The Best Heating Pads

We looked at the top 20 Heating Pads and dug through the reviews from 89 of the most popular review sites including and more. The result is a ranking of the best Heating Pads.

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If you suffer from back pain, you likely already know the benefits of heat therapy. Just a short time on a heating pad loosens back muscles, relieving tension and helping with spasms and stiffness. But finding the right heating pad can take some time, especially with so many good ones on the market.

One decision you’ll find you need to make is whether you want a pad that provides only dry heat, only moist heat or a combination of both. There is no clear answer as to which is better. The truth is, moist heat works better for some back pain sufferers and dry heat works better for others. Experimenting with both can help you figure out which helps you most.

MORE: The Best Microwave Heating Pad

Temperature control is another feature to consider. It can be tough to find that just-right setting, but it helps to have multiple choices. If “low” and “high” are your only options, you may find one is too hot and one isn’t hot enough. In addition to temperature control, consider whether a timer is important to you. Being able to set a specific time and trust your heating pad to shut off when the time is up may give you peace of mind, especially if you like to nap on it.

Coverage area is also something to consider. Not all heating pads are sized the same, so you may find some don’t quite provide the comfort you need for the part of your back where you’re experiencing pain. You’ll only get frustrated if you have to constantly move it around.

MORE: The right and wrong way to use a heating pad

It may not be your most important factor, but it’s still important to consider how easy it will be to clean your heating pad at least occasionally. Some heating pads come with covers that you can simply toss in the washer for ease of cleanup.

Whether you're suffering from back pain, period cramps or other types of aches and discomfort, you can't beat this classic heating pad from Sunbeam.

Versatile OptionIt has three heat settings and a 9-inch cord for ease of use.

Versatile OptionIt has three heat settings and a 9-inch cord for ease of use.

Available in teal, gray, red and navy blue, this heating pad is designed for full body use. You can drape it over your back, wrap it around your thigh or lay it across your abdomen. The pad also includes six heat settings, so you can customize your experience.

Machine WashableThis heating pad comes with overheat protection and automatically shuts off after 2 hours of use.

Machine WashableThis heating pad comes with overheat protection and automatically shuts off after 2 hours of use.

This electric heating pad is gentle against your skin while also conforming to the area where you place it. It heats up in less than 30 seconds and automatically shuts off after two hours. You can choose from moist or dry heat therapy, depending on your needs.

Gentle FibersMicroplush fibers make this pad gentle to the touch, keeping your skin comfortable while you ease pain.

Gentle FibersMicroplush fibers make this pad gentle to the touch, keeping your skin comfortable while you ease pain.

With three settings — high, medium and low — this electric heating pad combines ease of use with customizability. The included bag can be removed and cleaned in the washing machine, and the auto-shutoff timer can ease your mind. The size makes it perfect f...

Easy to CleanThis electric heating pad comes with a removable bag that you can just toss in the washing machine to keep clean.

Easy to CleanThis electric heating pad comes with a removable bag that you can just toss in the washing machine to keep clean.

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Our experts reviewed the top 20 Heating Pads and also dug through the reviews from 89 of the most popular review sites including and more. The result is a ranking of the best of the best Heating Pads.

DWYM is your trusted roduct review source. Our team reviews thousands of product reviews from the trusted top experts and combines them into one easy-to-understand score. Learn more.

Whether you're suffering from back pain, period cramps or other types of aches and discomfort, you can't beat this classic heating pad from Sunbeam.

MORE: How to make your own heating pad

Heat therapy for aches and pains is nothing new. In fact, in Ancient Greece and Egypt, physicians used the sun’s rays to help people find relief. Thermal baths, mud baths and even hot air caverns attached to volcanic sources were all part of this therapy at one time or another. In addition to these therapies, those experiencing issues such as muscle spasms were treated using hot water, steam and sand. As medicine evolved, hot vapor baths were used for fevers, arthritis and other conditions. Sweat baths continue to serve as therapy for various ailments in some cultures to this day.

DWYM simplifies the research process by aggregating the reviews of the top product review sites. The result is the DWYM Score which represents the overall true rating of a product based upon a 1-10 scale.

For the Heating Pad category, we analyzed 89 of the most popular reviews including reviews from and more. The result is a ranking of the best Heating Pads.