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Even if you've been told to expect miraculous results, the first time you slip under one of the best weighted blankets is still a surprise. They really do have an almost magical calming effect. Wrap yourself up in one, and you'll feel like you're getting a tight bear hug from your best friend. These heavy blankets, typically filled with glass beads or plastic pellets, may technically be pinning you down—but it sure feels like they're holding you tight. And as you give in to the weight, sinking deeper into your bed or your couch, you'll find yourself reaching new levels of serenity and coziness.
Don’t just take our word for it. Almost every online review of a weighted blanket is laced with superlatives about better sleep and alleviated anxiety: “I have never slept so deeply in my life.” “It felt like I was getting a hug all night long.” “You feel so snug, like a little nut wrapped up.”
Like a little nut wrapped up! What more could you ask for?
The same as massage guns or memory foam mattresses, weighted blankets have proven so popular that dozens of companies want a piece of the cuddling action. What can seem like a sea of similar products actually have some meaningful differences in the details. And because we take your rest and relaxation as seriously as we take our own, we've been hard at work testing the best weighted blankets on your behalf. Soft, peaceful work. Our goal was to find high-quality weighted blankets, weighted throw blankets, and weighted comforters that were soft enough for swaddling, yet breathable enough to avoid feeling locked in.
The Best Weighted Blankets, at a Glance
If you simply can't weight (sorry) to get to our top recs… All prices are the brand's 15-pound model, unless otherwise noted.
- The Best Overall Weighted Blanket: Helix Weighted Blanket, $109
- The Best Cooling Weighted Blanket: Baloo Living Weighted Blanket, $199
- The Best Knitted Weighted Blanket: Bearaby Tree Napper, $269
- The Best Weighted Blanket on Amazon: Quility Weighted Blanket, $59
- The Softest Weighted Blanket: Layla Weighted Blanket, $189
- The Best Budget Weighted Blanket: Luna Weighted Blanket, $85
- The Best Weighted Comforter: Brooklinen Weighted Comforter, $349
- The Best Weighted Quilt: Saatva Weighted Blanket, $495
- The Best Weighted Throw: Brooklinen Weighted Throw Blanket, $169
What are weighted blankets?
The hyper-popular Gravity Blanket launched on Kickstarter in 2017 and was the first weighted blanket to really take off. Weighted blankets were initially developed to help soothe, and provide a better night’s sleep to, people who have autism or are suffering from PTSD or high anxiety. Now, they're also used to also help people with insomnia, restless leg syndrome and periodic limb movement disorder, and other issues. They work through deep pressure stimulation of our nervous system, with the firm-but-gentle squeezing or pressing helping to your lower heart rate and blood pressure, among other things. It’s why many people say that snuggling up under a weighted blanket just feels calming.
Do weighted blankets actually work?
From a scientific perspective, the actual benefits of weighted blankets remain wholly unconfirmed (double blind tests are hard to pull off when any tester can immediately tell whether a blanket is weighted or not). Still, the anecdotal evidence is loud and clear. Beyond the rave reviews littering the Internet, multiple GQ editors swear to the comfort-enhancing, anxiety-reducing power of weighted blankets. And even if you don't end up feeling any benefits for anxiety (no blanket can take the place of therapy, after all), isn't it nice to feel like you're swaddled under something cozy?
How to choose the right weighted blanket
Because there are so many weighted blankets to choose from, we recommend making your choice primarily on two criteria: construction and fill. Construction includes the fabric used on the blanket's exterior, care and washing requirements, and the overall breathability of a blanket. By “fill,” we mean the type of material used to give the blanket its heft.
Some blankets are plush or fleece-lined, for the people among us who tend to get cold easily (or share a thermostat with someone who prefers to keep things at arctic temperatures). Others bill themselves as cooling weighted blankets and, similar to cooling sheets, are sewn from breathable fabrics like Tencel and bamboo, which can help alleviate some of the heat that comes with being sandwiched under such a heavy topper. Aesthetically, you prefer a chunky-knit weighted blanket that looks more like a luxe throw, or something comforter-esque that will blend in with the rest of your bedroom setup.
Some blankets are filled with plastic poly pellets. They’re cheap and safe to wash, which helps with long-term care, but can feel rough—and they can also bunch up after a while. Most of the mid-price range blankets use micro glass beads, which are both comfier and considered more environmentally friendly (since there's no plastic eventually added to a landfill). They’re smooth in texture, machine-washable, and naturally heavier than plastic, which means you won’t need as many glass beads within a blanket to match weight. More rarely, blankets are filled with sand, steel shot beads, or organic materials. We even tested a weighted blanket from Sunday Citizen that was filled with crystals like rose quartz (it was softer than it sounds, we promise), if you're into that sort of thing.
Finally, thanks to the popularity of the luxe Bearaby weighted blanket, more knitted blankets have come along that don’t require any fill whatsoever. Instead, they lean on the weight of their fabrics, like chunky cotton or Tencel, woven together with airy holes that form a heavy web of material. These are designed with airflow in mind, to keep you cooler than the average blanket.
How To Choose the Best Weight for a Weighted Blanket
Weighted blankets come in weights ranging from five pounds (largely for kids) to extra-heavy 50-pounders (for stressed-out weightlifters, we assume). Most weighted blanket brands recommend picking a blanket that's about 10% of your body weight (e.g., a 200-pound man should start with a blanket weighing 20 pounds). You can size up if the math puts you between sizes, but size down if you’re considering giving a weighted blanket to a child who might not have the strength to wriggle themselves free. (And this is obvious, but bears saying: never ever give a weighted blanket to a baby or a toddler.) When in doubt, a 15-pound blanket is usually a safe choice.
How We Test Weighted Blankets
To find the best, most-relaxing weighted blankets, we tested the most popular options from brands like Brooklinen, Bearaby, Saatva, and Layla, as well as popular Amazon brands like Quility. We'll freely admit that our testing process for weighted blankets is less scientific than it is subjective. We kept all of the above factors in mind, of course, as well as value for the price. We also considered quality and potential longevity, as a blanket should last for a reasonably long time. We tested a wide range of weighted blankets to figure out the best in certain shopping categories. Whether they were weighted throw blankets or full-size comforters, we also slept under each blanket we tested.
In our search for the perfect blanket, many of the products we tested didn't make the final cut. Ultimately, we decided not to include some blankets we liked, such as The Gravity Blanket, the Casper Weighted Blanket, the Sleep Number True Temp, the Brooklyn Bedding Dual Therapy, the Sunday Citizen Snug Crystal Weighted Blanket, and others. None were bad products, but they offered less value than our top picks in distinct, if sometimes small, ways. Weighted blankets are a competitive space, and a lot of the differentiation came down to details like aesthetics or warranties. In the case of the Gravity Blanket, though it is the OG model that sparked the weighted blanket craze, we do think more stylish options have emerged at a better price point. All of the blankets that did make the cut have gotten the nod from GQ writers and editors.
Below, you'll find the ones we kept, er, gravitating towards.
The Best Weighted Blanket, Overall: Helix
Considering that this company makes our favorite overall mattress, it's no surprise that Helix's weighted blanket is the closest thing to a jack-of-all-trades we've found, largely thanks to its double-sided cover. One side is made with smooth fleece, while the other is a more textured shearling microfiber, like that on your favorite fleece jacket. Either side is super cozy, but having the ability to switch between both sides makes using the blanket a kind of choose-your-own-adventure in comfort. The glass-bead-filled Helix works as a permanent couch throw or as a transitional blanket for your bed in the spring and fall. The blanket only comes in one size—big enough to serve as a blanket for your full-sized bed, but not so big that it would be ridiculous as a throw.
Another major perk: If your dog's been getting a little too comfortable snoozing on it, or it's starting to smell a little unfresh, you can always remove the cover and toss it in the wash to remove any dander or lingering smells.
The Best Breathable Weighted Blanket: Baloo Living
The Baloo weighted blanket offers many of the advantages of the Helix weighted blanket, but in a less dynamic package. Instead of coarser fleece, the slim Baloo blanket has the same kind of smooth, crisp-feeling exterior of a luxe percale sheet. It's not as breathable as one of those thin sheets, but it's a lot more breathable than similar weighted blankets we tested, which makes it ideal for staying cool when the mercury rises during summer (or when you have the heater going full-blast in the winter). The blanket's elegant spaced-out gridded design also looks like something plucked from a rural Italian villa. It’s encased in an airy cotton cover that can be easily tossed in the wash.
The blanket comes in three different sizes, each with a different weight provided by glass microbeads. If you want, you can use the queen-size or king-size with a duvet cover as a comforter. But if that’s not substantial enough for you in colder months, we’d recommend just getting the 12-pound twin-sized blanket and using it as a couch throw.
The Best Knitted Weighted Blanket: Bearaby Tree Napper
Bearaby's weighted blankets aren't like other blankets, since they're a chunky knitted blanket that looks like something grandma could've made. Those loosely woven fabric loops—rather than glass or plastic beads—give this blanket its heft. They also make it hyper-breathable, which can be a pro or a con: if you want to be as warm and cozy as possible, it doesn't lock in warmth. But where naps under most weighted blankets can be sauna-like affairs, the Bearby is hot sleeper's best friend (in addition to some cooling bed sheets).
We first fell in love with The Bearaby Cotton Napper, which is made heavy with nothing but layer upon layer of organic cotton. Now we prefer the company's Tree Napper, which is made of Tencel lyocell fabric—a buttery soft, moisture-wicking fabric developed from eucalyptus fibers. You can't go wrong with either choice, particularly since these blankets are available in several chill colors.
The Best Weighted Blanket on Amazon: Quility Weighted Blanket
The Quility weighted blanket has glowing reviews from Amazon Prime shoppers, so we had to try it for ourselves. Now, we can add our own satisfied review to the mix. This blanket has a textured top and a plush cotton bottom, and it's soft and snuggly in all the right places. We also appreciate that most weights have multiple size options (in addition to color options) so you can find what's best for your bed or couch. In our time with this blanket, the glass beads stayed evenly distributed. Nothing makes us think it's going to fall apart, but there's no warranty, and it's the cheapest option here by more than $20. Though that's the point: Quility's blanket skips the nice-to-haves (like organic cotton) to make an unpretentious blanket that's ready to snuggle. The price and Prime shipping (plus the fact that everyone loves a blanket) also make it highly giftable.
The Softest Weighted Blanket: Layla
Layla's weighted blanket has a reputation for being one of the softest weighted blankets out there, and we can confirm firsthand that the rumors are true. The weight distribution is just right. It's another dual-mode option: one side is cozy and plush like a teddy bear; the other is smooth and cool for warm nights. That said: Layla's blanket isn't the most breathable, so save it for cooler seasons. It also runs slightly small, making it better suited for a couch or reading nook than the bed. On the bright side, it goes on sale fairly frequently on Layla's site—keep your eyes peeled.
The Best Budget Weighted Blanket: Luna
Luna's original weighted blanket is a solid budget option at just $85, which offers one of the widest range of color options that we’ve seen, from solids to stripes and even a sold-out tie-dye print. It’s a great blanket if you don’t want to spend more than a Benjamin but still want quality fabrication (Okeo-Tex certified cotton) to lay under. It also has a smooth texture like some of our more expensive picks, but we found it to be slightly less breathable. The original comes in three sizes (from full to king), but the brand has also expanded its collection of alternatives, with a smaller variation for children, as well as a cooling bamboo option and a sherpa option for winter.
The Best Weighted Comforter: Brooklinen
When you've decided to fully embrace all forms of heavy blankets, it's time for a weighted comforter. As we’ve established, the best comforters are fluffy and warm, yet still breathable like a cloud. Finding one that's also weighted while still hitting all these notes isn't easy. Brooklinen's glass-bead-filled take wins the award for the best weighted comforter by coming the closest. Its cotton sateen shell feels smooth and lightweight, but not overbearingly warm if you stick with it year-round. It also comes in a trio of weights, from a 15-pounder all the way up to a 30-pounder. Be warned: Once you have a weighted comforter, you might find yourself staying in bed for far longer than you intend each morning.
The Best Weighted Quilt: Saatva
Saatva's diamond-stitched blanket has a rich velvety texture that makes it feel more like a fancy quilt from some blueblood country estate with a name like Waspington's Manor than any old blanket. It's also one of the few organic cotton weighted blankets out there, if you care about your sourcing. Since our last update, Saatva's kindly adjusted the weights of the two versions, which were previously on the heavy side—now the throw blanket is 12 pounds (versus 15) and the quilt is 20 pounds (instead of 25). Because it's made of a nicer fabric, Saatva's blanket is dry-clean only—but you can always sell off some of Mother's china if you need to.
The Best Weighted Throw: Brooklinen
It's no surprise that the maker of our favorite weighted comforter also makes a great weighted throw. This Brooklinen option has a textured cotton exterior that feels pleasantly tactile for when you're nervously white-knuckling your way through a horror movie. And while you only have one weight, the 12-pound size feels just right while you're taking a nap on the couch. Though most of the blankets here could be used as a throw blanket, we genuinely love the look of this one when it's tossed over the arm of the couch. The only downside is that it's dry clean-only, so maybe put it to the side when you're ordering in tacos and watching TV.