I'm one of those who are not handy with wiring and soldering so I stick with UTHs. I really like Ultratherms from Reptile Basics. They are all under $30 and come in lots of different sizes.
A t-stat is not just for peace of mind, they are an absolute necessity. I also like the VE-200 from Vivarium Electronics. But the herpstats are awesome too. A hydrofarm is a good choice for a backup. I like to be able to see and actually set the temp right on the unit so I don't like the guesswork involved with the hydrofarm or reptitemp 500r. But they are usable and certainly better than nothing. :gj: