Thermophore Classic Moist Heating Pad Size Medium 14" x 14" - Model 056

This replaces an older version that worked for years. First day of use: The main differences are that the pad seems to be made of a slightly thinner canvas-like material, the electrical cord is round, heavier and stiffer and the momentary switch is a different shape which I have not decided if that is better for me. The new switch body is probably designed to fit more comfortably in the hand. The level of heat appears to be the same and is very good. Only time will tell if this newer unit performs and lasts as long as the original. As for all the reviewers that complain about the momentary switch, they should have read the description as Thermophore makes (sells) other versions with a timed switch that you do not have to hold. I prefer this switch that you must hold to keep it on and releasing it when you want it to turn off. Made in China.

Great product, sold them in my pharmacy for many years!

I have an auto inflammatory disease with daily, chronic pain. I have repurchased this thermophore heating pad over the years in different sizes. It’s essential. I have recommended it to all my family and friends. It’s durable, not too heavy but sturdy. It has a soft outer cover which protects it and can be washed in my washing machine. The handheld button is great because I can fall asleep and not burn myself forgetting to turn it off. Lastly, the moist heat goes deep and has been a lifesaver at night when pain is bad.

It heats up quickly and retains heat nicely. I use it for some orthopedic issues on my right hand and just fold it over and tuck my hand inside. The heat and the weight of the pad are really effective. Some have commented on the fact that you have to squeeze the switch to keep it on. Actually, it’s a great safety feature—it keeps you from roasting yourself! The pad keeps getting warmer until you release the switch. Then, you release it and enjoy the heat (it retains well). If it cools, you just press the switch to heat it back up. I actually hold the switch between my knees when I need it on. That works great too. This was recommended by the physical therapist, and it’s a good investment! (Replacing a heating pad I bought in the late 1970s!)

I just paid a fortune for a heating pad that doesn’t have a timer on it! You literally have to hold a button down for this thing to turn on!!!! A complete waste of money and how cheap can a company be, I’ve purchased from this company before and keep hoping they’ll make improvements but no they charge they keep making the same thing with NO IMPROVEMENTS! Don’t buy anything from this company because the product doesn’t last more than a two years! ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTING!

Not as good as the USA made one. Same model, but this one is not as heavy, nor does it retain the heat when you release the switch, as the American made one does. I don't know when they started to make them overseas, we had the first one for almost 20 years. And it's a shame they had to.

After borrowing a Thermophore heating pad from a friend, I decided that I had to get one for myself. I have a herniated L5-S1 disc, which a failed operation was preformed on. My lumbar back muscles frequently spasm, causing me intense pain, and this heating pad has helped my back muscles relax and loosen up. Additionally, due to weakness in my leg, caused by my sciatic nerve being pinched by the above mentioned disc, I frequently walk with a cane. The cane, while helpful with walking, does cause my shoulders to get tense and achey, which has lead to me dealing with frequent tension headaches. This heating pad has also done wonders with my shoulders, and I attribute the decrease in the number of tension headaches I get to the heating pad keeping my shoulders relaxed, rather than tense and tight like they used to be. The heating pad has a dead man's switch (you have to hold the switch down), which is great when I'm using it in bed before going to sleep. When I fall asleep, I release the switch, and the heating pad turns off. I no longer have to worry about falling asleep with the heating pad on, and waking up to a burn on my back or shoulders. As other reviewers have mentioned, this heating pad gets much hotter than normal ones that you find at a supermarket. The heat really does get deep into your muscles. Worth every penny in my opinion!

Fantastic, fantastic, fantastic. I absolutely love this heating pad, as it is one of the only heating pads available that ACTUALLY GETS HOT!!! The down side is that you need to keep the lever depressed in order to heat the pad up, but that is to skirt Federal regulations that limit how hot heating pads can get to mildly warm. In other heating pads without a manual lever to shut the pad off if you fall asleep, you will often find an FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions list) that explains the frequently asked question "Why won't my heating pad get hot?" The short answer is that the government is protecting stupid people that fall asleep with their pad turned on or that do not know enough to take a hot pad away from their skin when it gets too hot, thus making all conventional heating pads useless for actual heat therapy. As long as you are holding the switch down, the pad heats up, stopping at a temperature that is probably not tolerable for most people without extra padding. When it gets too hot, you release the switch until it cools down, repeating the press and release cycle to maintain your ideal temperature. Much to the chagrin of the government, stupid people can still burn themselves if they are determined enough, by putting their weight on the switch or using things such as rubber bands, and there are warnings telling people not to do things like lie down on the heating pad since that magnifies the heat, but reasonable people can take the warnings with a grain of salt as long as they trust themselves to let go of the switch when the pad gets too hot, and know that if they burn themselves it is their own fault, not the fault of the company that makes the heating pad. I love this heating pad and have used it dozens of times for my back, neck, and shoulder. I use the "moist therapy" cover because it is less scratchy than not using it, even though it does not work in my Arizona environment (you do not wet it down, it sucks moisture from the air. I could get it to work if I left it in the bathroom when people take showers.). Every other "conventional" heating pad now resides at the local garbage dump.