I have used electric blankets for longer than I care to remember. I have used Sunbeam products for much of that time and lived through the era of the clicking controls, etc., with and other similar foibles having been corrected over the years.

I viewed the introduction of the microwire products as a clever option and left some time pass to allow perfection of the product. It seems that during this time the quality control of the Sunbeam product began to decline and I had to return several for various defects either in the wiring or the controllers; therefore, I decided to try the new technology, and after some research, I decided on this brand.

I waited for about 5 months from the time of purchase to write the review so as to get a reasonable impression of reliability. Not only was I not disappointed, I was truly gratified with my decision.

The blanket works on a low voltage format with dual step down transformers on the king model.
This greatly reduces the risk of burn or fire. For those who want a toasty hot blanket, this is not the blanket for you, but I would argue that this is not really the purpose of this product which is beautifully designed to provide an adjustable scale of even heat throughout the night. I would suggest that if you need a blast of heat quickly when you go to bed, have small electric hair drier handy to use CAREFULLY for a half minute or so under the co era to provide that instant heat infusion and then let this blanket take over.

If you turn the blanket on high setting for about an hour before bedtime, you will find the sheets nicely heated when you retire. The blanket control has an auto shutoff feature at about 10 hours post initial setting time, so if you are planning a long night's sleep, and have set up the preheat at an early hour, I suggest that you turn the controller off and then on again before retiring to initiate a new shutoff cycle so as to avoid a cold bed at the end of sleep.

The blanket is made of microfiber and is soft without that that slightly rubbery feeling characteristic of some of those products, and it's fit and finish exudes quality. You barely can perceive the wiring. You can tuck the blanket under the mattress but the connector must be face up; however due to the fragile nature of the electrical wires, that bending is not recommended. Best method is to just drape the blanket over the sheet which works in a maximally flexible manner for orienting the length of blanket available according to taste.

I have found that the blanket control works best set at 8-9 for ambient temperatures ranging from 40 -70, on high for lower outside temps , and lower controller temps during the summer season. The two controllers work completely independently of each other.

The blanket has worked flawlessly since the initial day of service. I am in the process of ordering a second identical blanket so I'll have it at the ready in the future. I'll post a follow-up at one year to give people a better idea on longterm reliability. It stands to reason that because of the more delicate wiring, more care may be necessary on a day to day basis, particularly sitting omit or folding back on itself for prolonged periods when the current is on.. Although the blankets are officially machine washable, it might be wisest to take it to a professional laundry where they exercise respect for delicate fabrics ......yes such places ARE out there.

BOTTOM LINE : Highly recommended.

Uncomplicated, but effective controls. Cannot feel the heating elements. Extremely comfortable

This is a great heated blanket. Excellent color choices, correct sizing (for the full), good labeling and instructions, washable, no visible (or conspicuous wires) and it's a low voltage device. However, the Safe and Warm Controller (Model 120-18VG16PT2) is totally unreliable. I've had two of these blankets and controllers have failed on both: one within a year; the other within 3 years. For background, read some of the reviews of the product. I would recommend this blanket ahead of others, but please expect a limited lifespan. Perhaps it's good to replace the product every three years anyway?

I've owned three previous low voltage electric blankets for different beds over time and I am sold on the technology. I won't go into all of the details because you wouldn't be here looking at them if you didn't already know the pros and cons. I just want to add a few personal observations to what you already know.

One is that for whatever reason there are some places that think these things should cost a fortune. The technology here isn't rocket science, a low voltage blanket shouldn't cost any more than a regular one. Oddly with this brand the tan color I chose was much less than any other color or brand, with the identical thing in some other colors costing almost three times as much. Shop carefully if color isn't a major issue for you, it's not for me "“ the blanket will always be hidden under a bedspread anyway.

Compared to some others this one has a rotary control dial. I prefer that, it is simpler to use especially in the dark, there is a wider range of temperatures and less to go wrong. I would not feel the same way about rotary controls for regular electric blankets because some of them turn on and off with a loud clicking sound but this one is totally silent. I think the way it works is that it keeps a constant temperature rather than clicking on and off. And speaking of sounds, some have noted that they hear a high pitched sound with some blankets. I don't think that is normal, I've never heard it from any low voltage blanket I've owned and I don't hear it from this one.

As far as being a fire hazard, the reality is that anything that uses electricity can become a fire hazard, it is total luck of the draw. They sell millions of these things and it is very rare that one has a problem and who knows, that could be due to a thousand different thing, including user abuse or misuse. This particular model has over 3000 customers reporting about it and literally a handful who may have encountered a defect or misused it. I had a car once that had an engine fire, I would never think of saying I'll never own a Ford again because they can catch fire. In other words I wouldn't worry about it.

If you have never actually used a low voltage blanket you might think at first that it doesn't get as hot as a regular electric blanket. That's only partially true, most traditional electric blankets get hot, turn off, cool down and get hot again. A low voltage blanket raises the temperature under the blanket enough to warm you up and keep you warm at a constant temperature. Different technologies, same results. In terms of actual real life use, the first night which was very cold I started it at the 5 position and it was very toasty, in fact it was too warm for me. I ended up settling on the 2 position as my ideal sleeping temperature. It's simply not true that low voltage blankets don't get warm, I think if I turned it all the way up to 10 I could fry an egg on it.

And one more thing for those who have never owned one "“ the difference between sleeping under a blanket with thick wires in it and a big electrical junction box at your feet, and the concern of electrical energy waves sinking into your body compared to not feeling any wires, not kicking a big heavy plug all night and knowing that only low voltage is being used, well the difference is like night and day. Note that on this blanket the part that plugs into the blanket is very small and it is located at the very edge where you could never feel it.

I bought this blanket for my sister and her husband. Her husband who is 71, was constantly complaining about being cold at night and this one keeps him perfectly warm. They'd had a different brand heated blanket before but it hadn't lasted long and even set on high it had never kept him warm enough. I did a lot of research on heated blankets using Amazon reviews as well as independent review sites and also visited the manufacturers sites to get as much information as I could on the blankets available. I liked what I read about this one, and despite some negative reviews I bought this one. My sister, and perhaps more importantly, her husband, absolutely love this blanket. I ordered the King size and it fits their bed perfectly. Upon removing it from the plastic bag it was packaged in, there was no odd or strange smell. The blanket itself is lightweight as are the coils inside it. The heat is evenly distributed. The heat settings on this model go up numerically to a 9, with the next and last setting being "High." Her previously cold husband mostly sets it at 7, and sometimes is comfortable enough to turn it off during the middle of the night. The King blanket size has 2 dials. The heat control is a lighted dial that you turn and is easily read in the dark. My sister likes this versus the old blanket's controls that were adjusted by up and down arrows to electronically select the heat number. She will set the blanket controls on 6 to preheat the bed. Once in bed, she turns her side off as she doesn't require the heat all night, and her husband turns his side up to 7. This has been an excellent buy and as the gift giver, I couldn't be happier with how much they love it. And yes, after her husband thanked me for the blanket for the 5th time I asked if he could leave me something in his will and he said "Yes." Now I just have to figure out what I want!