If you are planning on doing some gardening, those first few weeks after planting your seeds is crucial. Something that most pros use are heating mats for seedlings. They help keep your seedlings toasty warm.
That said, finding a good seedling mat is easier said than done. This is what we are here for today, to look at the top contenders for the best seedling heat mat out there. Let’s get to it and help you find the best heat mat for your needs.
Comparison Chart
Growerology Greenhouse Warming Mat | Seed Heat Mat with Insulation for Germination, Hydroponics & Plant Propagation – Waterproof MET Certified Plant Heating Pad, Indoor & Outdoor (10″ x 20.75″) 1PC
Best Seedling Heat Mat: Reviews
1. Growerology Greenhouse Warming Mat
Here we have a simple yet effective seedling heat mat. This greenhouse warming mat can be used indoors and outdoors, and for many different purposes as well. You can use this unit to heat up your seedlings as well as to put inside of reptile terrariums.
Review
This particular seedling heat mat comes in at 10 inches by 20.75 inches. This should be enough room to hold anywhere from 10 to 15 small plant seedling cups. It’s not massive, but should be large enough for most purposes.
Moreover, this product is made out of fairly durable materials. It is designed in such a way that it is tough yet also flexible. This means that you can easily manipulate it and move it around without causing it to break or rip.
There is also the fact that it features a waterproof construction. You don’t need to worry about it getting wet when you water your seedlings. It’s not going to cause a short circuit when it comes into contact with a bit of water.
You might also like how it comes with a long 6-foot power cord. It’s not the most important feature in the world, although it is useful.
In terms of ease of use, you just have to lay it down and then plug it in. This particular heating mat will warm up the root area of your plants anywhere from 10 to 20 degrees Fahrenheit above the temperature in the grow room. To help keep your plants even warmer, there is an added piece of insulation included.
Pros
- Indoor and outdoor use
- Plug and play
- Efficient heating plus extra insulation
- Durable and waterproof
- Flexible and versatile
Cons
- Not ideal for cold temperatures
2. VIVOSUN Seedling Heat Mat
Here we have a much larger seedling heat mat than the one we just looked at. It also comes with some advanced technology to ensure that it achieves the best possible temperatures for your seedlings.
Review
What is really neat about this unit is that it comes complete with a built in thermostat. This is designed for accurate temperature control. Yes, unlike the unit we just looked at, this one does feature precise temperature control. It comes complete with a control dial and thermostat.
You can choose to heat this mat up to anywhere between 68 and 86 degrees Fahrenheit. In terms of accuracy and temperature control, this is probably one of the best units out there at this time.
This seedling heat mat is also made out of very durable PVC material. It’s very flexible so you can easily manipulate it. However, it is also very durable and rip resistant. You can be pretty rough with it and it won’t break. On a side note, due to its flexibility, you can also easily fold or roll it up for storage.
It is also totally waterproof and heat resistant. It’s definitely not going to short circuit after you water your seedlings. It also comes with a layer of double insulation to ensure that it doesn’t burn the bottom of your plants. In terms of overall durability, this is a fantastic choice to go with.
When it comes to the size, this particular one comes in at 20 by 20.75 inches. This makes it a fairly large heating mat. Moreover, there is also another option available, which comes in at a full 48 by 20.75 inches. No matter what size you get, they’re all easy to clean, which is yet another definite bonus.
Pros
- Superior durability
- Waterproof
- Heat resistant
- Good insulation
- Precise temperature control
- Flexible and easy to manipulate
- Many sizes available
Cons
- Heat is not 100% even across the surface
3. Hydrofarm Jump Start MT10009 Seedling Heat Mat
If you’re looking for something super sizable, this is a fantastic option to consider. This is definitely not the cheapest seedling heat mat out there, although it may very well be one of the best. It’s also got some really other neat features that you might appreciate.
Review
This seedling heating mat is designed to heat up the root area of your plants anywhere from 10 to 20 degrees Fahrenheit over the ambient temperature. Now, this basic version does not come complete with temperature control.
However, this brand name does sell a separate digital heat mat thermostat. This will allow you to monitor and control the temperature very accurately. Of course, this does need to be purchased separately.
Now, one of the coolest aspects of this unit is the fact that you can daisy chain them. You can daisy chain up to five separate heating mats together. This is ideal for large scale applications.
In terms of the size, this is a fairly large heating mat, as it comes in at 48 by 20 inches. If you need something even larger, there is also a 60 by 21-inch option available. However, there are also two smaller options for smaller operations.
When compared to other brands, this unit is about 50% thicker. This does of course help make it much more durable.
The materials used to build it are quite solid and should last for a long time. The heating mat as a whole is designed to be totally waterproof. This is important when it comes to watering your plants on top of it.
Pros
- Very durable
- Waterproof
- Large
- Can be daisy chained
- Accurate temperature maintenance
- Can be used with a thermostat
Cons
- Control thermostat sold separately
4. Root Radiance Seeding & Germination Heat Mat
Here we have another simple yet effective seedling heating mat. It might be very basic but it works really well and it comes in a number of sizes too.
Review
This seedling heating mat is made out of something similar to PVC. It’s a very durable material. It’s more than durable enough so you can fold it and maneuver it without causing it to break.
On that same note, this material is also 100% waterproof. You don’t have to worry about any electronics getting damaged when you water your seedlings.
The cool thing is that it’s also quite flexible. This means that you can easily roll it up and bring it along with you. It is certainly quite portable, and it’s not overly heavy either.
This heating mat comes complete with a 6-foot power cord. This should be more than long enough for most needs.
In terms of the heat it produces, it will warm the root area up to 10 to 20 degrees Fahrenheit above the ambient temperature. In case you were wondering, no, it does not come with temperature control.
As for the size, this particular unit is 48 by 20.75 inches. You can also choose from a 20 by 20.75, as well as a 20.75 by 10-inch model.
Pros
- Ideal heating level
- Durable design
- Flexible and portable
- Waterproof
- A few sizes to choose from
Cons
- No temperature control
5. Plant Babies Heating Mat
Here, we have a small, simple, and super affordable heating map. It’s not huge, but it definitely does the trick for basic home use.
Review
This seedling mat comes in at 10 by 20.75 inches. As you can see, it’s not huge. However, it should be more than good enough for home use. You should be able to fit anywhere from 10 to 15 small seedling cups onto it.
This seedling mat is made out of highly durable materials. It’s made out of something that is similar to PVC. This means that it’s definitely not going to rip or tear on you. This is even the case if you fold it or roll it. Yes, you can fold or roll it together for storage and portability.
On that same note, this material is also totally waterproof. This helps protect the interior electrical components from being damaged by water. It also helps prevent short circuits from occurring.
Now, do keep in mind that this unit is not designed with temperature control. It will heat up the roots of your plant to anywhere from 10 to 20 degrees Fahrenheit over the ambient temperature. Generally speaking, unless it’s super cold, this should be more than good enough.
It is also worth noting that this is one of the more affordable seedling heating mats on the list today. It’s definitely a budget friendly option to go with.
Pros
- Waterproof
- Durable
- Good size for home use
- Simple but effective
- Affordable
- Portable
Cons
- Only one small size
- No temperature control
Conclusion
If you want the best seedling heat mat possible, it’s the VIVOSUN Seedling Heat Mat that we would go with. The reason being that it has accurate temperature control capabilities.
That said, if size is what you need, then a good runner up would be the Hydrofarm Jump Start MT10009 Seedling Heat Mat.