Fast heating
The presence of a
fast heating mode in the device. In this mode, the heating element operates at increased power, thereby reducing the time required to reach operating temperature. After entering the mode, the heater power usually decreases automatically, but this point needs to be specified separately. Also note that auto switch-off of fast heating and auto-switch of power level are different functions, see below for the last.
Display
The presence of a
display on the heater.
The display is located on the control panel and is usually a simple LCD screen with 2 to 3 icons. However, even such a screen provides additional convenience, it can display various information about the operation: power level, timer settings, activated heating zones (if there are several), warnings about malfunctions, etc. Note that the presence of a display is a sign an advanced heating pad with extensive capabilities — it does not make sense to use this function in simple models.
Cable length
The length of the cable for connecting to the mains, which is equipped with a heating pad.
On the one hand, the longer the wire, the easier it is to connect the device to the outlet, the lower the chance that an extension cord will be needed for this. On the other hand, a long cable can get tangled and create inconvenience. Thus, in most heating pads, the length of the wire is about 2 – 2.5 m — a longer length is rarely required and in such cases it is usually not a problem to find an extension cord.