Sunbeam Microplush Heating Pad

I really love this so far. I've only had it for a few days but it's definitely the nicest electric heating pad I've ever owned. I had a cheapo SoftHeat one for several years but hardly used it until I got pregnant and (at 24 weeks) my back is getting to be really sore. So I like to put a heating pad behind my back when I'm sitting on the couch working on my laptop. Unfortunately it couldn't stand up to daily use and stopped working. :( Hopefully this one will hold up to daily use (I'll try to remember to update this review about it). But right off the bat I love it's features. It's really long, which is nice if I wanted it to kind of wrap around my sides a little bit. I also love that it has the optional auto off. Typically I like auto off just so that I don't keep it on too much, but I like that I have the option to keep it on as well. It has 6 heat settings, but I really can't fathom who is able to use all 6 because seriously the 1st setting is hot enough for me personally. I will say that I know being pregnant can make your skin more sensitive so maybe that's why any hotter setting feels too hot. But I only use it over my shirt and since it's approaching winter I'm usually wearing a shirt and a sweater or sweatshirt and it's still quite warm on the 1st setting. I've tried the 2nd setting and it's too hot for me to leave on too long. Perhaps if I was already very cold it would work. But at this point I can't imagine going any higher on the settings. It's nice they're there though of course. Another feature that I think people might take for granted is the backlit buttons when the heating pad is on. I like this because if my back is getting sore again (or I'm getting cold lol) then I can simply glance over at the remote, see that the light is off and know that the auto off shut it off. It's just nice to be able to see it at a glance. The final feature that really stands out with this heating pad is that it's very soft and cozy. I don't personally use it right against my skin because I don't need to and I think it might feel too hot. But if I ever do need to, it's not made of that uncomfortable scratchy blue material most cheaper heating pads are made of. It's a very soft fleece kind of material and flexible enough to not feel stiff if you wrap it around your sides. So even though this costs a little extra, I'd recommend upgrading to this heating pad instead of opting for a cheaper one. It seems very well made and I'm hoping it will last a good long time.