Thermophore MaxHeat Pad 14" x 14" - Large Electric Heating Pad for Back Pain Relief, Muscle Relaxation & Comfort - Perfect for Home, Office & Travel Use

7/04/2012 UPDATE -- Well, after my 2nd purchased replacement broke in 6 mos (they are the best on the market and I need and use them regularly)-- I decided to call Battle Creek to let them know how bad the problems. The customer rep answering the phone said she was new and was in the process of getting things underway. When I told her of my purchases and my experience -- gave her the dates of purchase on Amazon -- she said that this was just awful and she immediately shipped out two new replacements.In the interim, I had already ordered the larger (longer) one as my current problems need heat spread over a large range. Very recently, I spilled some chocolate on the cover and had my assistant who does my laundry wash it (as I always have) in cold water. However, she did not understand that when you need to wash something in cold water, you don't put it in the dryer afterwards. :-\ She did, it shrunk and didn't cover about 1/5 of the heating pad. I tried to use it that way but it didn't work as I needed it.I emailed this same new rep and asked if I could purchase a new cover -- explaining the fault on my end for the problems. She emailed back that she was sending me. gratis, a replacement cover for the longer pad.I think there is a new commitment to honor the warranty, the rep seems convinced that there is a real problem here -- she postulated a variety of causes and I proposed some different ways of honoring the warranty that would be an improvement. She said that she would be discussing these with management.***So right now*** -- because the product is sooo excellent that I was willing to buy a new one every six months despite the failures -- I would say it is worth the gamble to buy the product you like. I've raised my rating from 1 star to 3 stars.I cannot comment yet on whether there are any changes in how long the item will work because I;ve only had the latest one a couple of months. But given the new attitude towards honoring the warranty -- I am not concerned.But if things improve, I will be coming back to change the rating again.************I leave below the original history of my reports on the product.**************************UPDATE: Amazon reimbursed me when manufacturer wouldn't honor warranty -- so I bought a replacement with the old style manual switch -- figuring the new auto-switch might have caused the item to stop working after 6 months. Well, I am lying here in bed with the replacement unit which just abruptly stopped working -- again just about precisely 6 months after purchase -- just like the previous one.As indicate in my initial review below -- my first Thermaphore lasted 7 years. Now I have purchased two in a row -- each of which lasted 6 months with the manufacturer not honoring the warranty.Read what happened on the first go around. And I see that others recently have had the same experience. Clearly Thermaphore has gone to seed and able to dupe its customers who believe it is the same quality from years gone by.Please! Please! -- do not buy this product! Send a message to Thermaphore -- they cannot capitalize on their good name at the expense of consumers while they turn that name into mud.Put Thermaphore out of business! Don't buy their products!No wonder there is so much overt outrage being expressed at big business and its greed. It's been a long time coming. I can't believe that I am on that band-wagon now._______I purchased the 14x14 autoswitch Thermophore on November 8, 2010. It was my second one.The first one was not the auto-switch but the older style regular switch purchase 7 years earlier. I replaced it because the switch lever (that turned on and off the heating pad) had popped out of its "socket" and when pushed back in would not stay there. The pad itself worked just fine. It was almost certainly my fault that the switch lever popped out as I use it while in bed and I could have easily rolled on it when asleep. (The switch lever is designed to only keep the pad only when you hold the switch lever down. So if you fall asleep -- as I often do -- the switch lever pops up automatically and turns on the heating pad.The first pad was absolutely wonderful. It created moist heat -- something I need for my back which occasionally gets bulging discs. (Once one disc actually herniated.) I am a woman and for many years lifted weights (not the cause of the disc problems) and occasionally would strain something and when I needed to alternate hot and cold, this was the item I would used for moist heat.In the last couple of years, I have not been able to workout and have begun to develop arthritis in various parts of my body. I use the heating pad almost nightly.So when the switch on the first one broke, I was happy to order a new one. I saw that now Thermophore had an autoswitch version -- so I ordered that -- and loved that feature.SO WHAT HAPPENED!?As I said, I ordered the new one with auto-switch on November 8, 2010. I use it almost nightly. Last night I was using it and right in the middle of heating the heating mechanism stopped working. The autoswitch still said ON but the heating element inside the pad was not heating.This was slightly over 5 months and therefore 6 weeks past the return window for defective merchandise. Amazon said to call the manufacturer as the item had a year warranty and was covered. Amazon gave me the phone #.I called and this is what the manufacturer said:a.I needed to return the item ***at my own expense and effort*** -- find packaging to put it in and so forth.b. Upon receipt, they would look at it and decide whether its failure was due to a defect. (It obviously was as it stopped working right in the middle of a heating cycle.)c. Then if they so deemed it was a defect, they would send out a replacement by the cheapest and slowest method possible.d. Even if they found it defective, they would NOT reimburse me for my shipping expense.Since the shipping expense for me (UPS) would be over 25% of the original purchase price, that was a little preposterous. As I need to use it nightly, I could not go without a heating pad for the 4-6 weeks process that this could take. Which meant I would have to order another one immediately and perhaps I would end up with 2 because Thermophore would deem the first one defective.I explained this to the Thermophore representative and she said, basically, "tough", *that was the manufacturer's warranty.I told them I would file a complaint with Amazon-- and again, she didn't care and basically said again "tough."I am a long time Amazon customer (over 10 years) and I buy everything I can through them. Amazon offered to take care of the matter for me and arranged for me to get a replacement at minimal extra cost (as the price had gone up since I purchased it.)I decided not to go with the autoswitch this time -- hoping that that was the cause of the defect -- but it is not clear.If this was not such a great pad -- and all the positive reviews are correct -- the complaints, though valid, are from individuals who had a different idea as to what the heating pad could do -- not that the heating pad did not work superbly.Manufacturers are increasingly producing cheaper and lower quality versions of their products that break down rapidly and the manufacturer imposes conditions on their warranty that do everything to deter the customer from actually exercising their warranty right.Though my time is worth much more than the time to post these explanations (I am an attorney) and certainly more than what I have to do to get my warranty honored, I have decided to make it a campaign to publicize the behavior of manufacturers who exploit the online market in the way they that they do.My hope is that others will follow suit and will force manufacturers to clean up their act or go out of business. I consider these actions an important public service.So Thermophore -- take a look at this incident and see what you ought to do to change this kind of customer experience. Your reputation is on the line -- and thus -- so is your business' viability.It was helpful for my torn rotater cuff.I have had 2 thermophores that are made by this manufacturer for over 35 years. I bought a new one because I love the controls on this updated version. I highly recommend this product. The moist heat relieves pain from sore achy muscles. It is much better than a regular ol’ heating pad.I wanted to love this so bad! This company and line of heating pads is the best I found ever, and I have tried my share over the years to help deal with a serious medical illness.This seemed like a perfect idea for your neck, but the control button has to be held down by your finger the entire time to use it. I put a piece of tape over it so it would stay on but then it got too hot, I had to remove the tape… It’s just really inconvenient compared to most heating pad controls.So, I tried to return it, but seller does not allow returns. My fault for not looking closer, but as a prime user for over 20 years , I think this is the first product that they would not return at all, or give me credit. Something so it’s not a total waste. So be very sure you want to keep it!! And, they are not cheap! I bought two larger ones the same week that cost a lot more to replace an older one that quit working, but this experience is so frustrating. I will not be buying from this seller again.Ordered this for 2 reasons. 1 made in USA and size.Has a protective “sack” for lack of a better description. Totally open on one end. Heating pad is heavy and twists turns and falls out of the sack with each use. Without the protective sack you could suffer burns.I ordered the adjustable control model. I've had the simpler one years ago and I prefer it over this one. It also doesn't seem to get as hot as the one I had. That my opinion of course. But I always base my review on personal experience. Get the classic model. Unless you want less moist heat specifically.Was not sure how I would like the fixed temperature button (3 temp choices; lasting 20 minutes each). Have used these for many years. Actually, kind of like the new features. Don't have to hold control on continuously as before. Also, 20 min seems to be a good timeframe. I was relieved that it still helped my chronic low back pain as much as before. Have noticed over the years that Physical Therapy departments are using this product also.I love it for my pain. It gets hot the way I need it to be!!!!DelightedWonderful! I wish I had discovered it years ago.First off, Thermaphore makes great products and stands behind them with a great warranty. This product is as well made as their others. Unfortuantely, I didn't take the time to really think about what the measurements were and this is way to small. I use it for my neck and shoulders and it just doesn't have enough room to properly sit in that area. Even for my neck, you would have to have it wrapped pretty tight and then it just gets your neck and doesn't go down into the shoulder area at all. I would have returned it as unsuitable but I did not take the time to read and make note of the inability to return it. The version of this that i got, for verification, is the petite 4" x 17" and it has the switch that has three heat settings and shuts off automatically.My clients love this! I use it to warm up the top of the table while interviewing, then when working on my client I use it on the specific area(s) needed or on their feet to keep them extra toasty. Easy to use & appreciate the switch for different heat settings, on/off. 'Really appreciate the automatic off for safety reasons.These are good products generally, although this model is quite a bit smaller than it looks, even in the picture. Works fine so far, so hope it continues to.