Faribault Woolen Mill among New York Times' picks for 'best blankets'

Minnesota's Faribault Woolen Mill Company makes one of the best blankets for winter warmth.

That's according to Wirecutter, the product testing section of the New York Times, with bed and bath writer Jackie Reeve picking out the seven best blankets after spending "more than 500 hours" testing 44 of them.

Faribault Woolen Mill Co. was one of the seven selected, with Reeve saying its Pure & Simple Wool Blanket is the best pick for someone looking for a "washable wool blanket."

Describing it as the "rustic heirloom blanket every country cabin should have," she notes that the blanket is "pleasantly coarse and scratchy," but "not so rough that it irritates the skin."

It was one of the six wool and wool-blend blankets Reeve tested, with the Faribault blanket coming top of the pile for its "gorgeous feel, machine washability, and warmth."

"It looks like an old-fashioned army blanket, but it’s much smoother than the prickly sweaters and blankets that give wool a bad reputation," Reeve writes.

It's not a cheap purchase, with the wool blanket currently selling for $275 at Fairbault Woolen Mill Co., though a high-quality blanket should stand the test of time, and can save you some dollars if it allows you to drop the thermostat a couple of degrees during the winter.

Reviewers on the Faribault Woolen Mill Co. website agree with the NYT, with one of the top reviews reading: "I love this blanket. I have a medical condition causing my body to be extremely sensitive to cold and cool air touching my skin. After trying 7 other blankets, this one keeps me warm but doesn't make me hot. I can sleep through the night for the first time in months."

Another reviewer said: "Not too rough or too warm. Lightweight yet still comfortable.. If softness is a high priority get the merino wool. Overall the blanket is much better than a down comforter."