My Weighted Blankets

Husband and daughter holding up the 12 lb Baloo Weighted throw for size comparision

These are the four weighted blankets I actually own and use at my house. I’ve been using weighted blankets since 2016, and have learned that there are definitely different types for different needs. I wanted to show you the ones I’ve landed on for myself and my family, pointing out some of the differences between each and hard-won learnings I’ve had over the years. If you’re in the market for a weighted blanket, the things I would think about most are: What texture do I want against my skin? How hot do I tend to get when I sleep? And, Do I live with destructive creatures that might require me to get a more durable blanket?

#1: The 12-lb Baloo Weighted Throw

Costs $159.00 Size 42x72 inches

From their marketing materials: “Baloo offers the only 100% cotton weighted blanket on the market (zero plastic, polyester, or synthetic liners). What sets us apart is the high quality of our materials and our cool, premium cotton that can be used comfortably year-round in any climate. We offer duvet covers for additional protection of your blanket and have been called "The Best Weighted Blanket for Hot Sleepers,” endorsed by The Wirecutter, InStyle, Goop, & others. We want people to have this option available to them in hopes it will help them in those hard-to-deal-with moments.” This 12-lb throw is their bestseller. I really like the cool cotton feel of this one, though with our dogs you gotta be careful about the white color. White is a young person’s game. LOL.

#2 The 25-lb Layla Weighted Blanket

Costs $159.00 Size 80x87 inches

This is not my dog.

From the Layla website: “The top side of our weighted blanket is made of plush, soft, mink-like fur. The other side is 300 thread-count 100% cotton that provides a clean, soft, and easily washable surface.”

I bought the Layla weighted blanket because of the photo above on the left. I needed a blanket that would withstand the sharp claws of my nervous-but-darling Taiwanese mountain dog (a dog many people mistake for a coyote). Sleeping with my two dogs is one of my great treats in life, but it can be hard with a weighted blanket. In fact, the first weighted blanket I had would get torn without me knowing, and then plastic beads would mysteriously end up all of the bed. It took me too long to realize what was actually happening. For this reason I’ve gotten very strict about the type of weights that are in the blanket.

“The Layla Weighted Blanket has small glass beads sewn between two layers of poly-fill batting to keep the blanket quiet as a mouse. Hexagon quilting keeps the weight spread evenly across the entire blanket. Unlike many other weighted blankets, it’s completely washable.”

I can confirm that the plush side is incredible, and that my Yuka’s claws have never been able to rip or tear this blanket — and that is an accomplishment.

#3: The 20-lb Hush Iced Queen (First gen)

Costs $199.00 in 2019 Size Queen, 80x87 inches

This is one of my older blanket, back from 2019. According to the Hush marketing materials this is “This is the first ever cooling weighted blanket, and the only full sized and premium weighted blanket made from bamboo on the market. Others sell the inner only as bamboo, and some change the color of their polyester plush cover to blue and call it a cooling blanket, but it's the same materials as their winter blanket. We believe we truly created a special product here in the fabric and its properties.”

In the three years since I got this blanket, things may have changed, but I can tell you that I keep this blanket up in our little loft sleeping area which tends to be hot. The cooling bamboo works — this is the only blanket I would want up there.

#4: The 20-lb Brushed Microfiber

Costs $170.00 in 2018 Size Queen, 80x87 inches

Back in the early days of Beautiful Voyager I experimented with different ways to get the site to pay for itself, and one of those ways was a partnership with Therapeutic Weighted Blankets. The blankets sold like crazy! The woman behind the site, Lisa, who sews the blankets herself, offered me a free blanket (so nice!). I really loved this blanket. Even though it’s 20 lbs, for some reason it felt heavier than any of the other blankets.

I see that this site now has a variety of blankets — cooling, plush, etc. If you want to support a small family-owned business, this is a great one.

My daughter loved this blanket as much as I did.