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Sometimes you just need a big hug. That’s one of the benefits that weighted blanket makers tout. They also claim that they can help you calm down when you’re anxious or help you fall asleep when you’re having trouble sleeping. But scientists say there’s little evidence-based research on whether weighted blankets actually help you sleep better.

Still, weighted blankets have their fans, and the category continues to thrive: The global weighted blanket market was valued at $399 million in 2019 and is expected to exceed $1 billion by 2026, according to Business Research Insights.

Weighted blankets distribute weight evenly, giving the user a feeling of gentle pressure and warmth. These blankets or throws (including the Baloo, Gravity, and Luna weighted blankets tested below) are typically similar in size to a quilt, but are filled with glass beads or plastic pellets instead of down or fabric. Some users say the smooth, fine beads make the blanket quieter and less like a bean bag. All of the weighted blankets we tested contained glass beads. You can also find knitted weighted blankets, like the Bearaby, which are woven with thicker yarn and are therefore more breathable. (These weighted blankets were not included in our testing.)

When it comes to blanket styles, the best weighted blankets have glass beads wrapped in small pockets throughout the product. This prevents water from pooling and provides better drape—“even if you roll over or move your body,” says Bernie Deitrick, a test engineer who oversees our weighted blanket testing.

Weighted blankets have been used to treat people with anxiety disorders, and studies have shown that they can be an effective tool. Research on the link between weighted blankets and sleep is limited, and the results are mixed; a small paper published in 2022 reported that weighted blankets may increase melatonin levels (a hormone associated with sleep) before bedtime, but there was no significant effect on subjects’ sleepiness or sleep duration.

“I have patients who love weighted blankets and patients who don’t,” says sleep expert Rafael Pelayo, MD, clinical professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford University and author of How to Sleep. “The people who love weighted blankets really love them,” he says.

He suggests that the weight of a blanket has something to do with comfort, making people feel better. And blanket weight can be significant: The 15-pound blanket we tested weighed about three to four times more per square foot than a polyester blanket of the same size.

Manufacturers recommend choosing a weighted blanket that weighs about 10% of your body weight. So if you weigh 150 pounds, the right weighted blanket for you would be 15 pounds. That’s the weight we tested.

In the lab, Deitrick weighed each blanket and recorded how close they were to the official 15-pound rating. The good news is that they were all very close, and the difference shouldn’t be too noticeable, he says. But remember: The smaller the blanket, the more weight you’ll feel given the same overall weight. So we’ve also provided the following weight per square foot (about 1 kilogram).

We also wanted to know if weighted blankets made people sleep hot. So our lab used a series of temperature-controlled metal boxes, like the Tin Man, to measure the warmth of each blanket. Interestingly, the thick blankets weren’t necessarily too warm. “All of the blankets were pretty close to the warmth you’d get from a fluffy down comforter on your bed,” says Deitrick. Of course, the blankets with duvet covers were warmer than those without. So if you tend to get hot while you sleep, you might want to choose a weighted blanket without a duvet cover, or try a knit weighted blanket, which is more breathable than a weighted blanket, or just use a weighted blanket without a duvet cover.

Finally, we tested how easy it is to clean the blankets and whether such heavy items can be washed in the washing machine at home. All the blankets came out undamaged. However, our front-loading washing machine was not balanced during the spin cycle.

We tested 15-pound versions of five blankets, listed alphabetically below. But each manufacturer also offers several weights, from 15 to 35 pounds, and several sizes.

CR Review: The Baloo weighted blanket is made of a cotton cover and glass beads. It’s available in white, blue, pink, and a gray color reminiscent of “silver sage.” The linen cover is available in six colors and is sold separately. One employee who owns this 12-pound blanket described the weighted blanket as cool and refreshing, with evenly spaced glass beads. Baloo says the blanket is machine washable and tumble dryable.

CR Review: The Gravity blanket comes with an “ultra-plush” down duvet cover. One employee who tried it at home said the cover felt super soft and velvety. She also noted that the ties, buttons, and zipper make the cover especially secure. Gravity says the cover is machine washable on cold water and tumble dry on low. The weighted blanket contains glass beads and is hand-washable and air-dryable only (though we did a test wash anyway, since hand-washing something that big and heavy felt a little cumbersome—and it worked just fine). The blanket is available in seven colors.

CR Review: The Harkla weighted blanket comes with a fleece cover and glass beads. Harkla says both the cover and inner blanket are machine washable on a cold delicate cycle and tumble dry on low. The company’s website lists three color options (and while it lists a baby blanket, there are also adult size and weight options), though options may vary between third-party sellers.

CR Review: The Luna Weighted Blanket’s cover is made of cotton and filled with glass beads. It doesn’t come with a duvet cover, but it’s available in a variety of colors and materials if you want to buy one separately. Luna says you can wash it on a gentle cycle with cold water and then tumble dry it, or tumble dry it on low. One staffer who tried the Luna Weighted Blanket said the blanket was a good value for the money, but the material didn’t look or feel as smooth or fine as some of the more expensive products recommended in this article.

CR Review: The YnM Blanket has a cotton cover and does not include a duvet cover, but YnM sells the cover separately. An employee who tried it on at home said the distribution of glass beads was fairly even. However, while the cover was soft enough, it wasn’t as crisp and smooth as pricier models. YnM says the blanket is machine washable and dryable on a gentle cycle, but strongly recommends washing the duvet cover instead of the inner blanket. The blanket is available in dozens of colors, but the exact color you choose will vary based on the size and weight you choose.