Dreamaker heated throw – personal heating at its best (review)

06/08/2024
By Ray Shaw
In Reviews

The Dreamaker heated throw is personal heating at its best and cheapest. After all, it is better and far less costly to heat the person—not the air around them.

Following our 2024 guide update Winter is here – time to think about portable heaters, we received lots of feedback to explore personal heating – where the device heats the person, not the air around them. We also got feedback that we needed to cover electric blankets, throw rugs, rechargeable hot water bottles, pillows and ‘hugs’.

So, we looked for items with some tech – not just plug-in ‘blankies’. This is the second of several personal heating device reviews. Read Dreamaker Multi-zone Electric Blanket – Personal heating review.

Aussie company Dreamaker seems to lead the field in electric blankets and throws (thank goodness no one has added AI to that equation) and we appreciate them supplying these review items.

Options Galore

Dreamaker offers faux mink, chunky embossed fleece, eyelash fleece, faux fur, checkered, chinchilla, regular, reversible, weighted …

Add colours, including coral, Eden green, Emerald green, silver, latte, mocha, charcoal, light grey, Blush pink, cream, sage, lavender, Pink/cream, olive/cream, stone white, mustard gold, and more.

Let’s not forget sizes and weights

Personal (one chair) 160 x 120cm or 130cm
Couple (couch size) 200 x 180cm
Base: from 220gsm flannel fleece
Top: From 280gsm to 310gsm faux fur

Or controllers

All Dreamaker heated throws use the JPS-3H-9 controller, which features pre-heat, eight heat levels (a total of nine), and a 3-hour auto-off safety timer. The controller is detachable, and the throw can be hand or machine-washed.

Off to Kmart et al. (again)

Never having used a heated throw, we needed some benchmarks. So we went to several stores and found that they are highly desirable items.

Kmart: Anko, 160 x 120cm (single), Grey/White, 1.6kg, 9 heat/1-9-hour timer, not washable. It was dirt cheap at $39 and on clearance at $27. It also felt cheap and elegant.
Tontine: $109.95 Extra-large 200 x 180cm (double but wiring covered only 103 x 106cm), Dark denim fleece, washable, 10 heat settings/1-10 hour timer. Not bad, very small heating area.
Kambrook: $109.95 Dream Weaver, 160 x 130cm Plush/white. 3-heat/3 hour. Washable.
Dimplex: $110, Charcoal, 180 x 130, 9-heat/3-hour timer, washable.
Sunbeam: $119 Feel Perfect Fleece, 160 x 120cm, 6-settings, 9-hour timer, 220gsm, washable
Sunbeam: $199 Faux fur 160 x 120cm, 6-heat/9-hour timer. 410gsm. washable

We could go on ad infinitum, as heated throws are very popular this year, and many are sold out. Of the Dreamaker 44 model/variations, 20 are sold out.

Finally, at Myer, we saw the Dreamaker heated throw range and realised that none of the others measured up to Dreamaker in materials, weight (gsm), and feel.

What else did we learn

While this is more of a revelation from four weeks of use, a few things make or break a good electric throw.

Thinner throws, particularly those using synthetic fleece, need higher temperatures as they don’t hold the heat. You also feel the wires inside. The thicker and plusher the throw, the more it acts as a blanket trapping heat under it.
Some barely have a m2 of heating area in a single 2m2 throw. Look for larger areas if you want to heat neck to toe.
The position of the detachable control can be inconvenient. Realise that the controller needs a power cord to reach a power point.
Washable is vital as throw rugs get dirty from food and the floor.
Throws have one controller, so you may have to compromise with another user if you buy a large couch size.
Do I need one? Sure, you can use a regular throw and body heat to keep warm—that is what I did. But for a few cents per hour, heated throws offer unmatched personal heating. It’s not about nine programs, but more allows you to find the one you need.

Australian review: Dreamaker heated throw

Model as reviewed: Coral Fleece Heated throw 20 x 180cm—grey reversible, washable, 9-heat/3-hour timer.

Website	Dreamaker Heated Throw page – see all the options
Price	$119.95 160 x 120cm (Seen as low as $75) $199.95 200 x 180cm Look for event sales for the best pricing – Myer usually has specials. Free shipping over $100
Colour	See range above
From	Dreamaker Online, Amazon AU Dreamaker clearance store, Myer, Temple and Webster, Sleep Solutions, Fantastic Furniture, Woolworths, Big W, Bunnings (basic models)
Made in	Designed in Australia and made in China
Warranty	CyberShack heating news and reviews
Company	Since 1987, Dreamaker has been making bedding. Its focus is on comfort, quality and reliability.
More	CyberShack heating news and reviews

We use Fail (below expectations), Pass (meets expectations) and Exceed (surpasses expectations or is the class leader) against many of the items below. We occasionally give a Pass(able) rating that is not as good as it should be and a Pass ‘+’ rating to show it is good but does not quite make it to Exceed. You can click on most images for an enlargement.

We are also tightening up on grading. From now on, Pass, for example, means meeting expectations for the price bracket. We consider a Pass mark to be 70+/100 with extra points added for class-leading and excellence.

First Impression – Luxury coral fleece, but why stop there?

There are so many Dreamaker heated throw choices, but we recommend a reversible throw – if only for convenience.

The fleece is at least twice as thick as other brands.

We requested a 200 x 180cm (3.6m2) couch size for two people. It is the perfect size for a couch, but with hindsight, we now think two singles may have been more convenient—a minor issue.

The detachable cable to the controller is 600mm and about 1.2m from the controller to the power point. The cable is long enough but not as conveniently placed – if it were in the middle of the 2m side, it would be perfect. I guess that is why we feel two single-size throws would be easier to use.

The controller plugs into a socket about 350mm in from one corner, and the throw has no wires on these sides (1.26m2), giving it a total heating area of 2.34m2. To be clear, it offers heating for 1.3m wide x 1.8m deep. Again, it’s not an issue as you need to have some side overhang, and it’s large enough to cover neck to toe.

In use – Pass+

The manual suggests pre-heating on the ‘H’ setting, which takes about 10 minutes. After that, turn it down to suit – five (on a scale of 1-8) is perfect at 16-17° ambient temperature. However, I get a little hot, and my wife likes higher temperatures, so again – two singles may have been wiser.

The three-hour timer is a tad short until it becomes muscle memory to get up and move around for better health. It is easy to reset – press on again.

Maintenance – Washable

I know it is bad to eat in front of the TV while snuggled in a throw, but let’s face it—not everyone wants to sit at a dining table, especially with a tempting heated throw on their favourite comfortable TV chair.

In winter, we tend to eat “bowl” foods—casseroles, curries, stir-fries, soups, etc. It is all too easy to spill some on the throw, so don’t.

The nice thing about this throw is you can detach the controller and hand or delicate machine wash at a maximum of 30° with no spin. Dry in the shade, taking care to avoid folds over wires. The 35cm ends (without cables) provide an excellent area from which to hang.

You can also spot wash, but ensure it is dry before use.

Power and temperature – so cheap

These figures are approximate using a Kestrel Drop temperature sensor over 30 minutes per setting. We have manually adjusted (estimate) for increases in ambient room temperature.

Dreamaker Heated throw setting	Temperature	Watts
H – preheat	30	80
1	22	30
2	23	35
3	24	40
4	25	45
5	26	50
6	27	55
7	28	60
8	28	70

The Dreamaker electric blanket range is 27-34° and 32-70W (per side) or 9-14 cents per hour (x2)

Energy use at 40 cents per kWh is negligible – 2 cents per hour on a 5 setting.

CyberShack’s view – Dreamaker heated throws are incredibly energy-efficient

We have now discovered how energy-efficient these are. We used to micro-heat the area with a Dyson fan/heater/purifier set to 22° used 1000W per hour (40 cents an hour).

Similarly, the electric blanket replaces the 2.5kw AC at 22 cents per hour, saving over $1.50 per 8 hours.

After looking at other reputable brands (and Kmart Anko is not bad!), you immediately see the difference.

Thinner means higher heat settings are needed.
Smaller heating area.
Some are not washable.
And, the feel, plushness, and luxury that Dreamaker has are not available in many other brands.

Our best advice is to get single-sized electric throws if only for convenience.

Dreamaker heated Throw Rating

As this is our first electric throw review, we won’t formally rate it but will comment on each rating segment. Consider it a 9/10:

Features: This thick, well-made, fully featured coral fleece throw has a one-year warranty.
Value: Having extensively looked at throws from $30 to $300, I can confidently say they are great value, even better on sale. The quality is remembered long after the price is forgotten.
Performance: Not knowing what to expect, let me say that snuggling under a warm throw is very addictive. Finding the setting you want to use after it pre-heats is simply a matter of finding it.
Ease of Use: The manual was more confusing than the actual use and could use a good dose of wordsmithing. In reality, you press the power button and then press the temperature button for ‘H’—preheat. Or just leave it on your desired heat—it takes about the same time.
Design: Having seen the cheapies to the most expensive, this meets or exceeds all similar brand designs.

Pro