protector, which starts from £98 for a single and goes up to £169.99 for a super king-size (my bed size), and is available to buy from Boots, Lakeland and Argos. For the last couple of years it has been a game-changer for me on cold nights – here's why...

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Pros

• Heats up quickly and gets nice and toasty
• The bigger bed sizes have dual control, meaning you and your partner can control the temperature on each side of the bed
• You don't feel wires or cables when lying on it
• Can be machine-washed and tumble dried
• A variety of heat and timer settings
• Could help to save you money on your heating bills

Cons

• Not the cheapest
• Some report that the cables are a little short

I liked that this Dreamland one was made of soft organic cotton rather than fleece (which I find to be a bit too hot and sweaty), and it fits neatly over the mattress with a skirt-style fitting. The cable attachments are well-placed, and you don't feel them – or any wires – when it's on the bed.

The controls offer six different heat settings and three timings: one hour, three hours and nine hours, after which it automatically switches off. While my partner and I do typically set our sides to the same temperature, I can see how the dual-control could be useful for a lot of people.

In autumn I typically switch it on to level 2 or 3 an hour before bed but I have occasionally cranked it up to 6, then leave it on low overnight. It also claims to have an 'Intelliheat+ technology' to keep the temperature even across the whole mattress.

I can honestly say it's been a game changer for me in autumn and winter; I dreaded slipping into cold sheets and struggled to warm up at all throughout the night, but now I drift off to sleep quickly and snugly.

The other benefit to electric blankets like this is their potential to possibly save you money on your heating bills. It's reported on the Lakeland website that this Dreamland Snowed In model costs 'as little as 5p per hour to run', and could stop you from turning on the radiator in your bedroom, or switching your heating off earlier at night.

The only downside, for me, is the price; starting from £99.99 and going up to £169.99 on Lakeland and Boots, it's not the cheapest on the market. If you are after a cheaper option, however, I also rate Dunelm's Cosy & Warm Electric Blanket, which starts from £22, and Slumberdown Wonderfully Warm Electric Blanket, currently £43.30 from Amazon.