9 Best Heating Pads of 2024

If you’re looking for a versatile heating pad that you can use on your neck and shoulders, back, abdomen or elsewhere on your body, this extra-large pick will get the job done. We love that it features a soft material that'll feel like a blanket on your skin and features six settings from 105 to 140ºF.

Along with an impressive five-year warranty, this heating pad includes a nine-foot cord, so you can use it on the couch or in bed without struggling to find an outlet that's close enough. Also notable: this heating pad has racked up over 14K reviews and an average 4.3-star rating on Amazon, where reviewers make note of the brand's exceptional customer service and the product's solid overall performance.

This heating pad from Sunbeam is a highly versatile option that'll soothe sore muscles and joint pain, all at an affordable price. Use it like you would any other traditional heating pad, or, for deeper pain relief, you can spray the cover with water and reap the benefits of moist heat, according to the brand. While it only has three heat settings (low, medium and high), our experts like that it’s offered in both standard and extra-large sizes and features a long 9-foot cord for convenient use.

While the price is unbeatable, the polyester exterior won’t be quite as comfortable as other heating pads. If you prefer a softer feel and can pay a bit more, the Premium King Size Heating Pad is another excellent choice from Sunbeam, featuring a softer pad along with six heat settings.

Back pain bothering you but don’t have time to sit down on the couch? Consider this neoprene wrap from Hyperice that you can wear anywhere around the house. A Good Housekeeping Fitness Awards winner, our experts love that you can easily adjust its size to fit you perfectly and that it features up to three hours of battery life before needing to be recharged. Though it does require an app and Bluetooth to change settings, we appreciate that it offers three levels of heat paired with vibration patterns. Testers found that it heated up quickly and was comfortable to use.

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With more than 58K reviews, this 4.3-star rated heating pad is another relatively budget-friendly pick and a best seller on Amazon. Our pros like that it's machine-washable and warms up to its hottest setting in under 30 seconds, according to the brand. Plus, it’s made of a soft and fuzzy material for a comfortable, soothing experience. The extra-large size is ideal for versatile use all over the body, but ideal for large areas like the lower back, neck and shoulders or to soothe sciatica in pregnancy. As a nice bonus, the brand says you can also use a moist heat therapy method in tandem with low, medium or high heat, if desired.

Unlike other heating pads, this pick from UTK is composed of 52 jade and 20 tourmaline stones, which the brand claims benefit the body while heating up any sore muscles or cramps. Though we haven't tested those claims, our experts love that this heating pad comes in a large size to cover a lot of surface area — great for lower back pain and sciatica. You can even wrap it around your leg to soothe a sore knee or hip.

We also love that you can pick the exact temperature you want to heat it up to on the controller. The hottest setting reaches temperatures above 100 degrees. There’s also a memory function, so you can save your favorite settings for future use, such as temperature and amount of time.

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If you’re a fan of weighted blankets, this heating pad is a great 2-in-1 pick. It features nine heat levels to choose from and a memory function to remember your favorite settings. It’s also safe to bring to bed with 11 auto-off timers, ranging from 30 minutes to nine hours. This makes it an exceptionally great pick for period cramps, since you can lay the pad over yourself like a blanket while the heat soothes the pain. Our pros love that this heating pad is made of soft flannel polyester that’s machine washable for easy care. We also like that the interior is composed of 2.2 pounds of glass beads to help distribute weight evenly across your body and provide just the right amount of pressure.

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Perfectly contoured for your neck and shoulders, this dedicated heating pad drapes over the area to target muscles where they ache the most. It features four temperature settings, so you can choose the right amount of heat for you. You can also use dry or moist heat, according to the brand.

Pure Enrichment makes some of the most popular heating pads on the market, and our experts love how well you can cozy up with this pick. The super soft and plush exterior feels a lot like a soothing version of your favorite sweatshirt or blanket. Plus, the heating pad has a 9-foot power cord that affords you flexibility to move about or sit some distance from the nearest outlet. Unfortunately, there's no auto-shutoff feature on this budget-friendly pick.

If you're struggling with joint pain caused by a condition like pregnancy or arthritis, our experts say a wrap is a great solution because it secures around the leg or arm for targeted pain relief. We love that this option has the ability to both heat and cool, since it offers dual relief. When using for heat, you can toggle through three temperature settings on the electric heating pad; when using for cold therapy, simply slip a frozen ice pack inside the interior sleeve. For deeper pain relief, you can also use moist heat by spraying the pad with water prior to heating, according to the brand.

The cord is long enough to afford some flexibility, but on the downside, some reviewers claim that it's relatively heavy and tends to get in the way unless you're sitting very still.

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If you’d prefer to avoid dealing with the hassle of cords and electrical outlets, a hot water bottle is a great option for soothing pain, cramps and soreness. Offered in several bright colors along with a knit sleeve, all you have to do is add hot water, tighten the top and you’re good to go. You can also use the water bottle as a cold compress for any swelling, making this option a great choice for pregnancy. When handling hot water, our experts stress the importance of safety and recommend being extremely careful to ensure the lid is safely fastened before use.

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