Emma Hug Weighted Blanket review: cosiness that lives up to its name

Writing an Emma Hug Weighted Blanket review means spending a lot of time in bed. To truly bring you an accurate review of the whole experience, we’re even under it right now. Yes, it’s hard but someone has to do it.  

If you’ve been hunting for the best weighted blanket, you’ll have discovered that there’s now no shortage of extra heavy bedding to help you in your quest for the perfect sleep. We have a full guide if you have been wondering What is a weighted blanket and how do they work? but the extra pressure of glass beads has been proven to aid in relaxation. 

The Emma Hug is Emma’s second foray into the world of weighted blankets after a fully knitted option. The Hug uses glass beads like much of the competition and has an optional washable bamboo cover. Let’s break down whether you should invest for a perfect snooze with this Emma Hug Weighted Blanket review. Or, if you want a breakdown of how this compares to other big sleep brands' offerings, check out our Emma Hug vs Eve Weighted Blanket vs Simba Orbit face-off.

Emma Hug Weighted Blanket review: price 

Pricewise, the official RRP of the Emma Hug Weighted Blanket is £169 and the RRP of the Bamboo cover is £30 but there are always different discounts available on Emma’s site, as well as our Emma Mattress discount codes page. The widgets in this review will constantly update and you can check our best cheap mattress deals page to make sure you’re always getting the best price.

With regards to the competition, the Emma Hug Weighted Blanket is sitting at the same price as the Simba Orbit but where the Orbit comes with a washable cover, you’ll need to shell out a little extra to get that with the Hug. Emma and Simba are still at the more expensive end of the cosy weighted blanket scale but a washable cover is nigh on essential for easy cleaning.

Emma Hug Weighted Blanket review: design 

Unlike Emma’s previous blanket which was an impressive 7kg of solid knitwear, the Emma Hug is a more traditional weighted blanket design made up of 10cm square pockets of tiny Silica glass beads. And we do mean tiny. You’ll only feel them if you squeeze the blanket between your finger and thumb and there are seven layers of breathable fabric between you and them when you cosy up.

The blanket itself is 150cm x 200cm meaning that it’s ideal for one person and although it only comes in light grey, it will definitely match most bedrooms. It also only comes in one size at 7kg. Given that a weighted blanket is meant to be 10% of your body weight, this will suit most people but not all. 

It’s an optional extra at checkout but the Bamboo Weighted Blanket cover is a nigh-on essential purchase if you’re going to be using the Hug every night. Not only is it brilliantly soft and silky feeling, it’s washable at 40 degrees in the washing machine, meaning you don’t need to worry about having to clean the blanket itself.

Changing the blanket is a little bit of a workout but the cover has secure ties in every corner and on each side to make sure everything remains evenly spread. Just find a balance with your knots between secure and easily untied for washing purposes and you’ll be ready to get cosy. One down side is that the silkiness of the material can mean that things can look a little crushed.

Emma Hug Weighted Blanket review: comfort 

Full disclosure; if you’ve never slept under a weighted blanket before, it can take a few nights to get used to the gentle pressure of this sleep aid. Having regularly used one though, we were immediately at home under the Emma Hug. The blanket itself is soft and cosy standalone but the Bamboo cover truly completes the experience. Soft and silky, this adds immediate luxury to bedtime and is surprisingly efficient at cooling. We even put it to the ultimate test with a Covid fever for four nights and can happily report that the Emma Hug was still soothing while we were routinely hitting temperatures of 38 degrees.

Even with a silkier feeling material, the Emma Hug doesn’t ever feel like it will slip off the bed overnight and the weight keeps things in place nicely. The tiny beads means the blanket really feels like it moulds to your body and just stays there comfortably. And while it is warm enough standalone, it’s just as cosy to pop the Hug over your regular duvet for an even more snuggly experience.

The quality of both the blanket and the bamboo cover is of an exceptionally high standard and you don’t need to worry about any reduction of softness after a trip through the washing machine. We found the cover just as silky post wash and line dry.

Emma Hug Weighted Blanket review: verdict 

You’ll definitely want to purchase the additional optional cover but the Emma Hug is a luxurious feeling weighted blanket that offers a seriously good night’s sleep and incredible cooling. The choice of grey colourway shouldn’t look out of place in any bedroom and the feeling is truly like a delightful overnight hug. It’s an expensive outlay but for the quality of soothing sleep, this weighted blanket is absolutely worth it.   

Emma Hug Weighted Blanket review: Alternatives to consider

Alternatives to the Emma Hug are the Simba Orbit Weighted Blanket and the Eve Weighted Blanket. All three are similar in price and are in the top 5 of our weighted blanket guide. The Hug by Emma and the Orbit by Simba are pretty similar in make-up, but if you prefer a more 'traditional' blanket feel, the Eve Weighted Blanket has a natural cotton knit.