The table below gives a description of how THERMOTEX compares to other common heat systems.

	THERMOTEX	Wheat bag	Hot pack with (hydrocollator*)	Infrared lamp
Portability	Easy to transport, convenient for travel	Easy to transport	Fixed location	Cumbersome, generally at one location
Energy source	Electric socket	Microwave	Electric Heater	Electric socket
Type of Heat	Radiant 100% infrared	Conductive	Conductive	Infrared & visible light
Risk of burns	Extremely low & will not dehydrate the skin	Low/medium	High	Low/medium
Convenience of Use	Plugs into any socket anywhere for immediate use	Easy to use where there is a microwave	Fixed location, very hot, packs require careful handling and insulating	Easy to use at one location
Ease of application	Designed to fit the body part, easy to use, can be used whilst seated or lying down	Must be held in place or use separate strapping to hold in place	Requires careful handling, must be insulated. Difficult to use on certain body parts	Light shines on to body part, easy on the front or back, awkward from the side
In car use	Yes (with simple adaptor)	No	No	No
Duration of use	Used for 30-45 minutes, can be safely used for over 1 hour	15-20 minutes minutes, requires re-heating	15-20 minutes, requires re-heating	15-20 minutes
Heat Penetration	Up to 6cm	Not measured (superficial)	Not measured (superficial)	Not measured
Temperature fluctuation	Constant	High temperature then cooling	Very high temperature then cooling	Constant
Cost of Use	£0.0026p per 45 minutes based on 36 Watt Platinum (9.8p/ kWh)	£0.0039p based on 800W microwave on high for 3 minutes (9.8p/kWh)	Very High, requires heater to be on constantly at 100C	1.48p / 15 mins, based on 600W appliance (9.8p/kWh)

*Hydrocollator – A hydrocollator is a water heater used in hospitals to keep hot packs.

To see why Thermotex may be most suited to your needs, please click here to see the product range or contact us for more information.