When winter sets in, there is nothing like wrapping yourself up in a blanket to fight against the cold. While you could bury yourself under a few throw blankets or pull the comforter from your mattress, a king size blanket is the ideal blanket for not just the cold winter nights. If you pick the right king size blanket you can use it all year round, no matter the season. When you consider the differing blankets’ material, weave, GSM rating, versatility, and ease of care, choosing the right king size blanket can be surprisingly difficult. In this guide, we will cover what to look for when choosing a king size blanket so you can find the best king size blanket for you. Any one of our top 3 king size blankets will keep you warm and cozy no matter the season.
What to Consider When Buying a King Size Blanket
There are a surprising number of factors that affect how well a blanket will perform. The first thing to consider is the blanket’s material. Although there are countless fabrics and fibers that can be used to make your king size blanket, all fibers can be classified into two categories: natural and synthetic. Natural fibers occur in nature, and synthetic fibers do not and must be manufactured.
Wool
Wool is a very warm material that is best used in blankets for the coldest weather. A wool blanket is ideal for providing a lot of warmth, and is a favorite material for camping blankets. Wool fabric is breathable as well, and naturally draws moisture away from the body to keep you warm and dry. Due to these properties, it also adapts easily to keep you comfortable as the temperature changes. Wool is also naturally fire resistant, but it is more difficult to care for than other natural fibers. People with sensitive skin should avoid wool blankets, as they are known for being slightly irritating to skin.
Cotton
People who want the warmth of natural fibers but not the scratchy feeling of wool should reach for a cotton blanket. Organic cotton blankets are softer than wool, and are therefore preferred by people with sensitive skin. Cotton is also hypoallergenic and breathable, making it a choice material if you have allergies or are a hot sleeper. The fabric’s breathability also makes it popular for summer blankets. Curling up under a cotton napper in the summer is a fantastic experience. If you wear flannel shirts in the wintertime, then you have already experienced the comfort and warmth of cotton fabric.
Cashmere
Cashmere blankets are known for being incredibly soft and warm, but they are on the more expensive side. Made from the fur fibers of cashmere goats, a cashmere king size blanket or throw blanket is considered a luxury item around the world. The fibers are five times finer than human hair, and when woven into a fabric, provide unparalleled softness and warmth. Cashmere is also notoriously tricky to care for, so only invest in this blanket if you are sure that you can make it last.
Down
A down comforter is made with the inner feathers of geese and ducks stuffed into a comforter bag. Down is extremely soft and provides a lot of extra warmth. The best down comforter will have a duvet made of soft cotton fabric stuffed with an inner blanket of warming feathers. You can easily measure the warmth of a down king size blanket as well by looking for the fill power. This indicates the space that one ounce of down will occupy. The higher the fill power, the denser the down and the warmer the blanket. While a down king size blanket will be very warm, down has been known to aggravate allergies. If your allergies act up around natural fibers, consider switching to a synthetic alternative.
Acrylic
Acrylic is a popular material for those who want the feel of natural fibers but not the allergies that come along with them. An acrylic king size blanket will have the same feel of wool and cashmere, but it’s much easier to care for. Acrylic blankets are machine washable, which is certainly not true of wool and cashmere. Acrylic, along with other synthetic fibers, is resistant to moth damage as well, a constant problem for wool blanket users.
Polyester
If you are looking for a blanket that will be around longer than you are, polyester is the material for you. Very long lasting and durable, polyester blankets do not fade or wear when washed in a machine or put through the most rigorous use. They are wholly synthetic, which contributes not only to their durability, but to the price as well. Polyester blankets are some of the cheapest on the market, but will outlast many of the more expensive natural fiber blankets you own.
Fleece
Perhaps the warmest of the synthetic materials, a fleece blanket is the right choice for you if you’re sensitive to wool but still want the same warmth. Fleece is often used on the interior of coats and jackets to provide extreme warmth. In a king size blanket, fleece provides this same warmth along with a lightweight feel and moisture wicking properties to keep you cool and dry all night long. It is also generally safe to machine wash your king size fleece blanket, adding ease of care to the long list of fleece’s attributes.
Blanket Weave
The weave of a blanket refers to the way the fibers are stitched together. While many of the warmest comforter blankets use a duvet cover and a duvet insert, the weave of the cover can greatly affect how much air is able to move through the blanket, which in turn affects the warmth. Choosing the best weave for your king size blanket is an important step in finding the best blanket for you.
Conventional blanket weave is very tight and close together, allowing for little air to move in and out. This creates a warm layer of insulation all over the body, and helps provide consistent warmth while you sleep.
Quilted blankets use an inner layer of down surrounded by a quilted fabric cover to keep the down from moving around inside the blanket. A quilted king size blanket may be the warmest around, with plenty of insulation for cold winter nights.
Thermal woven blankets are typically made of cotton and designed to be more breathable than other blankets. Since air is allowed to circulate easily, these blankets are ideal for cool summer evenings where a little additional warmth is needed.
Knit blankets are heavy, warm blankets used primarily during the cold winter months. Typically made with wool or a synthetic alternative, knit blankets are stylish in addition to being very warm. Variations of knit blankets include the tree napper, which is designed for more breathability for warmer months while retaining the weight of a knit weave.
Specialty Blankets
While blanket size does matter when it comes to keeping warm, choosing a specialty blanket with some additional properties could be the best choice for you. Choosing the blanket that will give you the best night’s sleep is vital to your health and well-being.
Weighted Blanket
Do you often find yourself lying down to sleep and unable to turn off your mind and let go of the day’s stresses? Weighted blankets may be able to help put you to sleep faster. Available in any size, weighted blankets use glass beads to put weight on a sleeper and produce a calming effect. Weighted blankets can be game changers for people whose anxiety causes them to lose sleep. Certain blanket brands, such as this Gravity Weighted Blanket, customize the weight to a specified percentage of your body weight to provide custom comfort.
While a typical weighted blanket uses interior glass beads to produce weight, a tree napper uses heavy yarn to produce a weighted blanket that is porous. Use this blanket during the summer months or if you are a hot sleeper to keep cool while experiencing the comfort of a weighted blanket.
Electric Blanket
When the weather turns extra cold, your blankets may need some help keeping you warm throughout the night. Sleep with an electric blanket on top of your normal comforter to boost the effectiveness of your blanket system. While you may be afraid of starting a fire with your heated blanket, as long as you follow the instructions included with your electric blanket, there is very little risk of incident. A heated blanket can be used to sleep, or even as a throw blanket to keep on the couch for movie nights.
Best King Size Blanket Features
While the type of fabric and weave of the blanket are important considerations, thinking about what those factors do for the blanket is the key to picking the best king size blanket for you.
The best king size blankets are versatile. If your king size blanket is only usable during a couple of the coldest months of the year, it may not get the most use. These blankets feature a blend of fibers that make them breathable enough to use during the spring and summer, and heavy enough to be effective at keeping you warm in the fall and winter.
The king size blankets in our list are also easy to care for. All three top king size blankets are machine washable and extremely durable. Made of material that will last for a long time, these blankets could be with you for life provided they are stored properly.
Find the Best King Size Blanket for You: Our Top 3
Without further ado, let’s take a look at the top 3 king size blankets out there today.
1. Bedsure Fleece King Size Blankets
This fleece king size blanket from Bedsure has been through several iterations, and has been refined into one of the best king size blankets on the market today. Crafted using micro-fleece yarn to provide a smooth, soft feel, this king size blanket will make you feel as if you are sleeping in velvet. Both flannel and fleece are used to make this blanket, which provides the warmth of natural fibers with none of the scratchiness.
Bedsure also has engineered their blankets to have a higher GSM value. GSM stands for grams per square meter and measures the thickness of the blanket. The higher your blanket’s GSM score, the thicker and warmer the blanket. Bedsure has added an extra 40 GSM to this blanket when compared to their previous models. This blanket will have no trouble keeping you warm and cozy during even the coldest winter months.
At the same time, this is a surprisingly lightweight blanket. The layer of fleece is thicker than you would typically find in an organic cotton king size blanket, but does not become too thick or too heavy. Made with 100% polyester fibers, this king size blanket is durable in addition to being lightweight. The microfibers are woven together to create a strong connection that can withstand any wear and tear. With the added bonus of being machine washable, this blanket can go with you anywhere you want to take it.
This king size blanket is also highly versatile. Solid color blankets can be added to any couch or bedspread once you are able to match the color of the bed sheet. Bedsure’s fleece blanket is available in 26 colors, so it can easily be worked into your existing color palette. If you’re not looking for something as large as a king size, you can choose one of five blanket sizes to match your needs.
by BEDSURE
2. Utopia Bedding Fleece Blanket Navy Blue
Next on our list of top king size blankets is brought to you by Utopia Bedding. Their king size fleece blanket features an impressive GSM rating of 300. Made with top-quality cotton flannel, Utopia Bedding has created a high-quality blanket at a fantastic price. The deep navy blue fabric is a lovely addition to your living room or bedroom.
These blankets are long lasting and durable. This blanket features two-sided pile, meaning the surface of the fabric has a discernable texture which improves not only the durability of the blanket, but the heat retaining properties as well. A 1 inch double-stitched hem provides additional durability. In short, this blanket will be around keeping you warm for a very long time.
Utopia Bedding’s fleece blanket is the right combination of comforting warmth and lightness to retain breathability. This king size blanket doesn’t become too heavy and overbearing when used outside of the coldest months, but maintains enough weight to make you feel comforted and held as you sleep.
This blanket is perfect for going wherever you want. Use it to stay warm in an air-conditioned room, or wrap it around yourself when you hop out of bed to grab your coffee. Being lightweight and warm, this would also be an effective blanket to take with you on a backpacking or camping trip. If you get most of your adventure through a screen, this blanket is perfect to curl up under for a movie marathon.
Care for your Utopia Bedding fleece blanket couldn’t be easier. On laundry day, wash it alone with cold water and tumble dry. This blanket is durable enough to stand up to the wash and to whatever wear and tear you put it through.
by Utopia
3. Utopia Bedding Grey Fleece Blanket
Another top notch blanket from Utopia Bedding, their Grey Fleece blanket will have you sleeping like a cozy king. The king size blanket measures in at 102 inches by 90 inches, making it right at home on any bed from a California king all the way to a twin XL. A luxurious solid color grey will add an element of class to your bedspread, couch, or wherever you choose to use your blanket.
This durable two-piled blanket is perfect for cozying up underneath during a snowstorm and for taking a light summer nap in the shade. With its very large size, this blanket is perfect to share with a partner or with small children. Wrap all your loved ones up in the folds of this king size blanket.
Made with plush microfibers, this blanket is not only very soft, but is resistant to static electricity buildup. Nobody wants to be shocked, even lightly, when they pull back their covers to go to sleep. The microfibers provide a nice comfortable warmth that won’t allow you to overheat in the summer and will keep you toasty warm in the winter.
Like all the blankets on this list, this blanket is machine washable and very easy to maintain. Double stitching around the hem ensures that this blanket can be put through the works without running the risk of breaking a seam. Take it out on any adventure you need a warm layer for, and pop it in the wash when you are done and this blanket will last for as long as you need it to.
Here are the top 3 king size blankets on the market today. Pick up any of these products listed above for the softest, warmest blanket you will ever own.
by Utopia
