Nothing. Just different labels for the same thing. Some are thermostatically controlled, others are auto/factory set to specific temp. And they come in all sizes and with all prices - Burpee's prices are high compared to many other sources I've seen so shop around. In this case one comes with a metal spacer to prevent direct contact with the plastic trays which can be a good thing as some of the others will melt the plastic trays. Or you can buy one without and make your own spacers. Dave

Hm, I'm no expert, but I think I'd use a sheet of styrofoam under the heat mat, otherwise you may just dissipate a lot of heat into the concrete floor of your garage. I don't think it could hurt to use grow lights on your plumies if you're going to take the trouble to heat them. I'm using those clip-on lights myself, tho indoors. I just went to Lowe's or HD and they directed me to the round blue bulbs called "plant lights". They're only 60w but the two I'm using seem to be helping--Kimo shot out new leaves around Christmas under them. Can't hurt to have them on for 8 hours or so, that's for sure. Jen

Actually, I believe I did buy proper mats to fit the space available. The room measurements were correct, indeed a wall that ended up coming down increased my coverage area, and yet I had too much mat left over. I don't think warmyourfloor goofed either. What I suspect is that mat1 and mat2 were swapped, one is longer than the other. When I arrived on the scene however, the mats had already been cut and placed, incorrectly, resulting in excess mat at the end of the line. One immediate problem was that the mats were not spaced close enough together, for example, and because it was an odd shaped room and the cuts were already made, pulling them together threw it off at the juncture corrected. At that point, with the tile guy, the contractor (who was supposed to lay the mat) and the electrician standing around, I did not feel it appropriate to clear the room, collect the mat pieces and try to put it together myself. What they ended up deciding was to place more mat closer to the wall and also ran it under my clawfoot tub, which wasn't on the plan, among other things to make it work. My point in posting was to reinforce not to cut until you are certain of your layout and that I saved no time (the project is now behind) by NOT DIY. I should have laid my own mats. I would have taken time, and not cut first and then decided it didn't fit. Hope that makes it more clear, and saves someone some aggravation.

So sorry there are 30 picture but I first was labeling them for myself and was going to reduce them to less pictures in a photo album to share with this wonderful decorating group of members but I am tired since it took so long to label the pictures. If they are too many, I will set up another link with only a few. Pictures are at night and daytime to compare the white mat with the linen textured (love the texture) off-white mat. Both look great in the day time but at night I think the linen mat is too creamy for the room but maybe I am wrong. I have not had a picture on the wall for 13.5 years since I moved into my townhouse. I am using the two pictures I have in the house to compare the mat color so it is not the greatest way to decide since the black framed picture has museum quality glass and the gold framed picture that I bought at an Estate sale and goes with nothing in my home has regular glass which I feel is too glaring in my family room. If you don't have time to look, you can click slide show or just glance around to choose a few pictures to look at since I labeled them all. I am about to order. I wanted to go with white but I wish it was textured. Here is a link that might be useful: Family Room Photos to help decide which mat