10 Best Heating Pads 2024 in the United States

Applying heat to sore muscles is a treatment that can be traced back to 5th century BC Greece. The Ancient Greeks already saw the benefit of immersing the body in hot springs or a warm bath, to reduce muscular or skeletal pain. The warmth increases blood flow and gets oxygen and nutrients to the area. With more oxygen and nutrients, the cells in the injured area can heal more quickly. Also, you’ll notice that stiff joints will loosen as you apply heat to them. This is because the connective tissue--tendons and ligaments--gets more flexible when warmed up.

But you probably don’t have to dunk your whole body in a heat bath to get these benefits. If you just want to apply heat to a specific part of your body, you’ll find that there are heating pads that are contoured to treat your back, neck, or shoulders. There are a number of methods of making a pad that produces heat: there are electric heating pads, which have a heating element covered with fabric. Another option is infrared heating pads, that produce infrared radiation that warm you without themselves getting hot! Then there are chemical heating pads, which employ a heat-releasing chemical reaction to produce the warmth. Microwaveable heating pads involve heating a bag of plastic beads, rice, or oatmeal in a microwave. The pad can keep you warm for as much as a half-hour!

This buyer’s guide investigates the different products on the market so that you can find what pad is best for you. We’ll help you:

• Choose the right type of heating pad,

• See useful tips about that type of heating pad,

• Read reviews of different brands of a heating pad, and what customers are saying,

• Select the right brand of heating pad, and

• Compare prices and find the best deals.

We can distinguish between heating pads by inspecting their heating mechanism. 

• Electric Heating Pads: These are either powered by wall current, or battery-operated. They’ll have an insulated wire or heating element that gets hot as current runs through them. There will usually be a means of controlling the temperature by means of a dial, and perhaps an auto-shutoff feature. The PureRelief XL is an electric heating pad, with 6 heat settings, ranging from warm (around 105 degrees Fahrenheit) to high (around 140 degrees Fahrenheit).

PureRelief XL King Size Heating Pad

• Infrared Heating Pads: These also operate on electricity that heats up thin heating elements. But here, the heating element heats up a mineral, such as jade, amethyst, carbon, or tourmaline. These minerals will radiate infrared radiation, which penetrates your skin and lends a feeling of warmth, without actually being physically hot temperature-wise to the point that it can cause a burn. An example is the UTK Jade Heating Pad.

UTK Far Infrared Natural Jade Heating Pad

• Chemical Heating Pads: These rely on a chemical reaction to produce their heat. One method uses a supersaturated solution of sodium acetate. When it’s agitated, the sodium acetate forms crystals, which releases heat. These pads will have a metal ring in the pad--when you press on it, that causes the crystallization. When the pad stops producing heat, it means that the chemical process has stopped. To reuse the pads, you drop the pad in boiling water. That breaks the crystals down again, letting them dissolve once again. An example is the Heat Wave Instant Reusable Heat Pack. It heats up in 30 seconds, remains hot at 130 degrees Fahrenheit for several hours, and can be reused 500 times!

Heat Wave Instant Reusable Heat Pack

• Microwavable Heating Pads: These contain a material that you heat for a few minutes in a microwave, and they retain the heat for a long time afterward. You can either purchase microwavable heating pads, which contain plastic beads as the heat retaining medium. Some use a gel as the heat-retaining substance. An example is the Beady Heat Microwaveable Heating Pad. It measures only 9” x 4”, which allows you to place it exactly where it hurts. You can even use it on a baby or young child suffering from cramps, an earache, or stomach pains.

Beady Heat Microwavable Heating Pad

• Comfortable fabric: For heating pads that you apply directly on your skin, you’ll want a comfortable fabric. Pure Enrichment’s heating pad has a “micromink” fabric cover which is machine-washable. Microfiber is a very thin synthetic fiber,  with micromink being an attempt to imitate the texture of mink (there are also similar imitations of flannel or sherpa).

• Precise heat settings: Some heating pads have a select number of heat settings, such as the Pure Enrichment pad. Others, such as the UTK Far Infrared Heating Pad, allow for a continuum of temperatures, in 1-degree increments as displayed on its LCD display. It also has a memory function, which lets you set your preferred temperature and operating time.

• Long power cord: If you use a heating pad that uses electricity, it’s convenient to have a long power cord, so that you don’t have to be in close proximity to an outlet. The UTK Far Infrared Natural Jade and Tourmaline Heating Pad has a 10-foot power cord!

• Dry heat vs. moist heat: You’ll find heating pads that employ dry heat or moist heat. An example of a dry heat heating pad would be an electric pad with a heating element. This will increase muscle mobility and allowing muscles to relax. But dry heat can also dry out the skin. Moist heat is recommended for relieving pain, stiff joints, and muscle spasms.  Examples of moist heat include a sock that you fill with rice or oatmeal, and tie or sew the sock closed. You microwave the sock for 1-3 minutes, and it will provide a source of moist heat for around 30 minutes. If you ask, “Where does the moisture come in to play?” Well, oatmeal and rice can absorb moisture from the air. There are also commercial pads that employ moist heat, or both moist and dry heat. For example, the Conair Dry/Moist Heating Pad has an absorbent sponge. You wet it, and squeeze out the excess water. You insert the moist sponge between the heating pad and its cloth cover. The moisture will penetrate the cloth cover and enter your skin. You can use the pad either dry or moist, depending on what you are trying to treat.

• Different sizes: You’ll notice that heating pads come in a variety of sizes. If you want a pad just to apply to your shoulder or neck, a 14” x 22” size should be adequate. For back problems, a model that is 12” x 24” or 20” x 24” is recommended--that will be useful for the entire back, or your thighs if necessary. Ideally, choose a pad that is flexible, so that it will fit the contours of your body, whether you apply it to your back, shoulder, knees, or thighs.

• Safety features: You should look at a heating pad as a treatment, not as a blanket. Ideally, you should only apply the heat for 20-30 minutes at a time, even though the infrared heating pads can apply a low temperature for as long at 240 minutes, after which it will shut off automatically. These devices will have a timer, such as the UTK heating pad, which allows you to choose the heating time in 15 minute increments. Some also have an “auto-switch” feature, which means that you have to actively press on the power button to keep the device on. This reduces the risk of you falling asleep with the heating pad on, which can cause drying and even burns at higher temperatures.

• Situations where heat can hurt: Heating pads are best for sore muscles and stiff joints. But, heating pad manufacturers point out cases where you shouldn’t use a heating pad--not only will it not help, it will actually hurt.  For example:

  • After injury: Immediately after suffering a blow or other injury, it’s actually best to apply a cold compress or ice pack. Also, if you have a bruise or open wound, heat will cause even more bleeding. So it’s best to use a cold compress in these cases. That will reduce swelling and blood flow to the area. After a few days, you can start using a heating pad to reduce any residual pain.

  • With a pain-relieving cream: Don’t apply a heating pad together with numbing creams such as Icy Hot, Ben Gay, or Voltaren. Since these creams desensitize the skin, you’re at risk of burning yourself with a heating pad. And in general, you shouldn’t apply a heating pad for more than 20 minutes at a time.

  • If you have diabetes, nerve, or circulatory problems: People with nerve damage due to diabetes are advised not to use a heating pad. This is because they have reduced sensitivity to heat--and the heating pad can cause burns, without them being aware of it!  

PureRelief XL is a branch of Pure Enrichment, makers of health and personal care products. Their products include humidifiers, dehumidifiers, air purifiers, and aromatherapy and salt therapy products. They also make a steam vacuum cleaner, which is special for removing pollutants from the air in your house.

Veridian is a provider of health care equipment. It was founded in 2009 by Steve Bisulca and Mike Mazza, and the company’s main office is located in Gurnee, Illinois. They make blood glucose meters, digital and analog blood pressure devices, and heating pads for the neck, shoulder and back, as well as moist/dry heat therapy pads.