If you’re looking for a blanket or a throw blanket, I would start by deciding which material you’d like it to be made from. That might sound like a very nerdy way of doing your shopping, but it makes a big difference to how much it costs. There are two main options:
- The cheapest blankets (£10+) are usually made from a synthetic/manmade material such as polyester. They come in lots of different styles and colours. They’re durable and they’re usually washable. Popular options are thick ‘faux fur’ blankets, soft velvet blankets and smooth satin blankets. The downside with a polyester blanket or throw is that it isn’t very breathable, so it might make you a bit hot. Some blankets are ‘polycotton’ which is a combination of breathable cotton and durable polyester.
- A more expensive option is a cotton blanket/throw or a wool blanket/throw (£50-£100ish). They don’t come in as many styles and they’re not quite so durable but they are more breathable and are made from natural materials. Wool blankets described as ‘wool’ are the bog standard stuff, whereas alpaca blankets or cashmere wool blankets are much more expensive (£150 – £400). Silk is another mega pricey natural blanket material.
Generally speaking, a throw is smaller than a blanket. However, there’s not a whole lot of consistency online and the two words are sometimes used interchangeably. Throws are sometimes called throw blankets which is a little confusing.
We’ve chosen a selection of different types of blankets and throws for our top 5, including some cheap blankets and some luxury blankets made from natural materials. We made our selections based on value for money, materials, brand reputation and customer reviews.
Prices are for the cheapest size available, although the size of a blanket or throw does vary a bit.
1. Catherine Lansfield Raschel Velvet Throw/blanket – £18 (8 colour choices)
This Catherine Lansfield throw/blanket is described as velvet, although a lot of reviewers say it is more of a soft fleece throw.
It is made from synthetic materials rather than posher natural materials, although you may have guessed from the price. Synthetic materials aren’t so good at regulating your temperature, so there’s a chance of getting a bit hot if you’re sleeping underneath it.
However, synthetic blankets and throws have the big advantage of being easy to look after and they come in a bigger range of colours and styles. This one can be put in a washing machine, which is certainly preferable to trips to the dry cleaners. Unfortunately, this is what a lot of natural blankets need (or you can just leave them unwashed for 30 years).
For the price, you get a very large blanket, which is 200x240cm (about 6 foot x 8 foot). That means you could use it as a bed throw as it will cover a king size mattress with 45cm overhanging on each side. You could also use it as a sofa throw for most two seater sofas and some smaller three seater sofas.
This throw comes in a choice of 8 different colours including grey, pink and blue.
Customer scores average 4.6/5 after 900+ reviews.
Pros: great choice of colours, very large blanket, positive customer reviews, low price
Cons: synthetic blankets are less breathable
2. Dreamscene Faux Fur Fleece Throw/Blanket – £14 (11 colour choices)
This faux fur throw/blanket from Dreamscene is a billy bargain. That may explain why it’s had thousands of customer reviews and an average score of 4.6/5.
It comes in 11 different colours including red, purple, pink and teal.
As with the Catherine Lansfield throw/blanket (see #1) it is 100% polyester, so it’s not a luxurious natural material which will impress your neighbours if it gets delivered to their house whilst you’re out. It’s described as a faux fur throw or a mink throw, which seems to be a general term for a soft and fluffy blanket or throw.
The big advantage with this blanket is that it comes in three different sizes, which are called ‘single’ (125cm x 150cm) ‘double’ (150cm x 200cm) and ‘king size’ (200cm x 240cm). They correspond to the suggested size for covering a single, double or king size bed with a bit of overhang. However, the single size version and double size version won’t cover the pillows whilst the king size version will cover the whole bed.
The simplest thing is to get the tape measure out before you order to check it’s right for you.
The main downside is that this blanket is hand wash only, despite being made from synthetic materials.
Pros: great range of colours, very low price
Cons: hand wash only, inconsistent sizing, synthetic materials
For the price, you get a throw blanket with good reviews, a choice of sizes…
…and a big range of colours
Similar blankets to consider:
John Lewis & Partners sell a similar style faux fur throw/blanket (£95). It costs a lot more and only comes in one size (150cm x 200cm) but customers give it very positive reviews. You can choose from 6 colours including mustard, teal or as a pink blanket/throw.
3. Dunelm Chunky Knit Recycled Throw – £49 (10 colour choices)
Here’s a good value throw/blanket from Dunelm. This one is more of a chunky knit blanket and it comes in 10 different colours including teal and pink.
The main thing to note with this one is that it is slightly smaller than some of the blankets and throws on this guide. The size is 130cm x 170cm which means it would be fine for using as a single bed throw without covering the pillows.
It’s made from ‘recycled knitted materials’, which is a little vague but presumably is synthetic materials.
Overall, it scores 4.5/5 from reviewers.
A plus point with this blanket is that it’s machine washable.
Pros: machine washable, durable material, big name brand, recycled, big choice of colours
Cons: synthetic material, relatively expensive
4. Dunelm Teddy Bear Throw – £10 – £20 (10 colour choices)
Let’s not beat about the bush – this Dunelm throw is terrific value. It comes in a choice of two sizes and 10 colours. The smaller version is 130cm by 170cm. That makes it more suited for a single bed, which is 90cm by 190cm. The larger version of the blanket is 200cm x 200cm, so it’s better for a double or king size bed.
The smaller version is more suited to a two seater sofa, whilst the large version is better for a three seater sofa.
Of course, for this price it isn’t going to made from luxurious (and expensive) natural materials. It is 100% polyester, which has less natural breathability than cotton.
The choice of colours is excellent, including shades of greens, blues, red and natural tones. Personally I like the ‘Teddy Natural’ colour but let’s not fall out over it.
It has a lovely soft feel and it is machine washable. Synthetic materials like this tend to wash pretty well.
Reviews are glowing at 4.8/5, from literally thousands of customers.
Pros: very cheap, excellent choice of colours, machine washable
Cons: synthetic materials are less breathable
5. John Lewis & Partners Plain Wool Throw Blanket – £90 (4 colour choices)
This blanket/throw from John Lewis & Partners is made from wool and comes in four colours, which are very nice in my opinion. There are shades of blue, grey and orange.
As with cotton blankets, a wool blanket tends to cost quite a lot more than a synthetic blanket. Most wool blankets are also quite thin, unless they’ve been knitted into a chunky throw.
However, a wool blanket is appealing because of its ability to regulate your temperature. That’s because it is a genuinely natural material rather than something which has been artificially created.
The breathability of wool is less of a factor if you’re just sitting on the blanket to cover up your sofa, but it’s a real plus point if you’re using it on top of a duvet.
Customer reviews scores are red-hot at 4.7/5.
It only comes in one size, which is 140cm x 190cm. That means it would make a good bed throw on a double mattress or king size mattress, as long as you didn’t mind it just covering the lower half of the bed rather than the whole thing. If you’re after a blanket to cover the whole bed, take a look at our fascinating bedspread guide.
Pros: John Lewis brand reputation, terrific reviews, temperature regulating wool construction, great choice of colours
Cons: only one size, expensive
Similar wool blankets and throws to consider:
You can get even posher wool blankets which are usually wool and cashmere blended together (£185) or made from alpaca wool (£140).