QUALITY heating pad needed; any ideas?
My wife uses a heating pad almost every day (various arthritis related stuff), and every heating pad we've ever bought has used the 'standard' nichrome spiral wire heating element. They *all* die within a year. Some have had failed controllers, but most die…
My wife uses a heating pad almost every day (various arthritis related stuff), and every heating pad we've ever bought has used the 'standard' nichrome spiral wire heating element. They *all* die within a year. Some have had failed controllers, but most die due to the nichrome wire fatiguing and breaking near the cord connection point (high stress, high flex frequency area). The longest lived ones have actually been some of the cheapest, but they're stiff and not very comfortable. We've had a couple of the 'Pure' branded ones with their 5 year warranty, but even they have failed within a year or two. Dealing with warrantees is sometimes worse than just buying another pad. Does anyone know of a heating pad that uses graphene as the actual heating element? Most ads I see talk about graphene 'infused', which hints to me that it's just marketing.
Collected discussion
Get a cheap one from Korea they make the best ones
Brands/vendors in the USA? Thanks!
Here’s first one I found on Google https://www.bdkmint.com/products/electric-heating-mat-microfiber?variant=42478986887341 Not as cheap as buying from the streets of Korea this seems like a premium brand that blocks electro waves
Good answer! ;-) If our pet pad would get hot enough, I'd just tell my wife to get over it, but ours doesn't.
This. I grew up there and I still have products from Korea. I have a heating pad from the 2010 that’s still going strong. Japan also works. Japanese and Korean quality for regular product is unmatched anywhere else in the world
I bought a pet one for my spoilt cat, and have now pinched it back off her as my human one packed up. The pet one is more rugged, puncture proof, waterproof (beer proof), has armoured cable so that I don't chew it and has a setting that allows it to be on all day. I'm keeping it, the cat can just grow thicker fur.
Any suggestions for vendors in the us?
Thermophore is what you are looking for. Their Liberty line is made in USA. We have one in our house, it’s the real deal.
my korean friend brought me one from visit home and it's still working after 3 years, the fabric is so soft too not like the stiff ones we have here. i think they use carbon fiber instead of those wire things
The graphene infused thing is definitely just marketing fluff you're right to be skeptical. What actually holds up way better than nichrome is carbon fiber heating elements and UTK makes pads with those. My mom has had one for like 3 years with daily use and it still works fine. They use far infrared which is also genuinely better for joint pain not just a gimmick. A bit pricier upfront but way more durable construction and the controller feels more solid than the cheap ones. Might be worth looking into their mats specifically since they tend to last longer than the pad versions.
I have a cheap amazon one that I've been using on my lap for a few years now at work. It hasn't stiffened up at all and it is used about 9 hours a day. It's one of the neck and shoulder pads, and I wonder if that's the difference. I would also recommend a heated throw. It works wonders for me (I have trouble regulating my body temp). I use mine anytime I'm at home (barring extreme heat) and at night as well.