The best throw blankets

The L.L.Bean Wicked Plush Throw is a reliable classic from a heritage brand you can trust — plus it's soft, affordable, and machine washable.

L.L.Bean is a favorite among Insider Picks. We love the heritage brand's sheets, slippers, and their internet-famous tote bags to name a few. Now we're adding L.L.Bean's Wicked Plush Throw blanket to our list.

Made with the same care and precision that the brand is known for, this fleece plush is an affordable option that will keep you warm in the winter months, but it's lightweight enough that you can use it all year round — especially if someone in your home likes to crank the air conditioning to arctic temperatures. The fleece is brushed on both sides, giving it that extra softness that you'd expect from a good fleece blanket.

The Wicked Plush Throw comes in two sizes. I'd opt for the larger 60-inch by 80-inch option because I'm often sharing a blanket with a partner and a cat, but the 50-inch x 60-inch is a generously sized throw for personal use. If you want something even larger, you could opt for the Wicked Cozy Blanket which is made of the same fleece but is sized for use on your bed.

Unlike some of our other picks, the Wicked Plush Throw is machine washable, but do take care to dry it on a no-heat setting, lest the polyester fleece gets scorched in the dryer.

Pros: Affordable, machine washable

Cons: Not as luxurious as other options

Made in America from 100% virgin wool, the Pendleton Motor Robe is a throw that will keep you warm through years of use.

Pendleton is another heritage brand we love and trust. Insider Picks Fellow Ciannah Gin has been using her Pendleton Eco-Wise Wool Blanket on her bed for over four years, and she was so thrilled with it that she bought a second one. She writes, "Although the blanket is made from 100% wool, it's surprisingly breathable. Mine haven't shrunk, faded, or pilled in the four years I've had them."

But the Eco-Wise is intended for use on your bed. If you're looking for something more manageable in size, we recommend the Motor Robe. At 52 inches by 66 inches, the throw is still generously-sized but not so unwieldy that you'll get trapped in it while watching TV.

The Motor Robe is made from virgin wool and the Pendleton brand has over 150 years' worth of pedigree making blankets in the Pacific Northwest. The Pendleton website says the Motor Robe was developed from the tradition of those in need of extra warmth when traveling by horse-drawn carriage, train, or boat, but it will be just as welcome at home in your reading nook.

If you do plan to take this blanket on your journeys, it comes with a leather carrying strap that you can wrap around a rolled-up blanket. It's a lovely aesthetic touch for those who want to store the blanket in sight — especially because the plaid patterns are so eye-catching — but don't want it sprawled out on their couch all the time.

One large downside to this 100% wool blanket is the fact that it can be uncomfortable for those with sensitive skin. Gin found her Pendleton blanket to be too itchy to wrap herself up in without the protective barrier of her bedding.

Pros: Comes from a brand with a history of quality products, durable through multiple years of use

Cons: Wool can be itchy for those with sensitive skin

The Crane & Canopy Linen Throw will be your go-to blanket in the warmer months thanks to its light-weight breathability.

Crane & Canopy has quickly become one of our favorite bedding startups at Insider Picks. We love their duvet covers and sheet sets, and their throw blankets are absolutely top-notch. One of our favorite throws from Crane & Canopy is its linen throw, a lightweight breathable option that's perfect for when you don't want to be trapped under layers of wool or faux fur.

Insider Picks Senior Editor Malarie Gokey has this blanket at home and she loves it so much that she uses it on her bed in the summer even in spite of its smaller throw blanket size. She writes, "I can't sleep unless I feel the weight of some sort of blanket on me, and in the summer, that's very problematic — or it was, until I found this linen throw from Crane & Canopy. It's super soft, breathable, and lightweight. It adds just the right amount of warmth on a slightly chilly summer evening when you want a light layer to wrap up in whether you're on the couch, front porch, or what have you."

Linen is known for its breathability, so if you overheat easily, this Crane & Canopy throw will be a lifesaver, especially when it's warm out. Though linen does have the tendency to be a bit stiff when it's new, this blanket will get softer and softer the more it's used, washed, and worn in, eventually becoming one of the coziest in your repertoire.

Pros: Light-weight and breathable, great for warmer months

Cons: Won't keep you warm in the winter

The Williams Sonoma Recycled Italian Cashmere Throw is a high-end blanket at the pinnacle of softness if your budget allows for a splurge.

Cashmere is often regarded as the pinnacle of luxury when it comes to wool. The expensive yet incredibly soft fabric is generated from the soft undercoat of cashmere goats native to the Himalayas where temperatures can drop to -30°C ensuring cashmere is one of the warmest materials on the market.

Naturally, cashmere is an excellent choice for a throw blanket thanks to the material's warmth, softness, and breathability — if you're willing to splurge on the high price tag.

What sets Williams Sonoma's Recycled Italian Cashmere Throw apart from the pack is that key word, "recycled." Instead of utilizing virgin cashmere, Williams Sonoma collects the leftover wool from other knits and reweaves them into new yarn, cutting down on waste and reducing the environmental impact of these blankets by 92%.

The cashmere they collect has already been dyed for other projects. Instead of redying it, they allow the slight variations in color to shine, giving each throw a unique, slightly mottled coloration.

The Recycled Italian Cashmere Throws are produced in Prato, Italy at a mill that has been weaving cashmere dating back to the 12th century, so you can be assured that your throw has been produced with the highest quality of care and skill.

Like all cashmere, this throw is dry-clean only, but thanks to cashmere's inherent antibacterial nature, it will resist smells for quite a long time, so you'll likely only have to clean this blanket once a season or if you spill something on it.

Pros: As soft as wool can be, doesn't get smelly, warm yet breathable

Cons: Very expensive, dry-clean only

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