Sunbeam Heated Back Wrap with Adjustable Strap Review

We purchased the Sunbeam Heated Back Wrap with Adjustable Strap so our writer could put it to the test. Keep reading for our full product review.

Chronic back pain is becoming more and more common as many people spend their days sitting behind a desk for hours on end in a hunched position. Traditional heating pads are great for alleviating soreness and tension, but without a way to affix them to a certain spot, it can be tricky to get the relief you need. 

However, products like the Sunbeam Heated Back Wrap are here to help, with an ultra-soft exterior and two convenient straps that make it feel like a snug hug when wearing it. To see if this back wrap lived up to expectations, I took it home and tested it myself, evaluating all its key features, from material to performance. Read on for my insights.

Material + Design: Soft and stays put when you move

When I opened the Sunbeam Heated Back Wrap, the first thing I noticed was the softness of the exterior fabric. According to the manufacturer, this fabric is a grey-colored “micromink” material that feels like a cross between velvet and faux fur. 

This heating wrap measures 23 by 15 inches. I’m 5-foot-10, and it reached from my tailbone almost to my shoulder blades, covering most of my back. In terms of settings, there are four different heat levels to choose from; there is also a two-hour auto-off feature, which is very convenient for when you fall asleep (and believe me, you will fall asleep). Although you can use this as a regular heating pad, the exterior can be misted lightly with some water to create moist heat, too. 

This wrap stays in place with a velcro strap, which I thought worked quite nicely. The pad also comes with a strap extension if you need a longer length. While the heating pad is hands-free, you are still tethered to an outlet via a nine-foot cord. While wearing the wrap, I got up several times to walk around only to yank the cord out of the wall. It’s deceivingly comfortable, so it’s easy to forget it isn’t wireless—not a deal-breaker but annoying when it happens.

Cleaning: Avoid it, if possible

The Sunbeam Heated Back Wrap is coated in a supple fabric and feels amazing against your skin. However, while it is machine-washable, the fabric does lose some of its softness when washed. It’s extremely easy to clean–just detach the cord and throw it in the wash–but I’d recommend holding off on that as long as you can. The fabric was by no means ruined when it went through the wash, it just wasn’t as fluffy.

Performance: Relieved muscle tension and stress

Luckily, I don’t have any chronic back problems, but I often feel soreness from working out or tension from stress. After a particularly rigorous workout, my back was very sore the following day. I used the Sunbeam Back Wrap while reclined on the couch, starting with the “warm” setting, which I barely felt through my t-shirt. I was eager to crank it up to the highest setting, but tested the “low” and “medium” options first.  

The low setting was very faint, but might be good for just warming up on a cold day. The medium felt much more powerful, but not enough to melt any muscle tension I was holding. The “high” setting was the temperature I was looking for to cure my ailments. It was very hot without burning me. The heat emitted steadily and was spread evenly throughout the surface area of the pad. 

I unplugged the wrap and gave it a spritz to try it out in a moist heat setting. The medium heat felt great with this feature. I placed the wrap to my bare skin for the moist heat setting, which felt balmy, but not wet or uncomfortable. The warmth was intensified just slightly by the water, so I kept it on the “medium” setting, which seemed to do the trick. The moist heat proved great for my sore muscles, while I preferred the dry heat for tension relief.

Price: Worth it, especially if you have chronic back pain

While the Sunbeam Heated Back Wrap is more expensive than many competing pads out there, it’s definitely worth the price if you have chronic back problems. The targeted heat and hands-free strap really put this healing wrap in its own category. 

Sunbeam Heated Back Wrap vs. Sunbeam King-Size Moist and Dry Heat Heating Pad 

To help alleviate back pain, the Sunbeam Heated Back Wrap is the undisputed champion. While Sunbeam’s King Size Moist and Dry Heating Pad (view on Amazon), is a household staple, it doesn’t attach to your body for hands-free usage. The extra-large heating pad is great if you’re laying on top of it, as it reaches from your tailbone to your shoulders, but for a more contoured device that moves with you, the back wrap is the way to go. Both can emit moist heat but the Sunbeam Heated Back Wrap offers more temperature settings than the extra-large heating pad.

Interested in reading more reviews? Check out our list of the best heating pads.