Weighted Blanket Buying Guide: What to Look For

There are so many weighted blanket brands and so many options within those brands that it can be overwhelming to sort out which one is best for you and your kids. 

I know because I found it overwhelming when I was trying to figure out which ones to recommend to my clients for anxiety and sleep.

I’ve examined dozens of weighted blanket descriptions and tested several myself to identify markers of quality and the factors that matter most when choosing the right blanket for individual preferences and purpose.

Here's what I discovered. 

12 Key Factors to Consider When Choosing a Weighted Blanket

These are important considerations when choosing a weighted blanket. Each one affects comfort, usability, or long-term satisfaction in a different way.

Key factors include: weight, size, fabric, weight source, quietness, weight distribution, anti-leak construction, duvet cover design, washability, warmth, cost, and guarantee.

🟢➜ For specific information about how different brands of blankets stack up when compared for the 12 considerations, check out my blog post: Best and Worst Weighted Blankets Reviews.

1. What is a good weight for your weighted blanket?

These formulas for calculating the weight of your blanket are broadly accepted as general rules:

Adults: 10% of ideal body weight

The most common weights for adults are 15 and 20 lbs.

Some weighted blanket companies take a different approach to choosing the correct weight. For example, this is what Luxome says about optimizing weighted blanket weight:

"Selecting a blanket based on body weight is actually incorrect and not based on science or fact. The correct measurement is actually the weight per area of the blanket. We conducted our own studies and found an ideal weight per square foot that nearly all men, women, adults, and children agreed on. All Luxome weighted blankets are optimized to this ratio, so just select a size and you can rest assured it’s the perfect weight." 

🟢➜ I talk more about the Luxome weighted blanket options in this post: Best and Worst Weighted Blankets Reviews. 

2. What size weighted blanket should I get?

These blankets come in a variety of sizes for children, adults, and couples. 48"x72" is the most common size for adults to use for sleeping or as a throw blanket.

Weighted blankets are meant to cover you from your shoulders to your toes. They aren't intended to cover the bed and go over the sides like a typical blanket or duvet.

3. What fabrics do they use for weighted blankets?

There is a wide variety of fabrics to choose from. My preference is for naturally sourced fabrics such as those made from cotton or bamboo. 

Bamboo has many bonus qualities that may make it even better than cotton. Bamboo is highly absorbent, very breathable, ultra-soft, and hypoallergenic, as well as odor, mold, mildew, and bacteria resistant. For people who tend towards being hot when they sleep, bamboo may be helpful as it tends to be cooler than other fabrics, including cotton.

The outer layers of weighted blankets can be smooth or "minky." Minky fabrics are plush polyester that often has varied depth, resulting in intermittent raised areas. They seem to be fairly common in weighted blankets because they are reminiscent of some baby blankets and potentially have soothing benefits. Personally, I don't think polyester is a great sleeping companion. 

Some blankets provide 2 options in one by having a minky side and a plain-fabric side. 

4. What's the weight source in weighted blankets?

The most common weight sources are plastic or glass beads. Some newer designs are using quartz or ceramic beads.  

Besides being unnatural, plastic beads tend to be large, give a lumpy texture to the blanket, and bunch up. Plastic weight sources are used by so few brands now that it is a marker of blankets that are cheaply constructed and poorly engineered. 

Look for manufacturers to mention that their weight source is non-toxic. 

5. Quietness: You don't want a noisy blanket.

Weighted blankets should feel calming, not distracting. Some lower-quality blankets make noticeable noise when you move, often described as rustling, clicking, or shifting sounds.

Noise usually comes from large plastic beads or poorly constructed internal pockets that allow the weight to move too freely. Better-made blankets tend to use smaller beads and tighter pocket construction, which helps keep the weight stable and reduces sound.

Because this can be an issue, some manufacturers specifically mention that their blankets are “quiet” or “noiseless” in product descriptions. You might also look at reviews to see if this issue is addressed. 

6. Even weight distribution is important.

To get the hug benefits from weighted blankets, the weight must be distributed evenly across the surface area.

Most brands address the issue of weight distribution by using quilt-like stitching of square "pockets" into the blanket, so the pellets or other weight sources can't shift with use and undermine the purpose of the blanket.

The size of pockets sewn into the blanket will impact its ability to maintain weight distribution. 5" x 5" was a common quilting size for weighted blankets, but in 2024, many blankets offer smaller pocket sizes. The smallest I have seen is 2"x2". (See my Weighted Blanket Reviews article for more about pocket sizes in current blankets.)

7. Look for assurance that the blanket has anti-leak construction.

Look for the manufacturer to mention that they have taken precautions that the pellets won't leak through the fabric or stitching with use. 

8. Does it have a duvet cover? How does it attach?

Removable duvet covers are an option with some of the weighted blankets. Some come with a duvet cover as one purchase, and others have an option to buy a cover separately.

A well-designed cover can make a significant difference in day-to-day use and maintenance.

Take note of the number of duvet cover connection tie loops there are on the blanket. Four is the minimum, but many blankets have more connection tie loops so that the weight of the blanket doesn't shift inside the cover. The highest number of tie connections I came across was 16. (That blanket makes my "best weighted blankets" list.)

Some brands are now offering a zippered duvet cover. I am currently testing a couple of these to check for advantages. 

9. Is the weighted blanket washable?

It seems to me that the ability to wash a blanket is important, but some weighted blanket brands are not washable. The worst say they need to be dry cleaned or spot cleaned. That is much less common than when I first started looking into weighted blankets in 2019. Now, most are at least hand washable and hang to dry, and the best are machine washable and dryable.  

I think it's important that the weighted blanket be washable, even if it has a duvet cover. 

10. What level of warmth do you like?

Weighted blankets don't have to be hot. Some have additional batting or heavy fabrics that will make them warmer than others. Many mention that they are "cool."

Minky covers add warmth. Bamboo may be the coolest.

Look for what suits your personal preference. 

11. How much do weighted blankets cost?

These blankets come in a wide range of costs, from $30 to $250+. 

12. Does the blanket come with a guarantee?

Many of the weighted blanket manufacturers are willing to back up their product with a 30-day risk-free return guarantee. Some have 3-month, 1-year, or even lifetime warranties. These seem like big pluses to me, since you can't know how it will work out for you without giving it a test run. 

Weighted Blankets Reviews

🟢➜ Click here to see my Best and Worst Review lists for weighted blanket brands. 

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