The Best Weighted Blankets

Originally used by therapists as a tool to soothe patients, weighted blankets have gone mainstream, used at home by the masses to calm anxiety and help insomnia. We bought four highly acclaimed weighted blankets to test, sleeping under each of them for multiple nights to judge their levels of comfort, breathability and soothing effect.

The best weighted blanket overall is the chemical-free Baloo – Weighted Blanket, a luxurious, durable weighted duvet that felt cocoon-like yet breathable. With its cucumber-cool bamboo viscose outer shell, we felt cozy and comfortably cool all night under the YnM – Cooling Weighted Blanket, making it our choice for the best cooling weighted blanket.

Table of contents

• Who needs a weighted blanket?
• How we selected products to test
• Compare the best weighted blankets
• Important features to consider
• How we tested
• Best overall: Baloo
• Best cooling weighted blanket: YnM
• Other weighted blankets we tested
• The bottom line

Who needs a weighted blanket?

One study that tracked the effects of weighted blankets on 30 participants aged 20 to 66 with chronic insomnia reported that the additional pressure from weighted blankets had a calming effect on the subjects. This, along with the secure “cocooned” feeling of being wrapped in a weighted blanket, decreased their muscle movement during sleep, resulting in better overall sleep quality.

Other research shows that weighted blankets shortens the time it takes for kids with ADHD to fall asleep, and also reduce middle-of-the-night wakeful periods. Weighted blankets have also been recommended for those on the autism spectrum and to help cope with anxiety, depression, sleep apnea, restless legs syndrome, sleepwalking and restless sleep in general.

The elderly and those with claustrophobia, breathing or circulation problems should consult with a health professional before using a weighted blanket. They are also not recommended for children under eight years old.

How we selected products to test

We first conducted an extensive online search to find which blankets had received high praise from trusted review sites, bloggers, YouTube reviewers and Reddit commenters. Since a weighted blanket can be a hefty investment, we wanted those in our testing lineup to be priced under $175 with good return policies, and also highly rated on Amazon.

Even though our review includes a separate category for the best cooling weighted blanket, we encountered so much online discussion about breathability that we decided to make it a key metric for all the blankets we tested. We also took note of other features that seemed to be especially important to buyers: whether the blanket is machine washable, comes with a duvet cover, etc.

Although the most well-known weighted blanket is arguably the Gravity Blanket — the first weighted blanket brought to the mass market, via a 2017 Kickstarter campaign — we chose not to include it in our trials due to its weighty $249 price tag. (Affordability was a recurring theme in discussions online; we even came across Reddit threads discussing DIY weighted blanket projects.)

Instead, we selected the Baloo – Weighted Blanket — more reasonably priced (relatively) at about $149 — as a contender for the best weighted blanket overall. Known for its luxurious, long-lasting quality, breathability and excellent customer service, the Baloo brand promised to be worth the investment. For this category we also picked the Quility – Premium Adult Weighted Blanket, an Amazon customer favorite with a 4.8-star rating and nearly 9,000 reviews that comes with a fleece duvet.

For the best cooling weighted blanket category, the Zonli – Cooling Weighted Blanket and YnM – Cooling Weighted Blanket stood out as worthy contestants. Both made of breathable bamboo viscose, the blankets  received rave reviews from hot sleepers who were initially wary of feeling stifled under weighted blankets.

Compare the best weighted blankets

Important features to consider

Weight

For adults, manufacturers generally recommend choosing a weighted blanket that’s about 10 percent of your body weight, give or take a few pounds. For children and those with mobility issues, the 10 percent rule still applies, but err on the side of a lighter blanket rather than a heavier one.

Size

Normally, the size of a blanket should match the size of your bed (i.e. a twin blanket for a twin bed, king for king, etc.). But because weighted blankets are heavy, if any excess material falls over the end or sides of the bed, it will either weigh too heavy on the sleeper, or drag the rest of the blanket onto the floor.

Weighted blankets are usually sized to keep this from happening; for example, if you buy a queen-size blanket, it should only reach the edges of a queen bed’s surface without any overhang. However, it’s a good idea to check the actual measurements of the blanket before ordering one.

Glass beads vs. plastic pellets

The weights inside a weighted blanket will come in one of two forms: glass microbeads or small plastic pellets. The only real difference between the two is that the glass beads are tiny and sand-like, whereas plastic pellets are a bit larger and less weighty. This means a glass-bead blanket will be thinner than a plastic-pellet one.

Washability

There will come a point when your weighted blanket will need a wash. Although many weighted blankets are advertised as machine washable,  the manufacturer will often recommend spot cleaning instead. In light of this (and because weighted blankets are so cumbersome), we urge you to buy a duvet cover for your blanket, which will allow you to wash the blanket itself as little as possible.

How we tested

Our testers slept under each of the weighted blankets in our lineup for three nights, then rated them using the following metrics:

• How well did you sleep under this blanket?
• How comfortable and soothed did you feel?
• Did you feel uncomfortably warm during the night?
• How would you rate the feeling of the blanket’s exterior shell?
• How well is the weight distributed throughout the blanket?
• How would you rate the quality of the blanket’s construction?
• How would you rate the aesthetic look of the blanket?
• How easy is this blanket to wash/dry/care for?
• Does the blanket come with a duvet cover?
• Is this blanket worth the price?

Best overall: Baloo

Our top pick for best weighted blanket overall is the Baloo – Weighted Blanket. Made with premium, chemical-free cotton and lead-free glass microbeads dispersed amongst polyester fill, the Baloo was luxurious and cozy to sleep under. It was also quite breathable; we didn’t feel too warm once throughout the testing period.

Right down to the ribbon-tied welcome note inside its blanket box, Baloo is all about the details, even offering three free downloadable tracks of soothing meditative music to fall asleep to. While the fill weights in many weighted blankets are contained by a grid of squares alone, the Baloo blanket features unique double-quilted stitching, creating channels of piping that run between the squares as well. This means more support for the heavy glass beads inside, as well as more evenly distributed weight throughout the blanket.

Baloo is a green company, meaning their blankets contain zero harmful chemicals and are certified vegan. The blankets also machine washable in cold water on the gentle cycle, and can be dried in the dryer on low heat. As far as return policies go, Baloo’s is one of the more lenient that we came across, encouraging customers to take some time to get used to the weight of the blanket. You have 30 days to initiate a return, as long as the blanket is sent back in its original condition.

Best Overall: Baloo

The Baloo Weighted Blanket’s luxurious quality, unique and durable double-quilted stitching and chemical-free, vegan materials earned it the top spot.

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Out of the four blankets we tested, the Baloo offers the least sizing and weight options; only two sizes (twin and queen) and three weights (12, 15 and 20 pounds) are available. The blanket also only comes in one color — Pebble White — and doesn’t include a duvet cover, though the company does sell them separately. Although the blanket itself is well-designed and has the look of a high-end duvet, we recommend protecting it with a cover so you won’t have to go to the trouble of washing it often.

Key takeaways

• The Baloo – Weighted Blanket feels luxe and cocoon-like, without sacrificing breathability.
• The blanket is certified vegan and contains no harmful chemicals.
• With double-quilted stitching, the Baloo is well-constructed to distribute weight evenly and prevent seam breaks.
• This blanket only comes in twin and queen sizes, offers 12, 15 and 20-pound options and doesn’t include a duvet cover.

Best cooling weighted blanket: YnM

With a 300-thread-count bamboo viscose shell that’s cool to the touch, the YnM – Cooling Weighted Blanket gets our vote for the best cooling weighted blanket. Though certainly not light and airy, the blanket didn’t feel too dense, and we remained well-ventilated throughout the night. However, if you’re a hot sleeper, keep in mind that this is the only blanket you’ll need on your bed.

We were impressed with the YnM blanket’s construction, which is designed to prevent seam breaks and tearing. Underneath the bamboo outer layer, there’s an extra layer of cotton fabric to better contain the thin, breathable layer of polyfill and lead-free glass beads inside. The stitching is also clearly strong and high quality. Although the blanket is technically machine washable (on the delicate cycle), YnM recommends spot cleaning the blanket instead.

What really sold us on the YnM blanket was its three-year free mending guarantee. If any unexpected damage should come to your blanket within three years of purchase, YnM will repair it for you (though you will need to pay for shipping). They also offer a 30-day return policy on their blankets, as long as they are sent back with the original packaging.

Best Cooling Weighted Blanket: YnM

The YnM Cooling Weighted Blanket won us over with its buttery soft, 300-thread-count bamboo shell, top-drawer construction and three-year mending guarantee.

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The blanket itself does not come with a duvet cover, but YnM sells a variety of reasonably priced covers in three fabrics — cotton, bamboo and “minky” fleece — which come in tasteful solid colors and surprisingly chic patterns. If you need more warmth when the seasons change, the fleece duvet would be a great addition to take the cooling blanket from summer to winter use.

Key takeaways

• The YnM – Cooling Weighted Blanket’s high-thread-count bamboo viscose outer layer is silky soft and cool to the touch.
• The blanket features high-quality stitching and construction that will stand the test of time.
• YnM offers an unbeatable three-year mending guarantee on their weighted blanket (though customers must pay shipping).
• No duvet cover is included.

Other weighted blankets we tested

Although the Quility – Premium Adult Weighted Blanket was cozy to sleep under with well-distributed weight, we grew uncomfortably warm during the night under its minky duvet cover, which seems to only be usable in cold climates during the winter. Without the cover, the blanket’s cotton outer layer felt a bit rough against our skin, and was quite plain compared to its Baloo competitor.

Like the YnM blanket, the Zonli – Cooling Weighted Blanket remained comfortably cool during the night, but the company’s return policy concerned us — Zonli offers no refunds on used blankets, only those that are returned unopened in their original packaging. Since high prices showed up as a top concern for weighted blanket buyers online, this bumped the Zonli down to second place in our cooling weighted blanket category.

The bottom line

With weighted blankets now being marketed to the masses to help improve sleep and soothe anxiety and depression, they’re worth a try — as long as they include a good return policy.

Made of breathable, chemical-free cotton and featuring strong double-quilted stitching and a generous 30-day return policy, the Baloo – Weighted Blanket is a great choice for anyone in the market for a high-quality, luxurious weighted blanket.

For those who sleep hot, we recommend the YnM – Cooling Weighted Blanket, made with silky, cooling 300-thread-count bamboo viscose and featuring durable construction and a three-year mending guarantee.

Best Overall: Baloo

The Baloo Weighted Blanket’s luxurious quality, unique and durable double-quilted stitching and chemical-free, vegan materials earned it the top spot.

See Price at Amazon.com

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