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Back in the day, people could only relieve their muscle pain with a hot water bottle and Epsom salt baths. But heating pads have come a long way, and advancements in technology have provided plenty of new features for this wellness tool. Hot water bottles became less popular after the first electric heating pads came along, which gave users sustained relief from aches and pains without the mess. Today, there are all kinds of heating pads you can choose from.
There are several types of heating pads, all of which have their pros and cons.
Hot water bottles, microwavable heating pads and chemical heating pads all have their drawbacks. You cannot adjust the temperature, and they inevitably cool down. An electric heating pad allows you to choose exactly how much heat you want for a sustained period. Budget electric heating pads might have only a few settings, while better electric heating pads have multiple options.
The warm, toasty feeling you get from a heating pad can make you drowsy, which may cause you to fall asleep. Heating pads with automatic timers shut off after an hour or two. This is useful if you drift off to sleep or accidentally leave the heating pad unattended. It also saves you money.
Some heating pads have very short power cords. Look for heating pads with long cords to avoid the hassle of wrangling an extension cord every time you want to use it.
Each manufacturer has a different idea of what labels like XL and XXL mean. The best way to make sure your heating pad is the right size for your needs is to check the dimensions and not the label. Remember bigger is better, especially if you plan on using your pad on multiple areas.
Small electric heating pads and some microwavable pads cost $10-$20. If you want something with a few more size options, features and controls, you can expect to spend $25-$40. High-tech full-body heating pads cost as much as $2,500.
A. Therapists recommend you start at the lowest setting on your heating pad and gradually increase the heat as needed. The lower the setting, the longer the time you can use your heating pad.
A. Most manufacturers recommend using the highest temperature setting for no more than 15 or 20 minutes.
Sunbeam Heating Pad with Auto Shut-off
What you need to know: This plush heating pad is eco-friendly and easy to use.
What you’ll love: It has four heat settings and shuts off automatically after two hours. It’s got a soft microfiber cover that is machine-washable.
What you should consider: Some people thought it was flimsy.
iReliev Weighted Moist/Dry Heating Pad
What you need to know: This gently weighted heating pad calms and soothes.
What you’ll love: This three-pound heating pad is clinically proven to reduce muscle tension by increasing blood flow to targeted regions of your body. It has an ultra-soft microfiber heating pad that is machine washable. It heats in seconds and has a two-hour auto shut-off timer.
What you should consider: There are only three heat settings.
Pure Enrichment PureRelief XXL Electric Heating Pad
What you need to know: At 24 inches by 20 inches, this ultra-wide heating pad is large enough to wrap around your limbs or drape over your shoulders like a cape.
What you’ll love: This machine-washable microfiber heating pad is 60% larger than standard heating pads and has an extra-long nine-foot cord. The digital LCD controller has six heat settings to accommodate your personal comfort level and comes with a moist heat therapy option.
What you should consider: Some users don’t feel this heating pad gets hot enough.
Prices listed reflect time and date of publication and are subject to change.
Check out our Daily Deals for the best products at the best prices and sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter full of shopping inspo and sales.
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. BestReviews and its newspaper partners may earn a commission if you purchase a product through one of our links.
Back in the day, people could only relieve their muscle pain with a hot water bottle and Epsom salt baths. But heating pads have come a long way, and advancements in technology have provided plenty of new features for this wellness tool. Hot water bottles became less popular after the first electric heating pads came along, which gave users sustained relief from aches and pains without the mess. Today, there are all kinds of heating pads you can choose from.
There are several types of heating pads, all of which have their pros and cons.
Hot water bottles, microwavable heating pads and chemical heating pads all have their drawbacks. You cannot adjust the temperature, and they inevitably cool down. An electric heating pad allows you to choose exactly how much heat you want for a sustained period. Budget electric heating pads might have only a few settings, while better electric heating pads have multiple options.
The warm, toasty feeling you get from a heating pad can make you drowsy, which may cause you to fall asleep. Heating pads with automatic timers shut off after an hour or two. This is useful if you drift off to sleep or accidentally leave the heating pad unattended. It also saves you money.
Some heating pads have very short power cords. Look for heating pads with long cords to avoid the hassle of wrangling an extension cord every time you want to use it.
Each manufacturer has a different idea of what labels like XL and XXL mean. The best way to make sure your heating pad is the right size for your needs is to check the dimensions and not the label. Remember bigger is better, especially if you plan on using your pad on multiple areas.
Small electric heating pads and some microwavable pads cost $10-$20. If you want something with a few more size options, features and controls, you can expect to spend $25-$40. High-tech full-body heating pads cost as much as $2,500.
A. Therapists recommend you start at the lowest setting on your heating pad and gradually increase the heat as needed. The lower the setting, the longer the time you can use your heating pad.
A. Most manufacturers recommend using the highest temperature setting for no more than 15 or 20 minutes.
Sunbeam Heating Pad with Auto Shut-off
What you need to know: This plush heating pad is eco-friendly and easy to use.
What you’ll love: It has four heat settings and shuts off automatically after two hours. It’s got a soft microfiber cover that is machine-washable.
What you should consider: Some people thought it was flimsy.
iReliev Weighted Moist/Dry Heating Pad
What you need to know: This gently weighted heating pad calms and soothes.
What you’ll love: This three-pound heating pad is clinically proven to reduce muscle tension by increasing blood flow to targeted regions of your body. It has an ultra-soft microfiber heating pad that is machine washable. It heats in seconds and has a two-hour auto shut-off timer.
What you should consider: There are only three heat settings.
Pure Enrichment PureRelief XXL Electric Heating Pad
What you need to know: At 24 inches by 20 inches, this ultra-wide heating pad is large enough to wrap around your limbs or drape over your shoulders like a cape.
What you’ll love: This machine-washable microfiber heating pad is 60% larger than standard heating pads and has an extra-long nine-foot cord. The digital LCD controller has six heat settings to accommodate your personal comfort level and comes with a moist heat therapy option.
What you should consider: Some users don’t feel this heating pad gets hot enough.
Prices listed reflect time and date of publication and are subject to change.
Check out our Daily Deals for the best products at the best prices and sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter full of shopping inspo and sales.
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. BestReviews and its newspaper partners may earn a commission if you purchase a product through one of our links.
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It is a long established fact that a reader will be distracted by the readable content of a page when looking at its layout. The point of using Lorem Ipsum is that it has a more-or-less normal distribution of letters, as opposed to using ‘Content here, content here’, making it look like readable English. Many desktop publishing packages and web page editors now use Lorem Ipsum as their default model text, and a search for ‘lorem ipsum’ will uncover many web sites still in their infancy.
The point of using Lorem Ipsum is that it has a more-or-less normal distribution of letters, as opposed to using ‘Content here, content here’, making
The point of using Lorem Ipsum is that it has a more-or-less normal distribution of letters, as opposed to using ‘Content here, content here’, making it look like readable English. Many desktop publishing packages and web page editors now use Lorem Ipsum as their default model text, and a search for ‘lorem ipsum’ will uncover many web sites still in their infancy.
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