The short answer

  • No, a heated mattress pad uses very little electricity. Most are rated somewhere around 50 to 200 watts, depending on bed size and how many controls they have.
  • A 100-watt pad left on high for 8 hours costs about 14 cents a night at typical U.S. rates. On a low setting it often comes to a dollar or two a month.
  • A 1,500-watt space heater uses roughly 10 to 15 times more power over the same night.
  • The pad saves you money only if it lets you turn the thermostat down at night.

No, a heated mattress pad doesn’t use a lot of electricity. Most draw between 50 and 200 watts, so even left on high until morning, one costs a few cents a night and a few dollars a month.

What matters more for your bill is what the pad lets you turn off. If the furnace runs less at night or the space heater stays in the closet, the pad pays for itself quickly. Below is the math, updated for October 2026 as heating season starts.

In this article

How much electricity does a heated mattress pad use?

A typical heated mattress pad draws about 50 to 200 watts at full power. Twin sizes sit at the low end. Queen and king pads with two separate controls land near the top when both sides are turned all the way up.

That’s about what a TV draws, and nowhere near a hair dryer or a space heater. Also, the number on the label is a ceiling, not what the pad pulls every hour.

The controller has a thermostat that switches the heating wire on and off. On low or medium, the pad spends a good part of the night drawing no power at all.

How do you figure out what your pad costs to run?

Multiply the wattage by the hours you run it, divide by 1,000, then multiply by your electric rate. The result is your cost per night.

The wattage is printed on the tag sewn into the pad or on a sticker on the controller. Your rate is on your utility bill, listed in cents per kilowatt-hour. The U.S. residential average has been in the high teens of cents, but your area may be well above or below that, so use your own number.

Here’s how it works out at 17 cents per kilowatt-hour:

  • A 100-watt pad on high for 8 hours uses 0.8 kilowatt-hours. That’s about 14 cents a night, or roughly four dollars a month.
  • Preheat that same pad on high for 30 minutes, then leave it on low, and it might use around 0.3 kilowatt-hours a night. That’s about 5 cents a night, or a dollar and a half a month.
  • A dual-control king with both sides on high, around 200 watts total, for 8 hours comes to about 27 cents a night, or eight dollars a month. Treat this as the worst case.

Most people end up somewhere in between. If you’d like a real number instead of an estimate, plug an electricity usage monitor in between the outlet and the controller and check it after a week.

Is a heated mattress pad cheaper than heating the bedroom?

Yes, by a lot. A standard plug-in space heater runs at 1,500 watts on high, so 8 hours uses 12 kilowatt-hours, which is about two dollars a night at 17 cents.

That’s roughly 15 times the cost of a 100-watt pad over the same night. Space heaters cycle too, but they have to warm all the air in a room. A pad only has to warm the spot where you’re lying.

The thermostat is where the real savings are. The U.S. Department of Energy says turning your thermostat back 7 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit for 8 hours a day can save up to 10 percent a year on heating and cooling. A warm bed makes that setback easy to live with.

One possible side effect of a cooler bedroom is more fog on the windows in the morning in some homes. If that starts happening, here’s how to stop condensation on the inside of your windows without turning the heat back up.

Does the heat setting make a big difference?

Yes, the setting matters more than the size of the pad. On high, the heating wire runs most of the time. On low, the thermostat may keep it on for only a small part of each hour.

The cheapest routine is to preheat. Turn the pad on high 20 to 30 minutes before bed, then drop it to low or switch it off when you get in. Your body heat and the covers hold the warmth for hours.

Most newer pads have an automatic shut-off, so a pad you forget about won’t run all day. Many also have timers that let you set a shorter run.

If you get hot once you’re asleep, preheat the bed and then turn the pad off. Pair that with one of these cooling pillows for side sleepers so the bed is warm when you get in but your head stays cool overnight.

Does a heated mattress pad use more than an electric blanket?

No, they’re close, and neither one will change your bill much. Both use thin heating wires and draw similar wattage for the same bed size.

The pad has one practical advantage. Heat rises, so your sheets and comforter hold it in between you and the pad, and many people find they can use a lower setting. An electric blanket on top loses more of its heat to the room.

If you sleep under a weighted blanket, a pad is the better match, because electric blanket instructions generally warn against putting heavy covers on top. Heated bedding also has strict washing rules, a lot like washing a weighted blanket in a regular washing machine, so read the tag before the first wash.

When is a heated mattress pad not worth buying?

It isn’t worth it if you won’t turn the thermostat down. The pad is cheap to run, but it only saves money when it replaces heat you were already paying for.

It’s also a poor fit for hot sleepers who already kick the covers off. For a lot of bedrooms that are only a little chilly, flannel sheets and a heavier comforter do the job and cost nothing to run.

If you already own an older pad, check it before the season starts. A cracked cord or scorch marks on the fabric mean it’s time to replace it, and older models often don’t have the automatic shut-off that newer ones include.

Frequently asked questions

How many watts does a heated mattress pad use?

Most heated mattress pads are rated between about 50 and 200 watts. Twin pads are at the low end, and queen or king pads with dual controls are higher when both sides are on. The exact number is on the tag or the controller label.

Is it safe to leave a heated mattress pad on all night?

Pads sold for overnight use are designed for it, and most newer ones shut off on their own after several hours. Follow the manual and keep the cord out of the bed frame where it could get pinched. Don’t use a pad with a damaged cord or controller.

Does a heated mattress pad raise your electric bill much?

Not much. Used every night for a winter month, a pad adds roughly one to eight dollars, depending on its size, the setting, and your local rate. If it lets you lower the thermostat at night, your total bill can go down.

Should I turn a heated mattress pad off once I’m in bed?

You don’t have to, but it’s the cheapest way to use one. Preheating for 20 to 30 minutes and then switching to low or off uses a small fraction of the power of running it on high all night. Your covers hold the heat longer than most people expect.

If the electric bill is what’s stopping you from getting a heated mattress pad, you can stop worrying about it. It’s one of the cheapest ways to sleep warm, and you save the most when you turn the thermostat down a few degrees once you’re in bed.

Shopping during Prime Big Deal Days? Get dual controls if two people share the bed, and look for an automatic shut-off. Then check our home deals page for what’s marked down this week, plug in your own wattage and rate, and do the math once.