Having a good heated car seat goes a long way in helping to stay warm and comfortable during cold days.
They have many uses, from simply getting warm quickly or even getting heat when a vehicle’s built-in heater stops working.
There are many units available, including material type and heat output.
There are many good units available, with some of our favorite picks below.
As always, be sure to read the reviews on Amazon, forums, here, or elsewhere to be sure a unit is a good fit for you.
Our Picks for Best 12-Volt Car Heated Seat Cushion
- Wagan HealthMate IN9438
- Big Hippo Seat Cushion
- Sunny Color Seat Cushion
- SEG Direct
- Kexle
Wagan HealthMate makes many good units, including the IN9438 heated seat cushion.
It lays on a car seat and has straps that go around the back to hold it in place.
There is a simple in-line switch that has three controls High, Low, and Off.
The HealthMate 12V unit is a nice low-cost option that provides a lot of comforts.
The Big Hippo heated seat cushion is a basic low-cost unit that works well.
Like other vehicle heating cushions, it plugs into the cigarette lighter for power.
It is a good low-cost solution that works nicely, heating up your body on cold days.
This unit from Sunny Color works the same as other models by plugin into a cigarette for power.
It is made to fit the entire seat, including the lower part and upper back part of the seat.
The temperature is easily adjusted with three settings high, low, and off.
The SEG Direct is a great unit that not only heats but also has a built-in massage.
Using one of the power adapters, it can be plugged into a 12-volts, 24-volts cigarette lighter or a standard 120-volt wall outlet.
This means it can be used in a car and taken into a home and also used to get a heated massage.
The Kexle is another good-all-around unit that can be used anywhere from a car to an office.
It is built out of a breathable mesh that helps transfer heat and can also help cool in the summer.
It also has straps to hold it in place and is universally made to fit almost any seat.
How Hot Do 12-Volt Car Seat Warmers Get?
Most 12-Volt heated car seat cushions operate at a max 110-120 degrees Fahrenheit.
They will have a controller to adjust the heat output to a comfortable level.
Can 12-Volt Heated Seats Drain the Battery?
It will depend on the car make and model if the 12-volt heated seat cushion drains the battery.
Some vehicles keep power going to the cigarette lighter even when the key is off which will drain a battery.
If the car turns off the power going to the cigarette lighter when the key is off the battery will not be drained.
How Much Power Can a 12-Volt Cigarette Lighter Output?
A Car cigarette lighter port can vary in output between 5 and 20 amps.
They will have a fuse that will blow if the max output is reached.
Be sure to look at your car manual for the maximum rated output along with the fuse location.
Cigarette lighter fuses are usually easy to replace if they do blow once its location is known.
Summary
Having a heated car seat on a cold morning is one of the nice things in life.
The seat will heat up quickly, often much more quickly than a vehicle’s built-in heater, at least in my case.
One thing to be sure of is that your car or truck’s cigarette lighter socket turns off when the key goes off so that the battery doesn’t get slowly drained.
A heated seat cushion can never replace a built-in heater but can go a long way in helping to stay warm.
There are many different units to choose from that come in all kinds of colors and padding.
If you have never used one before, be sure to check them out, as they are low-cost devices that make cold days a little better.
My 12 V heated seat pad broke, how do I fix it?
what if the 12 volt cigarette lighter does not work, any heated car seats you can buy