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NoobMan
You are right, the general consensus is that so if we heatsink it we increase its rating. I just think the net worth of this is not necesarily predictable.
IMO, heatsinking a heating element is 100% counterproductive. And I consider the "net worth" to be perfectly predictable, because there's a temperature reading element (thermistor) and as soon as the target temperature is achieved, electricity is drastically reduced to make sure it doesn't overheat.
This wattage rating is entirely out of the picture when using resistors as heating elements. Ignoring it is entirely fine. The only reason to not use 0.25W resistors is, even when embedded in aluminium you need some surface to carry the heat away. Higher wattage resistors typically also have a bigger body and it's this bigger body which makes the difference. That's why enamel-insulated 2W or 3W types are usually prefered.