This energy-saving winter essential feels more like a luxury - it's my new favourite

Morphy Richards EverCosy Large Luxury Fleece Electric Heated Throw: £99.99 at Morphy Richards UK

Available in size small and large, this throw is a dream come true. You can choose between neutral mocha as well as rich green and navy colourways.

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At the top of everyone's Christmas list this year is the Morphy Richards EverCosy Heated Throw. Or, at least, it will be as soon as your find out more about it. Simultaneously stylish, cosy and energy-efficient, this is perfect for the colder seasons.

It feels like everyone claims to make the best electric blanket, which is why I like to test every recommendation I hear. When Morphy Richards launched the brand new EverCosy, I was promised that this is the most-coveted piece in their whole collection and so, naturally, I took to the sofa to test it out.

As a cold person, it's difficult to get a really good review out of me for anything that claims to be an easy way to keep your house warm for less. However, I think the Morphy Richards EverCosy might have sealed the deal.

Morphy Richards EverCosy Heated Throw review

Who would the Morphy Richards EverCosy Heated Throw suit?

If, like me, you feel the cold easily, welcome to the world of luxury. This marries a naturally soft flannel fleece and faux fur layer with extremely versatile heat settings (that come with a 9 hour timer, so you could use this overnight). I used this after cold water swimming (once I was dry) and I also stayed wrapped up with it when I worked from home, because it costs less than 1p per hour to run, which is a lot less than my heating bills*. It's also got an impressive span that can really wrap up one person, but it also makes a great layer for multiple people on the sofa, or even over a king size bed (I checked).

In the same vein as my cold friends, it's also great for those who need fast blasts of heat, as well as those who want finely-tuned control over how hot they are. The nine temperature and nine hour settings give you enough room to reach your optimal set-up, without overwhelming you with options.

Whilst it's lovely to bask in the luxury of the feel, power, and warmth of the Morphy Richards EverCosy, it's also worth noting that this is a practical purchase. The dark colours don't show up mess very much and it is completely washing machine safe, once you unplug the cord. It also has an overheat protection integrated too, so if you value peace of mind, you've got it.

*If you want more help on working out costs, we have a page dedicated to how much electric blankets cost to run.

Unboxing the Morphy Richards EverCosy Heated Throw

When I'm snuggling up on the sofa, I don't want my heated throw to skim on size, which is why I tested the plushest, biggest electric heated throw in the Morphy Richards collection. When it arrived, I assumed that I had clicked on the wrong product because the box that this comes in is really compact. However, after opening it up and unfolding the whole throw, I realised that it's just efficient packing.

The box is completely recyclable, including the useful carry candle that sits on top of the packaging. Morphy Richards does also send a little 'getting started' leaflet, but it's all so intuitive you won't need to give the brochure more than a glance.

What is the Morphy Richards EverCosy Heated Throw like to use?

I'm not one for hyperbole and I don't dish out superlatives lightly, but this is the luxury experience when it comes to heated throws. It takes a lot of time to notice the little touches that make the difference between a premium and an average heated throw, but the Morphy Richards EverCosy has them all.

To start with, the span of the Morphy Richards EverCosy is extensive. You can see it folds up neatly to be sat over the back of a chair or sofa, but when you unfurl the folds upon folds of fabric, you could fit three people under it. Testing it on my own, I could wrap myself completely in this: it could go over my head, around my back, around my front, and cover my feet. As a far as an easy ways to make your home cosy go, this is the simplest.

Without any power running through it, this feels cosy. The material, which we're about to get into, is naturally super-soft and warming, so I'd happily treat this as a throw to snuggle under, but, of course it's more than that.

You'll spot that there are two sides to this. There's a plush, faux fur quilting side and a more velvety side that Morphy Richards calls 'flannel fleece'. You can choose which sits against your skin, but I suspect it's been designed for the flannel fleece to be face down, as that's the way for a number of reasons. First, the faux fur is the side that has the beautiful quilting. It's a smart look that would be wasted if it was folded away. Secondly, the flannel fleece against your skin is the position that suits the lead and washing tags the best. Finally, I'd wager that the flannel fleece is more durable for being brushed up against the oils of your skin and clothes.

There's a simple controller which is easily the nicest that I've used. Most feel retro and almost clunky with their buttons and hazy screens, but the white lights of this with its glowing numbers is the most modern, sophisticated interface I've seen.

The remote control has a dial that lets you press + or - to change the 9 hour adjustable timer and 9 temperature settings too. The good news is that it is build with overheat protection, so if having it at full blast for nine hours poses a safety problem, the blanket will turn off.

This got its first proper test after cold water swimming. I go every weekend (in spite of my appalling circulation) and come home with hands that are so numb I can't use my keys to unlock the door. I wrapped myself up like I had done in the first test of the Morphy Richards and had this on full blast. Within ten minutes, I felt human again. Actually, if anything, I had to come out of the blanket because I was a little too warm.

Knowing that the Moprhy Richards Ever Cosy can to fast blasts of heat is great, but I wanted to check low and slow styles of keeping cosy too. I've mentioned that this feels warm, even when its off thanks to the fabric. However, if you want a touch extra, the first heat setting is wonderful. Yes, it's subtle, but it's like a warmth that matches your body heat.

The best way I can describe the low and slow heating settings are that they feel like they have body heat on them. You know when you're cold and someone takes off their jumper to give you? Or you climb onto a seat that someone has been watching TV in just seconds before? It's like that, but cosier and in blanket form.

Cleaning and storage

It's important for these blankets to stay hygienic too: what's cosiness if it's not clean too. Luckily, Morphy Richards designed the remote to be removed, so that it can be popped in the washing machine as and when you need to wash it.

The dark colourway that I opted for was very forgiving. I'm clumsy and I love chocolate (in all forms), so it's very tricky to find a piece of my clothing or furniture that hasn't entered into battle with chocolate at least once. In the weeks that I snuggled under this, I couldn't spot the chocolate, dog hair, or any other spills that may have befallen it. That doesn't mean I didn't wash it, because I am a creature of routine and hygiene, but it's good to know that the darker colourway protected against pets, children, and clumsy adults.

How does the Morphy Richards EverCosy Heated Throw compare?

We're in the season of heated throws and electric blankets, which means that the Morphy Richards EverCosy has some stiff competition. As luxury electric blankets go, next in line, I'd put The White Company's Faux Fur Electric Blanket. This has thicker fur, more of a velvet feel, and an equally versatile set-up for the remote control (although I still prefer the remote on the Morphy Richards).

The White Company's throws come in blush and grey, which are both quite light colourways, so potentially more of a risk for busy homes. Morphy Richards has a light colourway (mocha), but the green and navy are both rich and more forgiving. They're also £75 cheaper and a lot bigger, so much better suited to family homes. Both The White Company and Morphy Richards deliver on the cosy, luxury feel, but I think the latter is more family-friendly (and I'd wager that it'll stand the test of time well too.)

Should you buy the Morphy Richards EverCosy Heated Throw?

Up until this point, I swore by the Dreams Fleece Heated Throw. Not to put another electric blanket in the mix, but for your information the Dreams has a velvet and fleece combination that I find utterly irresistible. However, the Morphy Richards EverCosy Heated Throw offers a lot more luxury, plush layers, and a nicer set of controls for a similar price. So, although the Dreams did sit at the top of my list, I think it might have just been shuffled down a place by this...

Morphy Richards EverCosy Large Luxury Fleece Electric Heated Throw: £99.99 at Morphy Richards UK

Available in size small and large, this throw is a dream come true. You can choose between neutral mocha as well as rich green and navy colourways.

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