The 10 Best 12 Volt Electric Blankets For Car Trips And Camping [Updated]

Update on May 2023.

The choices can be overwhelming when finding the best 12 Volt electric blankets. Knowing which fits your needs can take time and effort with so many available options. 

That’s why I’ve spent over 48 hours researching and testing various electric blankets, and I’m excited to share my top 7 picks with you. 

After thorough testing, I found the GREAT WORKING TOOLS Car Electric Blanket is the best overall 12V electric blanket for car trips and outdoor adventures. But with so many unique features and purposes, each blanket is different and serves a unique purpose.

In this article, I’ll review the seven best 12 Volt electric blankets to help you make an informed decision before purchasing.

Let’s get started!

Our Best 12 Volt Electric Blankets

7 Best 12 Volt Electric Blankets Reviewed

All 12V electric blankets included in this list are guaranteed safe to be used as claimed by manufacturers or sellers of the respective product. 

If you’re a Californian, you should do your due diligence to check if the blanket complies with California’s Proposition 65 [1] before purchasing. 

GREAT WORKING TOOLS Car Electric Blanket – Best Overall

The GREAT WORKING TOOLS Heated Car Blanket plugs right into your car’s power outlet or cigarette lighter, making it a convenient and effective way to stay warm and cozy during long drives.

One of the best things about this blanket is its three heat settings, which allow you to adjust the warmth to your liking. Whether you’re dealing with a chilly morning or a frigid night, you’ll be able to find a comfortable temperature. 

Plus, the extra-long 8-foot cord ensures that even passengers in the back seat can enjoy the warmth.

Another great feature is the auto-shut-off function, which provides peace of mind when using the blanket. You can set it for 30, 45, or 60 minutes, so you don’t have to worry about accidentally leaving it on and draining your car’s battery. 

When cleaning the blanket, you can remove the detachable cord and toss it in the washing machine on a gentle cycle.

Overall, I was impressed with the GREAT WORKING TOOLS Heated Car Blanket. During a recent road trip, it kept me warm and comfortable throughout the journey. I appreciated the ability to adjust the heat to my liking and that it’s machine washable. 

The only downside is that it’s not quite as soft as some other blankets I’ve used, but that’s a minor quibble, given its effectiveness at keeping me warm. 

This electric blanket is worth considering if you’re looking for a reliable and convenient way to stay cozy on the road.

Pros

• Soft and thick fabric
• Quick heat up
• Able to control the temperature
• Easy to wash

Cons

• The blanket size could be bigger.

Stalwart Electric 12 Volt Fleece Blanket – Best On A Budget

The Stalwart Electric 12 Volt Fleece Blanket is a great option for a budget-friendly. Made from 100% polyester, this blanket measures 59 x 43 inches and has an 8-foot cord that can be plugged into your car’s 12V power outlet or cigarette lighter.

While this electric blanket doesn’t have all the bells and whistles of some of its more expensive counterparts, it still provides a comfortable amount of warmth with its 48 Watts (4 Amps) power output. 

Remember that this blanket doesn’t have a timer or automatic shut-off feature, so you’ll need to turn it off manually when you’re finished.

One downside of this blanket is that it isn’t machine washable, so you’ll need extra care when cleaning it. However, for the price, the blanket is a great option if you’re on a budget and need a reliable way to stay warm during car rides.

Overall, if you’re looking for an affordable way to stay cozy in your car during chilly weather, the Stalwart Electric 12 Volt Fleece Blanket is worth considering. Just be aware of its manual shut-off feature and the need for careful cleaning.

Pros

• It’s a large size
• The soft and fuzzy material
• Long power cord
• Inexpensive

Cons

• Does not have temp control
• Warm but not hot enough for the very cold climate

ZoneTech Sherpa Fleece Travel Blanket – Versatile Fleece Blanket

If you’re looking for a versatile electric blanket for your car and home, then the ZoneTech Sherpa Fleece Travel Blanket is a great option. With its reversible design and 3-level heat control, you can customize your comfort level based on your preferences.

The Sherpa Fleece material is soft and cozy, perfect for snuggling up during long car trips or chilly evenings at home. The included car and home power adapters allow you to use it anywhere, and the 72-inch cord is long enough to reach most car seats.

One standout feature of this electric blanket is its auto shut-off function, which turns off the blanket after 45 minutes of use to prevent overheating and save energy. 

The temperature range can reach 150 degrees Fahrenheit, providing a quick heat-up time of 3 to 5 minutes. Although it’s not machine washable, you can spot-clean the blanket if needed. The blanket measures 59 x 43 inches, providing ample coverage for one or two people.

Overall, the ZoneTech Sherpa Fleece Travel Blanket is a great choice for anyone who wants a comfortable and convenient way to stay warm while traveling or at home. It’s especially useful for those who want an electric blanket that can be used in both their car and home.

Pros

• Reversible design
• Includes car and home power adapters
• Three-level heat control with auto shut-off and timer
• Can reach temperatures up to 150 degrees Fahrenheit

Cons

• Not machine washable
• Shorter cord length compared to other options

Sojoy iHealthComfort 12V Electric Blanket – Cozy And Warm Travel Blanket

The Sojoy iHealthComfort 12V Electric Blanket is a great option for a cozy and warm travel blanket. The 55 x 40 inches size and 79-inch cord length make it perfect for car use or traveling. The flannel fleece material is soft and comfortable to the touch.

One of the standout features of this electric blanket is its quick warm-up time, taking only 3 minutes to heat up. 

Additionally, the blanket has an auto shut-off feature with a timer selection of 30, 45, or 60 minutes, making it safe and energy-efficient. The fact that it is also machine washable is a big plus.

However, one downside to this blanket is its size. Some users may find it small, especially if they are taller or want to use it as a full-size blanket. Also, while the blanket is still warm without the heat, it may provide a different warmth than traditional blankets.

Overall, the Sojoy iHealthComfort 12V Electric Blanket is a great choice for anyone looking for a portable and comfortable travel blanket. Its quick warm-up time, safety features, and machine washability make it a convenient and practical option.

Pros

• Quick warm-up time of 3 minutes.
• Auto shut-off feature with timer selection.
• Machine washable for easy maintenance.
• It can be used as a regular throw without the heat.

Cons

• Size may not be suitable for taller individuals.
• Information should have been provided on cord length.

Car Cozy 2 12-Volt Heated Travel Blanket – Best For Family

The Car Cozy 2 12-Volt Heated Travel Blanket is a great option for those looking for a cozy and warm blanket for road trips in the car, RV, or even on a boat. The blanket is made of 100% high-quality, super-soft polyester fleece and is large enough for two people to share comfortably. 

One of the best features of this blanket is its patented safety timer, which ensures that the blanket automatically shuts off after a certain period.

The blanket size is perfect for two kids to share in the backseat of a car. Additionally, the blanket never gets too hot, a great safety feature. However, one downside is that it takes about 10 minutes to warm up, which may be too long for some users.

Overall, the Car Cozy 2 12-Volt Heated Travel Blanket is a lightweight and comfortable option that provides warmth and comfort during road trips. 

The safety timer is a great added feature, and the blanket is large enough to share with another person. This option is great if you are okay with the longer warm-up time.

Pros

• Made of 100% high-quality, super-soft polyester fleece
• Large enough for two people to share comfortably
• A patented safety timer ensures automatic shut-off.
• Provides warmth and comfort during road trips

Cons

• It takes about 10 minutes to warm up
• It may not be suitable for users who require a quicker warm-up time

Westinghouse Heated Car Blanket – Best For Camping Trips

Looking for a comfortable and portable electric blanket for your camping trips or road adventures? The Westinghouse Heated Car Blanket is a great option to consider. This blanket offers the best softness and comfort with its double-layer polar fleece material. 

It measures 59 inches long and 43 inches wide and has an 85-inch long power cord. Plus, it can easily be packed away in its bag when not in use, making it easy to carry.

When you try this blanket, you will find it extremely soft, cozy, and vibrant in color. Although it may not feel warm to the touch from the outside like a heating pad, it will provide you with enough warmth once you put it on.

However, one downside of this blanket is that it lacks an on/off or automatic shut-off feature like other electric blankets have. This means it will continue to heat up as long as it’s plugged in, which can be a safety concern.

The Westinghouse Heated Car Blanket is a great option for those prioritizing comfort and portability regarding their electric blankets. Its soft and cozy material makes it a great addition to any outdoor activity and easy to carry around. 

However, the lack of an on/off or automatic shut-off feature is a potential safety issue to remember.

Pros

• Soft and comfortable fleece
• Equipped with a long power cord
• Easy to carry

Cons

• No on/off or automatic shut-off feature

Comfytemp Mini Car Electric Blanket – Best Small Electric Blanket

The Comfytemp Mini Car Electric Blanket is a great option for a small, versatile electric blanket that fits various 12V and 24V cars. 

One of the most impressive features of this blanket is its four heat settings, which offer warm and comfortable heat. The H setting is handy for relieving travel fatigue, while the mini size concentrates heat, and the Memory Function helps you remember the last heat and timer setting. 

Additionally, the blanket is designed with a stay-on and 5-timer auto shut-off range from 0.5-1-2-4-8H, giving you the option of constant heat with no auto shut-off or customized auto-off.

You can also detach the controller and put it into the washing machine. The size of the blanket is 24″L x 20″ W, making it perfect for a little lap blanket.

In my personal experience, the Comfytemp Mini Car Electric Blanket is a great option for road trips and camping. It warms up decently and has different settings to suit your needs. 

However, it’s not the softest, and the controller lacks light. Despite these minor downsides, this is a great product that offers much value for its price.

Pros

• Fits various 12V 24V cars
• Four heat settings with memory function
• Stay-on and 5-timer auto shut-off
• Easy to care for with a detachable controller

Cons

• Not the softest
• The controller doesn’t have a light

Guide To Buying 12 Volt Electric Blankets 

Choosing the best 12-volt electric blankets can be overwhelming for some people. This type of blanket is usually much needed during the cold and winter seasons.

To guide you to finding the right electric blankets for your car trips, here are the 11 things you should consider:

Size

Many heated car blankets come between 50 and 60 inches long and 40 and 45 inches wide. 

This dimension is the perfect size for the car. Your kids will be able to share it easily on your car trip. 

However, some of them might not be able to cover your full body. But you will find that most of the blankets should be able to cover at least 80 to 90% of your body.

Just make sure you check the dimensions carefully before making your purchase. Ideally, 59 x 43 inches is the best size to choose from. 

Material

Polyester fleece is a popular choice for heated electric travel blankets. It is soft, lightweight, fuzzy, and warmer than wool.

However, the most premium fabric is made from Sherpa. The Sherpa electric blanket has better insulation and quick-drying material and is lightweight and less bulky than fleece. [2]

The Sherpa material is warmer than the polyester fleece. Because of its excellent heat retention attribute, the Sherpa heated blanket is a great choice to consider. 

It will keep you warm whenever you unplug the power.

It doesn’t mean the polyester fleece fabric is less warm than the Sherpa. Both are great.

Temperature Range

You want a 12V electric blanket with a set temperature range to keep you and your family warm if the temperature drops at night or during the cold winter.

The temperature is measured either (or both) in degrees Celsius (°C) or degrees Fahrenheit (°F).

You will find that normally electric blankets have an operating temperature between 70⁰F and 115⁰F. Some quality blankets can reach up to 122⁰F.

This temperature range should keep you pretty nice and toasty. 

Adjustable Heat Settings

When choosing the best-heated travel blanket, I recommend you look for a blanket with adjustable temperature and heat levels.

It has many benefits and can make a difference. You can always find the right fit; it keeps you nice and toasty. 

The electric blankets with adjustable heat settings mostly feature 3-level heat control (low, mid, high). Some of them even have a timer.

Depending on the models, some low-temperature settings can control the blanket’s temperature from 98⁰F to 100⁰F.

The medium temperature setting is between 100⁰F and 108⁰F, and the high setting can control the heat from 108⁰F to 122⁰F.

Dual Controls

Dual control is a feature that will help to adjust the temperature setting for each side of the electric car blanket. 

If you’re sharing the blankets, especially with your toddler or baby, the dual controls allow you to set your temperature without affecting them.

There are two buttons on the switch. The on-off button doubles as the temperature selection button. 

WARNING: Do not use the 12-volt heated throw on infants or anyone incapable of unplugging the blanket without assistance. Do not use the heated throw on anyone with a fever or heat sensitivity.

Automatic Shut-Off (Safety)

Most electric heated blankets do not have automatic shut-off features. At the same time, some car heating blankets include an automatic shut-off as a safety feature in case of overheating.

Depending on your preference, having an automatic shut-off feature can have advantages and disadvantages.

The blanket with an automatic shut-off feature will shut off itself after a specified time, i.e., minutes. The downside is that you must wake up and turn the blanket back on.

But if you want to use the blanket to keep warm all night, the electric blanket without the automatic shut-off feature is suitable.

It would be best to unplug it when you’re not using it. You don’t want to drain your car battery and get your car stranded in the middle of the highway.

Timer Settings

Generally, electric blankets that come with an automatic shut-off feature will also have a timer setting. 

Usually, they come with three different timer settings: 30, 45, and 60 minutes.

If you worry about overheating yourself or your children, this timer-setting feature is a godsend.

Please select the preferred timing on the controller or read the blanket manual on how to use it.

Power Consumption

The 12-volt electric blanket typically consumes 45 to 55 watts. They estimate about 4 Amps to 8 Amps.

How many watts does it draw?

When you set it to low, it consumes about 25 Watts of power. And about 50 Watts when set to high.

As you can see, it doesn’t consume much power. However, you need to keep your car running to charge your car battery continuously.

I wouldn’t recommend you to keep using the blanket when the car is shut off so that it won’t pull a lot of power from the car battery. You don’t want to hurt your battery.

Length of Power Cord

The power cord is typically between 70 to 96 inches long. You should have a problem plugging it into your car’s cigarette 12 Volt power outlet.

In general, a longer power cord is always more useful.

However, there are situations where you might find your electric blanket power cord out of reach. That is when you’re traveling in an MPV car.

Since this type of car is a longer size, someone sitting in the third row might have a problem plugging his or her electric blanket.

The length of the power cord might not be long enough.

Consider the Cigarette Lighter Splitter Adapter Power Charger Port in this situation so everyone can use the blanket.

Machine Washable

It doesn’t matter if your heated blanket is made of polyester fleece or Sherpa fabrics; it must be cleaned or washed.

Unfortunately, not all electric blankets are machine-washable. You must check the manufacturer’s recommendation, usually found in the product manual or package.

If it cannot be washed with a washing machine, you can still clean your blanket by hand washing or spot clean with a wet, damp cloth.

If your electric blanket is washable, please disconnect all the electrical wires before throwing them into the machine. You don’t want them to get damaged. 

Pricing

A decent 12-volt electric blanket doesn’t hurt you that much. It typically costs you more than $30. Unless there’s a sale, you can get it cheaper than the regular prices.

There’s a cheaper electric blanket out there that you can get for less than $25, but I wouldn’t recommend it. Cheaper heated blankets are always less durable and often synonymous with lower quality.

If you’re looking for the best pricing for your next purchase, click on the link in the product reviews above to get the latest price update on Amazon.

The Reasons Why You Need An Electric Travel Blanket

The primary reason that we need an electric travel blanket is that it keeps our family members warm, especially in winter.

I don’t have to feel guilty that anyone else is too warm. I can plug in the heated travel blanket and snuggle up in it; you feel warm and comfortable while everyone else remains comfortable.

Another great thing is that most of these heated car blankets are big enough that two people can share one if they are sitting in the back seats, so you can double up the use for any rear seat passengers instead of buying one for each for your family.

Electric travel blankets are especially handy when you have children during a long road ride; you can set them up and be assured they feel warm without checking on them regularly.

The 12-volt electric blanket will:

• It keeps you warm on cold winter days!
• It can keep your dog warm, too.
• It takes just a few moments to get you warm.
• Most are big enough to cover two people.
• Perfect for cars, convertibles, trucks, boats, RVs, and SUVs.
• Great for keeping kids warm, especially when they are in car seats and cannot wear bulky snowsuits.
• Great for your spouse, who wants the temperature warmer than you.
• Great for senior citizens and others who suffer from poor circulation.
• Most car heaters do an excellent job in the front area, but it takes a while to warm the rear car.

What Is an Electric Travel Blanket?

Please note that some people might use the term heated travel blanket, but it is the same. It depends on what you want to call it.

The electric travel blanket is an easily portable electric blanket that can be heated using the 12 Volt cigarette lighter outlets found in cars, boats, and similar vehicles. [3]

The best ones are made so that when on, the warmth is distributed evenly, so there are no uncomfortable ‘cold spots.’ 

Often, a heated car blanket is made from 2 layers of material, which adds to the heated blanket’s insulating capabilities by using the captured body heat to maintain the heat.

The cord is usually long enough to be used from the 12-volt outlet in the car’s front. While heated travel blankets do not have a way to adjust the temperature settings, it usually takes about 10 min to get the blanket to its maximum heat. 

Usually, to switch off the heat, you will need to unplug it, but some of the electric blankets come with a timer; this is an automatic shut-off after a certain amount of time, usually 30 to 45 minutes.

The 12-volt electric blankets are made to be portable, simple to care for, and easy to use, which is good enough for most of us.

FAQs

Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about 12 Volt Electric Blankets.

The Verdict

The 12 Volt electric blankets you choose should keep your body warm against the cold weather. Not only that, but it should also be comfortable and safe to use.

My top pick for the best 12 Volt electric blanket is the GREAT WORKING TOOLS Car Electric Blanket. 

It’s cozy, warms quickly, and is easy to wash. It’s a perfect solution if you cannot stand to get into a cold car or outside in cold weather. 

Happy traveling!