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Are you looking for a relaxing weighted blanket? We researched, bought, and tested 10 of the best blankets available today. While these heavy throws may seem similar at first glance, they come in many sizes, weights, and materials. We addressed the seemingly simple task of sorting these unique blankets by conducting side-by-side analyses to tease apart differences in coziness, comfort, overall feeling, ease of cleaning, and available options. So, whether you are hoping to address a specific issue or you just like the feel of a full-body hug, rest assured that we've found a blanket to suit your needs.
Editor's Note: This review was updated on February 26, 2024, to offer additional product recommendations outside of existing award-winning weighted blankets.
Across the board, the Luna Cotton is a great weighted blanket. It's comfortable, evenly weighted, great for thermoregulation, made with healthier materials (OEKO-TEX 100 certified cotton), and costs considerably less than some of the competition. Double batting surrounds the beads, keeping them more evenly distributed throughout every square of this quilted blanket. The 100% cotton exterior adds another layer of comfort — like a nice set of cotton sheets against your skin. This versatile blanket manages to be both warm in cold weather and cool enough in warm weather. As the icing on the cake, the exceptionally comfortable Luna is available in a staggering variety of colors, sizes, and weights.
The double batting makes this blanket a bit stiffer than other models, although that's not necessarily a bad thing. Where other weighted blankets tend to drape and hug every curve of your body, the Luna maintains its shape a touch better and feels more like a regular blanket. This also helps it keep some space around your body, adding to its overall comfort and effective temperature range. It doesn't include a duvet cover, but it features numerous loops on the edges and corners to accommodate one. Luna sells covers for extra — and with the comparatively low cost of this blanket, we think it's a reasonable price for what you get. Across the board, this weighted blanket was the most well-liked by our panel of testers and a great value, to boot. While there is not much to complain about with the Luna, if you prefer a less stiff blanket, check out the L'Agraty Knitted as an alternative.
With chunky knit weighted blankets on the rise, this cozy option from ZonLi Cooling is our favorite of the bunch. Its oversized “yarn” is actually filled with heavy batting surrounded by soft fibers that make it both knitted and squishy — and very snuggly. By cutting out the beads and relying instead on uniformly weighted knitting, the ZonLi feels the most like a comfortable hug of any blanket we tested. It stretches as you move underneath it before settling back on your body in a very comforting way. Though knitted blankets can sometimes be drafty, the ZonLi is much less so than others we tested, thanks to the natural holes in the knitting. The individual stitches stay together rather well and also make the blanket look nice.
Although other blankets from ZonLi come in various colors, this knitted version is quite limited. As with many knitted items, the sides can roll up a touch, but the overall large size helps mitigate this issue. This is a fairly warm blanket when not stretched and motionless, but for cold sleepers, the spaces between threads may be too much. It's technically machine washable, though the manufacturer recommends using a laundry bag. They also direct you to hang the blanket to dry it, though knit items should always be laid flat to dry to avoid stretching out. Our test blanket did retain a faint, unpleasant smell throughout our testing, though we expect this to go away eventually. Bottom line, when choosing a knitted weighted blanket, the ZonLi was our pick every time. If you're not set on a knit-style blanket, another option we like for its easy-to-clean characteristics is the Gravity Weighted. The included duvet makes washing the Gravity a breeze.
The Waowoo Adult is a solid budget pick for a weighted blanket. Batting on one side gives an extra layer between you and the glass beads, helping to distribute their weight throughout each square. Eyelets around the perimeter of the blanket make it easy to attach a duvet cover if you'd like — though one isn't included. It comes in plenty of sizes, some children-specific dimensions, and a range of weights on the low end of the spectrum. Available for a shockingly low price, this blanket is a relatively inexpensive way to dip your toes in the waters of weighted blankets without spending a ton of money on something you're not sure about yet.
The biggest downside about the Waowoo is that it has batting protecting just one side of the bead-filled quilted squares. This means that when you use it with the non-batted side against your body, you can feel all the individual glass beads sitting in little piles. However, used in its intended orientation, comfort is high. Not all the squares are evenly filled, with some of the edges holding up to twice as many beads as many of the middle squares, giving it an overall lighter feeling than many others. We love using this blanket as a top layer on a bed, where it won't get flipped over to the non-batted side and has an extra layer or two between it and your body to better even out some of its inconsistencies. And for such a low price, it's hard to beat this simple value. For those sensitive to textured materials, a soft, light-feeling blanket such as the YnM Cotton is worth checking out.
Coming in only a small range of throw sizes, the Bearaby Cotton Napper is a little too niche to be our favorite overall blanket, despite scoring highly across the board. This chunky knit napping cover is very soft and cozy feeling. The loose knitting drapes easily across your body, making this blanket feel like it's hugging you all over. Like all knitted blankets, its weight is more evenly distributed across its area and will never pool in areas like a quilted model. Knitted fairly loosely, the Bearaby stretches quite a bit and allows airflow through the yarn — great when you want to be cozy but don't necessarily need a ton of extra warmth.
While our 5'4" tester loved napping under the Bearaby, our 6' tester found it to be just a little too small for good napping coverage. Since it doesn't come in larger sizes that are more conducive to bigger bodies or being used on beds, this blanket is best for hanging out on the couch and curling up in a comfy chair. Its small size and loose-knit also let it stretch quite a lot, opening holes between stitching that can be rather drafty in the winter. We really love how soft, weighty, drapey, and generally comfortable the Bearaby is, but it's overall a rather niche blanket, best for adding coziness to your couch hang-out time during mild weather. For the taller folks, another option we like is the Sivio Sherpa Fleece. A warm fleece option that's offered in 60 x 80 measurements.
Fabric: Micro plush and 100% cotton | Filling: Glass beads and polyester batting
REASONS TO BUY
Included duvet cover is super plush
Very warm
Drapes and hugs more than most
REASONS TO AVOID
Can feel too constricting for some
Specific cleaning instructions
The Quility Weighted is one of the only blankets we tested that includes a duvet cover with your purchase. Unlike most duvet covers, this one is micro plush, with a soft, deep velvety feel that's great against the skin. Despite batting on both sides of the glass beads, this entire blanket is much softer and more flexible than most other quilted models, helping it drape more and hug the body closer. This, in turn, makes it feel heavier than other blankets of the same size and weight. Adding the micro plush duvet cover to that package increases its hug-like heaviness even more, and it does a superb job of keeping body heat in on cold nights.
However, this feeling proved to be polarizing among our testers. Some loved the extra weight, the comforting closeness, and the silky plush feeling of the Quility. Others found its extra drape too heavy and constricting-feeling and its micro plush to cling too close, which has the effect of making you feel trapped underneath. Despite having an easily removable cover, the Quility is also not that easy to clean — the inner blanket must be dry cleaned, and the micro plush duvet cover can't be put in the dryer. Those things aside, if you want your weighted blanket to keep you warm and hug you back, you just may love this super-soft option. If you'd prefer a lighter-feeling blanket with a less constrictive weight, our top pick Bearaby Cotton Napper is worth considering.
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Why Trust GearLab
Our review began with hours of research on the various types of blankets available, including the different weights and dimensions offered, the exterior construction material, the batting material, and the different types of weights used. We then washed each blanket (and its duvet cover, if it came with one) and spent several days using each blanket for deep sleep, napping, and relaxing on the couch.
Senior Research Analyst Austin Palmer has over half a decade of experience testing home and health products ranging from electric toothbrushes to the best air conditioners. However, the recent birth of his child has perhaps given him a redoubled focus on products that promote quality sleep. Senior Review Editor Maggie Nichols has been testing, reviewing, and writing about consumer products for nearly as long. Her background in scientific research makes her well-suited to vetting and collating the rapidly growing body of sleep and relaxation research that informed the team's analysis of weighted blankets.
Analysis and Test Results
In today's fast-paced world, it seems like we have a neverending stream of things to worry about and keep track of. Now, more than ever, we need good quality ways to unwind. Many people turn to the comforting feeling of being wrapped in a weighted blanket — but which to choose? By thoroughly testing every contender in our lineup, we take the guesswork out of finding the right blanket for your couch, chair, or bed. We evaluated each model across four separate metrics to gain a deep understanding of where each shines brightly or falls short. To dive deep into our detailed findings, read on.
What's the Best Value?
Weighted blankets come in a wide range of sizes, shapes, colors, weights — and prices. While some products neatly correlate a higher price with higher performance, we did not find this to be the case for these heavy contenders. Our favorite overall blanket, the Luna, is also one of the more affordable. It's versatile, comfortable, easy to clean, and comes in many sizes, weights, and color options. The Waowoo also deserves mention here for offering solid value. It's not as impressive as some of the rest, but it is still a pretty solid blanket — particularly for adding to a complete bed setup — and is shockingly inexpensive for what you get. It's a great value for anyone on the fence about trying out a weighted blanket.
Comfort
We asked a panel of our expert testers, friends, and family to try out the blankets in our lineup and report back on comfort. We evaluated each model on a range of attributes, including how much they shift inside their duvet cover (when applicable), how drafty or warm they are, how they feel against the skin, and how easy they are to move around under.
There are still several standout models in our comfort metric. Some of the knitted blankets are our favorites, including the L'Agraty, Bearaby, and ZonLi. All three of these are made of very soft fibers with a cozy overall feeling. The ZonLi steals the show, though, with a tight knit to cut out unwanted drafts and chunky “yarn” filled with batting to add extra softness. The Bearaby lost a few points for its small size and loose, drafty knit, but as a throw, it is fantastically comfortable.
As for quilted options, the Luna and YnM are two of our favorites. They both have cotton exteriors and batting to prevent you from feeling all the beads clumping in each pocket. The Quility proved itself to be polarizing among our testers. Some of our team loved how its micro plush duvet cover (included) and more flexible batting allow it to better conform to your body's shape, giving the feeling of a full-body hug. However, the increased draping and added warmth were too much for others, feeling constricting rather than comforting. The Gravity performs similarly, but it's more of a throw than a full-body blanket.
The Sivio Sherpa Fleece blanket has a very cozy fleece side and some internal batting to add warmth and comfort but fails to completely stop the beads within from clumping and feeling like small sandbags across your body. It's a very comfortable material to lay under, but the unevenness of the beads isn't our favorite feeling. Similarly, the inner beads of the Waowoo can easily be felt when using it with the non-batting side down. However, when used in its intended orientation, the single-sided batting does a solid job of keeping you from feeling every lump. The Wonap has similar issues but without at least the single-sided use of the Waowoo. However, the Wonap's bamboo exterior provides a silky smooth feeling that none of the others can quite match — which makes it worth the clumpiness for some of our testers.
Weighted Feeling
Though we tested blankets of the same weight, some came in different sizes, some had variable bead distribution, and some just felt different. We tested weight distribution by weighing each blanket and comparing that to its size, taking note of the method and effectiveness of weight distribution, and polling a wide range of testers regarding the feeling of each model.
Our favorite of the bunch is the Bearaby. Like all knitted blankets, it has excellent weight distribution because it relies on heavy “yarn” rather than mobile beads. The Bearaby also scored highly here because it's much smaller, resulting in more weight per square inch. Though more weight doesn't necessarily make a blanket better, the knitted design of the Bearaby is soft, flexible, and perfectly proportioned — the most universally well-liked feeling across all our testers. The smaller-sized Gravity falls into a similar boat. However, this quilted blanket includes stiffer batting than any knitted option, resulting in less draping and a less even distribution of the blanket's weight across all the curves of your body.
Thanks to their knitted design, the ZonLi and L'Agraty also have excellent weight distribution and drape. When it comes to quilted options, the Quility does a good job of providing weight evenly across the body by being more flexible and draping better than many other batting-filled options. It's still larger than the Gravity, though, giving it less weight per square inch. The Luna isn't far behind, with the best double batting system of any we tested. It's the only bead-filled blanket we tested that feels like a regular blanket — just heavier — rather than a blanket filled with beads. It's also the only one that concentrates more beads around the edges than over your body.
The YnM is our next favorite quilted option, though it doesn't escape the slightly lumpy feeling of beads in each quilted square. It falls into the prevalent trap of concentrating beads around the edges, leaving you with less weight over your actual body. The Sivio Sherpa and Wonap both suffer from pretty extreme clumping of the beads as well. They also both have noticeably fewer beads in the middle squares than the outer ones. If you plan to purchase either of these two blankets, you might consider ordering the next weight up from what you normally would.
Cleaning
As with almost everything in life, you'll need to clean your weighted blanket eventually. Though it's tempting to just toss it in the washer like the rest of your laundry, weighted blankets can actually damage your washing machine because they're so heavy. Many of these blankets have specific cleaning instructions. We combed through the recommended care instructions for every product we tested and took notes on the process. Many of the quilted models include attachment points for a duvet cover — and a few include a cover with your purchase.
Both the Quility and the Gravity come with duvet covers, which are easier to clean than the blankets themselves. However, to ensure the lifespan of the micro plush, it's not recommended to put these covers in the dryer. The knitted options we tested — the Bearaby, L'Agraty, and ZonLi — can be tossed in the washing machine at home without fear of causing damage. They don't have beads, so they balance a bit easier in the machine, though they are still heavy and best laundered alone.
The Bearaby and L'Agraty claim they can be tumble dried, though we're hesitant to dry anything knitted to avoid shrinkage. The ZonLi directs you to hang it up for drying, though we worry that, with its weight, this would have the opposite effect of the dryer and stretch the whole thing out permanently. The only other blanket with standout laundering instructions is the Wonap, which is made from bamboo, and should avoid the dryer.
Available Options
Though it may sound obvious, not all humans are the same size, and therefore, not all weighted blankets will work well for everyone. In general, you should shoot for your weighted blanket to be somewhere around 10% of your body weight. Of course, factoring in the overall size of the blanket, where and how exactly you plan to use it, as well as your own personal preference for how “hugged” you want to feel, quickly results in a LOT of necessary sizes and weights to cover all possible uses adequately. We looked into every blanket's size, weight, and even color options to see which ones are most likely to have the perfect combo you need.
The Quility and Wonap Bamboo both earn our highest scores in this metric. They each come in many different sizes, weights, colors, patterns, and even have specific options for kids. The YnM, Waowoo, and Luna aren't far behind, all with plenty of options for just about everyone. The Waowoo specializes in lower weights, maxing out at 20 pounds. On the opposite end of the spectrum, the Gravity is focused more on heavier blankets, starting at 15 pounds and going up to as much as 35. It comes in a limited color palette, though, and only two sizes.
The knitted blankets we tested — the ZonLi, Bearaby, and L'Agraty — come in fewer sizes, weights, and colors. They're not without their choices, though, and in general, they have a higher level of universally appealing aesthetics than most quilted models. The Sivio Sherpa Fleece is the least impressive of the bunch, with just a single weight option available in two sizes and a smattering of solid color choices.
Conclusion
More and more people are learning to appreciate the feeling of sleeping under a weighted blanket. While the market is flooded with claims and options, some are more worthwhile than others. We hope that our diligent napping and thorough testing helps you narrow down which blanket is the best choice to help you relax the way you want.
If you're looking for some extra help getting lulled off to sleep, check out our comprehensive review of the best sleep sound machines.