Open-Knit vs Quilted Weighted Blankets for Hot Sleepers

Quick answer, who should choose what

If you just want the TL,DR:

• If you are a hot sleeper, live in a warm apartment, or already kick your regular duvet off most nights, an open knit weighted blanket is usually the better bet. It lets air move, behaves more like a heavy throw, and is the closest thing to a breathable weighted blanket.

• If you love feeling cocooned, run cold, or want that classic “even pressure” feeling, a quilted weighted blanket with glass beads and a thin cotton or lyocell shell will feel more like a normal blanket, just heavier.

If you are in the middle, you can think of knit for most of the year and quilted for cold seasons only.

Now let us pull them apart properly.

How open knit weighted blankets work

An open knit weighted blanket is basically:

• Thick, heavy yarn

• Looped into a big, loose knit

• With no beads inside

All the weight lives in the yarn itself. The important bit is in the name, open knit, you can literally see gaps between the loops.

What this does for sleep:

• More airflow
  Air can move through those gaps, so heat and moisture have a way out. That is what usually makes open knit the better cooling weighted blanket for hot sleepers.

• Less “trapped” feeling
  Many people describe knit as a gentle drape rather than a full seal. You feel pressure, but you do not feel wrapped from every angle.

• Less precision in weight distribution
  There are no little squares of beads, so the weight is more general than perfectly even. For most people that is fine, but if you really want that super precise “every centimetre feels identical” sensation, quilts win.

Open knit weighted blankets are a good fit if:

• You want a weighted blanket for summer or a warm bedroom

• You run hot but still crave some pressure

• You like the look of a chunky throw you can use on the sofa as well as in bed

If you read reviews that say “this is the only weighted blanket that did not roast me”, they are usually talking about an open knit style.

How quilted weighted blankets work

A quilted weighted blanket is the more traditional version:

• Fabric outer shell

• Inner layer filled with glass beads or plastic pellets

• Stitched into small squares so the fill does not pool in one corner

This is the design most people picture when they hear “weighted blanket”.

What this does for sleep:

• Very even pressure
  The quilting keeps the beads spread out, so you get a smooth, hugging feel. If your main goal is “I want to feel like I am under a calm, heavy cloud”, quilts nail that.

• More warmth, by default
  Even with good fabric, you have multiple layers, shell plus inner. Airflow is more restricted than with open knit, so these tend to run warmer. That is great if you run cold, less great if you already sleep in a heat wave.

• Fill type matters

  • Glass bead weighted blankets can be thinner at the same weight, which often feels cooler and less bulky.

  • Plastic pellet weighted blankets need more volume to reach the same weight, so they are puffier and tend to trap more heat.

Quilted weighted blankets make sense if:

• You live somewhere cooler or like a warmer, cocooned sleep environment

• You want that continuous, evenly distributed pressure

• You are shopping for a winter weighted blanket as much as general use

If you choose a quilt and you are at all heat sensitive, lean toward glass beads plus a thin, breathable shell, not plush fleece.

Cooling, what actually makes a weighted blanket feel hot or cool

Forget the marketing for a second. The “cooling” part of a cooling weighted blanket mostly comes down to:

1. Airflow

   • Open knit blankets win here, lots of gaps, air can move.

   • Quilted blankets rely on fabric choice and thinness to get anywhere close.

2. Thickness and density

   • Glass beads plus thin shell equals heavy but slim blanket.

   • Plastic pellets plus thick shell equals heavy and puffy blanket.

3. Shell fabric

   • Cotton percale, lyocell, or other smooth, thin weaves feel cooler and handle sweat better.

   • Thick polyester “minky” shells feel amazing to touch, but they are basically warm coats.

So if you are looking specifically for a cooling weighted blanket for hot sleepers, check:

• Is it open knit

• If not, is it glass bead, thin shell, breathable fabric

If the blanket is quilted, filled with pellets, and wrapped in thick plush polyester, no amount of “cooling” language on the label will change the physics.

Weight and size, do they differ between knit and quilted

Most of the same weighted blanket rules apply regardless of construction:

• The classic starting point is around 8 to 10 percent of your body weight

• Comfort and easy movement matter more than hitting that number exactly

• You should be able to roll over and remove the blanket without effort

A few practical notes:

• Open knit blankets often come in throw sizes as well as bed sizes, which is great if you want something for the sofa and occasional naps.

• Quilted weighted blankets are more often sized to match mattresses and may feel a bit more “locked in” to the bed.

If you are between weights, or nervous about feeling trapped, especially in a warm climate, err on the lighter side, particularly with quilts.

Safety quick check

Short, but important:

• Do not use weighted blankets on infants, and be very cautious with young children or anyone who cannot independently remove the blanket.

• Be careful if you have untreated sleep apnea, severe asthma, COPD, heart failure, or major circulation problems. Extra chest pressure might feel uncomfortable. Check with a clinician first.

• If you ever feel short of breath, pinned, or panicky under a weighted blanket, that is a sign to go lighter, switch styles, or skip them altogether, not something to “push through”.

Open knit vs quilted does not change these basics.

How to decide in under two minutes

Here is a mini decision tree.

You often wake up hot, kick blankets off, or live in a small warm flat
→ Start with an open knit weighted blanket in a medium weight.

You usually wake up cold, love lots of covers, and want maximum hug
→ Go for a quilted weighted blanket with glass beads and a thin cotton or lyocell shell.

You want one blanket for all seasons and cannot decide
→ If you can afford it, knit for most of the year, quilt for cold months. If not, pick glass bead quilt plus very breathable bedding and keep room temperature on the cooler side.

You are mainly curious and heat is not a big issue
→ Choose based on feel, not hype. Quilt if you want duvet vibes, knit if you like throw vibes.