PVC pipe heaters cradle a section of pipe within an insulated, reflective enclosure that creates a cylinder of heat. Rotating the pipe on the heaters' rollers ensures thorough heating for forming a uniform bend. Also known as PVC heat boxes, these pipe heaters open along their full length to load and unload the pipe. They typically heat larger sections of pipe than pipe blankets, and they are commonly used for new pipe installations and other jobs that require a lot of bending.

PVC pipe blankets wrap around a section of pipe and apply heat. They are slim to slide under pipe in existing installations. These pipe blankets are typically used for one-off bending jobs and for shorter sections of pipe than pipe heaters.