Could he be talking about radiant heat panels, rather than ceramic heat emitters?
Radiant heat panels are pretty nice. They're probably the best heating option, but they're rarely mentioned simply because they tend to be pricier here. They do last virtually forever, and they're very safe.
I would never trust an undertank heater indefinitely--they do eventually wear out. Some brands only last a couple of years. Inspect your UTH regularly for signs of discoloration, cracking, or wear. Any of these should be cause to replace the device.
If he's heating a bunch of cages, he might just buy some flexwatt and some cords, and wire the stuff up himself. Same number of thermostats either way.
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