The 11 Best Throw Blankets for Layering Up

As we wait for our landlords to turn on the radiators in the encroaching cold, we started assessing the best throw blankets for keeping us above freezing in the interim. These picks are suitable for year-round coziness, but we’ve pulled a few of our tried-and-true favorites for lounging, napping, working from home, and keeping our blood viscose in freezing temps. We’ve prioritized machine washable options and avoided synthetic fibers—the last thing we want is to be swaddled in carcinogenic material. Care instructions included, so you know what to expect on laundry day. Ahead, discover our top picks, from alpaca to cashmere to wool. Join us in our quest for the best blankets and shop on.

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Best Overall Throw Blanket

Coyuchi Hermosa Organic Knit Throw

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$148 $89 (40% off)

Coyuchi

Best Waffle Knit

Brooklinen Dreamweave Waffle Throw Blanket

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$129

Brooklinen

Best Cashmere

Quince Mongolian Cashmere Throw

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$130

Quince

Best Overall Throw Blanket

Our best overall pick is a favorite throw for senior commerce editor Nashia Baker and commerce writer Julia Harrison alike. “I’ve found it now impossible to sleep without the warmth of this knitted blanket around my feet,” says Harrison. “It’s a perfect weight, warmth, and softness, and bears an unmistakable textural resemblance to my beloved baby blanket.” She even says it outranks cashmere or a soft, warm wool. Baker finds it perfect for everyday in-office use (shopping editors roll like that). “This trusty herringbone throw blanket has been by my side (and draped around my shoulders) pretty much every day since I got it months ago,” she says. “I keep it in the office on the days when the A/C is blasting or when I need to warm up after commuting in cold NYC weather.” It’s nearly 50% off right now, meaning it’s $89 for a cozy throw that ensures a great night’s sleep at an even better price point.

Best Waffle Knit

Brooklinen Dreamweave Waffle Throw Blanket

$129

Brooklinen

A long-time best seller for Brooklinen, this 100% Turkish cotton throw is exactly the sort of soft snuggle companion necessary for movie marathons or staying warm while you tear through a good book. In seven colors and six prints (including stripes, plaid, and buffalo check), this also functions as home decor—a beautiful and well-made go-to you can drape on the back of a couch without fear of it looking dumpy. A tight waffle knit and good cotton ensure its durability and keep it from pilling.

Best Cashmere Throw Blanket

Quince Mongolian Cashmere Throw

$130

Quince

The ribbed version Arzbaecher tested is now out of stock, but it’s made of the same cozy cashmere.

Lauren Arzbaecher

Commerce producer Lauren Arzbaecher tried a similar blanket from Quince that’s made from the same “insanely soft” 100% Grade-A Mongolian cashmere. She hailed it as the perfect reading blanket (“I’m regularly bundled up in this for hours while reading a good book.”), and this one has all the qualities fellow bibliophiles will love—the main difference is the fringed edge.

Crate & Barrel Faux Fur Throw Blanket

$160

Crate & Barrel

Commerce director Rachel Fletcher loves this plush throw from Crate & Barrel for its texture and size, saying, “I really never thought I’d be a faux-fur girl, as my taste runs a bit more pared-down than glam, but when I got this unbelievably soft and warm deep gray throw from the brand, I knew I was a goner.”

Best Lambswool Throw Blanket

The Company Store Luxe Lambswool Throw

$189

The Company Store

This 100% wool throw from the Company Store received high praise from associate commerce director Lori Keong. “I love how much heat it generates without too much heft and how unassuming the colorway is in my already minimal bedding setup,” she says. “It looks great slung over a couch too.” Keong also suggests it as a nice gift idea—“If you’re feeling fancy, you can even slap a monogram on it and give it to someone as a gift.” You can never have too many cozy blankets.

According to contributor Yelena Moroz Alpert, “The Boll & Branch waffle blanket is like a tiny, cushy egg crate for your body,” she writes in her review. “Each waffle section creates an almost springy resistance, so when you have it on your body it feels like you’re padded on the sides, but not in a stuffy way.” There are perks for your living room or bedscaping strategy, too, since the textural waffle material and silky trim provides more contrast to drape over a couch or at the foot of your bed. “I am big on giving my bedding texture and it’s just right,” Alpert adds.

The Citizenry Celeste Chunky Wool Throw

$500 $350 (30% off)

The Citizenry

Soft, hand-knit merino wool from Uruguay makes this chunky blanket not only comfy, but luxurious. Commerce producer Lauren Arzbaecher lauds about “the textural statement it makes with the hand-knitted design and fringed edge.” If you’re looking for something with a bit more weight and style than a classic wool throw blanket, this plush blanket accomplishes softness while standing out. Don’t believe us? Designer Tione Trice is behind the pick, too.

Cashmere Fringe Throw by Petite Plume

$199

Petite Plume

If The Row was in the business of blankets, they’d come out with something like this. Luckily, this throw accomplishes the premium quality of cashmere without the price tag, which comes in at just under $200. The beige colorway comes a bit closer to camel, says Fletcher, and “looks great on my orange bouclé couch, which needs something slightly more understated.” At 20% cashmere, and 80% wool, the blend accomplishes softness and warmth, while still being breathable. “I have other throws that are either too puny or way too bulky to deal with on the day to day, but this one is just right,” says Fletcher.

Coyuchi Cordillera Alpaca Cotton Knit Throw

$348 $230 (34% off)

Coyuchi

One more alpaca blanket, since we can’t get enough—something about the combination of pima cotton, alpaca, and this seed stitch design makes this blanket look three times its price tag, so it’s as suitable for a cuddle as it is for actually keeping warm. The texture is incredibly soft, and this blend of materials keeps the blanket well-insulated so there’s never a cold feet scenario you have to worry about. Both colorways, camel and gray, make for elevated drapery in any room.

Morrow Camila Throw Blanket

$205

Morrow

Handwoven with textural loops, this blanket achieves design functionality alongside coziness. “The 100% cotton is just right for an additional layer that won’t cause you to overheat like wool might,” says commerce market editor Kate McGregor. “Now, the throw alternates between being my end of bed accent (it’s long enough to reach the edges of a queen-sized mattress) and my couch companion for binge-watching Agatha Christie adaptations.”

Obakki Super-Soft Throw Blanket

$88 $54 (39% off)

Obakki

With an impressive selection of thoughtfully-sourced, expertly-crafted blankets, this one especially caught our eye for being high-quality with a low price-tag. On the reverse side of this charcoal blanket is a lighter gray, so its color-blocking actually looks elegant when left in a heap.

To maintain your throw blankets at their softest and most velvety, we’d recommend the following products: