Surface and care
How to compare Microplush and Sherpa heated-throw surfaces
A heated throw’s “soft side” and reverse can be different fabrics, and the material label alone does not tell you how warm it feels or how it will wear. Use the two surface names to picture the texture and the care routine—not to substitute for measured comfort or durability data.
Read the two sides separately
Sunbeam’s current Microplush/Sherpa throw configuration lists Microplush for the face and Sherpa for the reverse; its narrative calls the reverse faux shearling. In the exact product pictures, one face looks smooth and low-pile, while the other appears more nubby. That is a useful visual difference from the reviewed oversized Microplush throw, whose page lists Microplush on both faces, or the Luxe Plush model that specifies Coco Plush on both sides. A channeled faux-fur throw reverses to velvet, not Sherpa. Those are distinct constructions even where the printed Sunbeam model code is reused.
Before choosing one side or the other, consider how you will actually use the throw. If your hand rests on the blanket while reading or the reverse will be against bare skin, the visible surface may matter more than the color. If you expect to turn it over often, a distinct reverse offers a second texture; however, the manufacturer does not publish fiber percentages, pile height, surface-temperature measurements, or comparative softness. A gallery image shows appearance, not a tactile sample. If those properties are essential, the catalog cannot confirm them from the available product details.
Surface choice does not change size or heating controls
The four Microplush/Sherpa SKUs in the assessment are all 50 × 70 inches, corded, with one controller, four settings and a fixed four-hour shutoff. Their colors differ, and three pages depict plaid even though their specification field says “Pattern: Solid.” Titles, narrative copy and the exact gallery imagery call those three finishes plaid; treat the page as contradictory rather than relying on one field. The four finishes do not add a larger size, a second controller or an adjustable timer. For more coverage, compare the 60 × 80-inch oversized Microplush throw; for a different underlying routine, compare a fitted pad or a bed-sized blanket rather than assuming a throw will cover the bed.
There is also a six-finish 50 × 70-inch throw using Microplush on both the face and reverse, rather than adding Sherpa. Its current SKUs are 14580–14585 under the same reused model code, but the exact listing pages for the black/white check, Balmoral Blue image and green plaid image have unresolved pattern-field differences. If a checked print is essential, the page evidence is not clean enough to treat those fields as a hard requirement. The two-sided Microplush review separates this family from the Microplush/Sherpa set and explains each finish name.
Care can be the deciding difference
Do not assume the two surfaces can be treated like an ordinary decorative throw. The linked instructions require unplugging the control before washing, a cold gentle machine cycle or hand wash, and low/delicate tumble-drying only until damp. Then reshape and finish drying on a line or rack, reconnecting only when completely dry. Commercial dryers, bleach, fabric softener, wringing, ironing and dry-cleaning are ruled out. That is a more involved routine than “wash and toss in a hot dryer”; it is worth planning for before choosing a plush surface you expect to launder frequently. Check the care instructions that arrive with your exact item and never wash it with the controller attached.
For a comparison based on exact listed variants, see the Microplush/Sherpa throw review and the surface and shape comparison. The model code is not enough to distinguish them: verify the product form, face/reverse wording and SKU.