Warm Up Your Bottom: Heated Seat Cushion Buying Guide

Let's admit: In cold winter days, the second best thing to a warm steering wheel is warm car seat. Many people are fortunate to own a car with built in heated seats, but some simply stick to their good ol' cars, sans the bottom warmer. But don't despair, this is why heated cushions seats were invented.

There are so many benefits to owning a heated seat cushion. Do you know that it actually helps people with arthritis who are taking long trips? If you're planning on buying one this winter, consider the following pointers for online purchase:

Firm attachment

Many people complain about how easily heated seat cushions slide off your car seat, because they are built with weak straps and cords. Find a heated seat cushion that fits snugly and firmly in place.

Generic versus custom

As most cars are not built with heated seats, people are not inclined to spend plenty of money on alternatives such as the strap-on cushion. So the question is, should you get a generic version or have one custom built for you? The latter, of course, will cost you more money. A generic heated seat cushion is pretty cheap and can be used for almost all types of car seats, but they won't fit as well as a custom one.

Adjustability

Heated seat cushions should be adjustable. There are plenty of products out there that you simply plug and unplug to your cigarette lighter, but you can't adjust the settings when it gets too warm. Here's the catch: some heated cushions will turn off the heat mode when you turn off your car, but will still eat up the battery power in the heated seat cushion. So make sure you disconnect the plug whenever you park your car for the night.

The best thing to do is buy a heated seat cushion for your car that has an auto shut-off mode.

Warranty

Many products that you buy online come with a warranty. Generally, if they are expensive items such as refrigerators, they come with a lifetime warranty, whereas heated seat cushions are normally warranted for at least a year. This is so if your cushion is defective, you can return or get it exchanged for as long as the warranty lasts.