A heating pad may work wonders for your pain, or it might just burn your skin.
What are the best and most reliable heating pads then?
In this post, you’ll find out exactly what they are.
Keep reading on!
Contents
- 1 Does Heating Work for Pain Relief?
- 2 What to Look for When Using Heat Therapy?
- 3 Top 5 Best Heating Pads
- 4 Last Buying Considerations
- 5 Conclusion
Does Heating Work for Pain Relief?
Heat treatment has actually been in practice for quite a long time. If we look back at history, we can see ancient cultures like Greeks use sunbeam to ease the pain.
Many other varieties of heat treatment still in use today are hot springs, hot stone massage, thermal bath, onsen bath, volcanic hot air, etc.
From a more scientific standpoint, heat actually works to increase blood flow and nutrients to a certain part of the body.
It can help soothe stiffness, aches, pains caused by neck pain, back pain, or arthritis.
According to WebMD, an electric heating pad is one of the recommended methods for the short-term relief of these conditions:
- Muscle pain
- Joint pain
- Swollen joints
- Neck stiffness
- Finger pain
- Tension headache
So, with support from ancient times and modern scientific findings, we can safely conclude now that heating does work to reduce your pain.
What to Look for When Using Heat Therapy?
The thing we ought to keep in mind, however, is the temperature. It should be somewhere around 140F or it may burn your skin.
You can also wrap the pad in a towel to better protect your skin. Some people, however, develop more endurance the more they use heat therapy.
Top 5 Best Heating Pads
1. Pure Enrichment PureRelief XL Extra-Long Back & Neck Heating Pad
Quick specs:
- Machine washable
- 4 therapeutic heat settings
- 5 years of warranty
Probably the most unique thing about this heating pad is that it shapes like a cape.
You can actually wear this pad right on your back. They also have elastic and magnetic closure system that fits well with many body types.
The material they use on the pad is Micromink. This is a super soft fabric. It’s also machine washable.
You can choose from 4 heat settings:
- Warm: 110F
- Low: 120F
- Medium: 130F
- High: 140F
This pad is not chargeable. However, they do include a very long power cord. You can plug it right in and use it straight away.
This thing works wonders for neck and back pain. It covers the entire back area fully. If you don’t want to wear it, you can place it on your knees, legs, or thighs.
It’s super comfortable to use. We like the softness of the product. You’ll also have a light indicator on the remote control.
Those help to see the heat level easier while you’re in the dark. The pad heats up fast but not too abruptly.
Bigger folks may need a bit more coverage on their back. However, this is by far the most enjoyable and relaxing experience ever.
We think your back or joints will thank you for this purchase. It’s also a great gift for your pop or mom on Christmas!
Pros
- Super comfortable
- Nice heating
- Easy to wear
- Easy to control
- Machine washable
- Works well
Cons
- Not chargeable
2. Heating Pad, 12″ X 24″ Large Size Ultra Soft Dry/ Moist Heating Pad
Quick specs:
- 2 hours auto shut off
- Max temperature: 149 F (65 C)
- Machine washable
Next up, we have this heating pad by Proaller. What’s unique about this thing is that it has both dry and moist heating.
Dry heating is basically, as you know it, just dry. Moist heating, on the other hand, is the mode where you apply a thin layer of water onto the pad and let it work its magic.
To a certain extent, moist heating is kind of like hot hydrotherapy message.
The cool thing about this heating pad is that it’s very affordable. They also have a lifetime warranty and lifetime service with every purchase.
They make the pad using soft flannel. It feels nice on the hands.
There are 3 heat settings you can choose from, the highest of which goes up to 149F.
The pad is 12 x 24 inches. It will cover your lower back area nicely. The pad also works well on your neck, shoulders, and abdomen.
You’ll get a very long 10ft cord. This means you can easily plug it in and comfortably lie on your bed or couch and have your very own heat therapy.
Using moist heat function cannot be easier. You just need to dab one side of the pad with a wet towel or sponge. You can also spray some fine mist if you like.
Then, place that side on the area where you feel pain. Power the device on and enjoy!
After 2 hours of running, the pad will automatically shut off. This helps prevent excessive heating or even burning for those who have sensitive skin.
Cleaning the pad is no big deal at all. You can machine wash it or hand wash it. Don’t forget to use mild detergent only. Make sure the pad is completely dry before your next use.
The only downside, we think, about this device is that it can be quite small for bigger folks.
You may think of the idea of getting 2 of these if your budget allows. Or you can get one of a bigger size.
Other than that, this is an excellent pad that gets the job done! We’re satisfied!
Pros
- Moist heating feature
- Easy to use
- Easy to clean
- 10ft power cord
- 3 heat settings
- Comfortable
Cons
- May not suit big folks
3. Heating Pad, Ultra-Large Heating Pads by Anbber
Quick specs:
- Temperature range: 110 – 160 F
- 6 heating settings
- Super soft fabric
The third one on our list is this Anbber heating pad. Compared to the second one, this pad is bigger. Its size is 34 x 17 inches.
It’s made from super plush polyester fiber. This will give you ultra comfort, especially if you have sensitive skin or sensitive areas.
What’s special about this pad is their warming wire. Ordinary warming wiring is spaced quite further apart and not very uniform.
Anbber wiring, however, has the shape of a comb. You can imagine the teeth being uniformly aligned next to each other. This helps the heat distribute evenly across the entire surface of the pad.
This makes sure the user gets a good amount of heat no matter how they place the pad on their body.
There are 6 heat levels you can select:
- Level 1: 110 – 125F
- Level 2: 130 – 145F
- Level 3: 145 – 160F
This pad is made to work with 120V, 60Hz so it won’t fit 220V well.
When you see an “F” on the control, that means your pad isn’t plugged in tightly. You should connect the cord into your pad first and then plug it into your wall outlet.
It’s super nice of them to include a carrying bag as well. When you’re not using it, you can roll the whole thing into a nice roll and put it inside the bag. Very compact!
You can get the heat treatment on your entire back with this one. It literally took about 1 minute for the pad to warm up.
Your therapy session may be around 15-20 minutes or more. You’ll feel the difference from the first time you use it.
We’re very certain that this product can deliver what it says. But be sure to not let your pets scratch or destroy the pad. It’s so comfortable even your dogs or cats want to stay on it for a little while!
Pros
- Super comfy
- Nice big pad
- Easy to open
- Fast heating up
- Many heating levels
- Carrying bag included
Cons
- Does not work with 220V
4. DONECO King Size XpressHeat Heating Pad
Quick specs:
- 6 heat levels
- Low power consumption
- Rapid heating
Let’s see what we have on the number fourth position on our list. We’re back to the 12- x 24-inch pad.
What does this one have that stands out most? Well, compared to the same size in our category, this pad has more heating settings.
This gives users some more control over their favorite heat range. It does get up to 100F pretty quickly.
What you’ll also love about this pad is that is super soft. It feels amazing when you touch it.
You can’t remove the cover. However, that can be an upside because it will prevent the cover from falling off when you wash it.
The only thing we wish the device had is a preferred mode lock-in option. That would make the user’s experience somewhat more straightforward every single time.
Your pets may even take turn having a nice, warm rest on the pad as well. Just make sure their claws don’t scratch the pad. Because it may damage the warming wiring inside.
Again, this pad is made for the US market. It only works for 120V, 60Hz power output.
Some users experience the flashing F on their LCD screen. If this were an Anbber pad, it would mean that your pad is not tightly plugged in.
However, we’re still finding the answer behind this. Hopefully, Doneco will give customers a good explanation then.
Overall, for now, this pad offers a good deal of value for its price point.
Pros
- Very comfy
- 6 heat modes
- Heats up fast
- Lengthy cord
- Easy to clean
Cons
- No preferred mode options
5. Tech Love XXL Electric Heating Pad
Quick specs:
- Max temperature: 140 F
- Heats up quickly
- Has a moist heating feature
Finally, we want to give you a closer look at this big, nice heating pad.
First of all, it does look like a very comfy blanket. This is the extra-large size. It will fit most, if not all, normal uses.
You can wrap it around your knees, joints, back, shoulders, or neck. It works amazingly well.
This pad also has a moist heating feature. To use it, you just need to spray some water droplets onto it.
The pad will fit folks under 5’7” to folks over 6’ tall. You will all get nice heat dissipation no matter what size you are.
There are 6 settings on the pad. You can choose the number 2 setting. That one feels quite warm.
Or you can bump it up to number 6, which is the equivalent of 140F. That one works well for stiff, sore muscles. You can use it if you need deep heat penetration.
If you’ve developed quite an endurance, you can choose the higher setting.
This device will shut itself off automatically after 6 hours. For some, that’s quite a long time. They could consider shorten it down to 2 hours.
Also, when the device turns off, you won’t hear any beeping sound. It may be nice to add some sound indicator to let the user know. Some folks are just fine with it being quiet.
Well, at this point, all we can say it the thing does what it supposed to do. It works nicely and helps people ease their pain.
The price may be a bit pricey, though. However, this is a great one for bigger folks. Certainly, have a look if you’re into it!
Pros
- Comfortable
- Quick heating up
- Good for big users
- Warm to hot
- Super soft
Cons
- Long shut-off time
Last Buying Considerations
Price
Good heating will cost you around $20 to $50. There’s no reason to pay more unless the pad is extremely special.
Temperature
You’ll often find the range 110 – 140F on most pads.
Shut-off Time
This goes from 2 – 6 hours. If you want to save power a bit, go with the lower one.
Dry/Moist Heating
If can get either one or both. Moist heating would work well to soften up stiff muscles.
Conclusion
As you can see, getting a good heating pad is not hard at all. Don’t forget to check the temperature of the product. Also, check if they have dry or moist heating. Many users also like easy-to-clean products.
If you’re not very big, the 12 x 24 pad would be fine. If you’re quite tall or big, you can check the 34 x 17 or 20 x 28 pad. Also, see how long the cord is to make sure it will fit nicely in your home or office.
The power outage is the last thing you should look into. And that’s all there is to it! We hope you’re now equipped with the latest and most accurate info to get yourself or your loved ones a nice heating pad. Enjoy!