Comparison among Traditional Electric Blankets, Water – heated Blankets and Far – infrared Electric Blankets

I. Working Principles

Traditional Electric Blankets
Traditional electric blankets rely on electric heating elements for heating. They have a double – spiral structure of heating wires inside, with one layer being the heating wire and the other being the temperature – sensing protection wire. Once powered on, the heating wire generates heat to keep warm.

Water – heated Blankets
Water – heated blankets can be divided into two types: with a pump and without a pump. The pump – equipped water – heated blanket consists of a main unit and a blanket body. The main unit includes heating, temperature – control and circulation systems. It heats the water first and then pumps the hot water to circulate in the plastic water pipes within the blanket body for heating. For the non – pump water – heated blanket, the water in the closed water tank is heated, and the hot water circulates in the plastic pipes in the blanket body due to the pressure generated by the thermal expansion of water.

Far – infrared Electric Blankets
Far – infrared electric blankets utilize far – infrared heating technology. Commonly, materials such as carbon fiber are used as heating elements. When powered on, the heating elements convert electrical energy into far – infrared radiant heat, thus generating heat. And the far – infrared rays with a certain wavelength have certain health – care effects on the human body.

II. Safety

Traditional Electric Blankets
Since there are electric heating wires inside, if the heating wires are aged, damaged or folded improperly, there may be safety hazards such as electric leakage and short – circuit. Moreover, strong induced electricity may be generated during use.

Water – heated Blankets
The design of separating water and electricity makes them relatively safe. There are no electric heating wires in the blanket body, so there is no risk of electric leakage. However, if the quality of the main unit of the pump – equipped water – heated blanket is not up to standard or it is used improperly, malfunctions may occur.

Far – infrared Electric Blankets
Generally speaking, far – infrared electric blankets operate at a low voltage, so they are relatively safe. And there is no open flame when heating, which is not easy to cause fire hazards.

III. Comfort

Traditional Electric Blankets
Long – term use may lead to water loss in the human body, making people feel dry in the mouth. Besides, the temperature is not very uniform, and local overheating is likely to occur.

Water – heated Blankets
Heating by water circulation makes the temperature uniform. There will be no local overheating phenomenon, and it is not easy to cause symptoms such as body dryness and getting internal heat, so it is more comfortable to use.

Far – infrared Electric Blankets
When heating, it will not produce a dry and hot feeling. The far – infrared rays generated are easy to resonate with human skin and cell tissues, and can penetrate deep into the skin and subcutaneous tissues, thus producing a warming effect. It may also promote human health while heating.

IV. Convenience of Use

1. Traditional Electric Blankets
   They are simple to operate. Just plug in the power and they can be used. But they cannot be folded or wetted. When storing, care should be taken to avoid excessive bending, and generally they cannot be washed.
2. Water – heated Blankets
   When using, it is necessary to add and drain water for the main unit, so the operation is relatively complicated. Moreover, the main unit and the blanket body are relatively large in volume, which is not convenient for storage. However, the blanket body of some water – heated blankets can be separated from the main unit and support folding for storage.
3. Far – infrared Electric Blankets
   Most of them can be folded, which is convenient for storage and carrying. Some also support washing, so they are relatively convenient to use.

V. Price

1. Traditional Electric Blankets
   The price is relatively cheap and is the lowest among the three types of electric blankets.
2. Water – heated Blankets
   The price is moderate, generally ranging from several hundred yuan to over a thousand yuan, which is higher than that of traditional electric blankets.
3. Far – infrared Electric Blankets
   Due to the use of special heating materials and technologies, the price is relatively high, especially for some far – infrared electric blankets with good quality.

VI. Service Life

1. Traditional Electric Blankets
   If not used and maintained properly, the heating wires are prone to aging, so the service life is relatively short.
2. Water – heated Blankets
   If used and maintained correctly, their service life is relatively long, which can reach several years or even about ten years.
3. Far – infrared Electric Blankets
   The performance and quality of the heating elements have a great influence on the service life. High – quality far – infrared electric blankets have a relatively long service life.