For many who love exercising outdoor year-round, hand heaters may help hold you targeted and cozy on walks or runs when your fingers really feel like icicles. Your arms and fingers are extra vulnerable to the chilly since they’ve little fats and plenty of blood vessels on the pores and skin’s floor, so investing in a single the most effective hand heaters is crucial, says Kevin Huffman, DO, a health care provider of osteopathic drugs and licensed health and wellness specialist.
Hand heaters are available many kinds, from disposable to battery-powered handheld items and heated gloves and mittens. When purchasing, warmth time, battery life, most temperature, and dimension and weight are key standards to search for. To seek out the most effective hand heaters on your winter adventures, we first spoke with three consultants—an osteopathic physician, a wilderness first responder, and a paramedic—to study extra about cold-weather security and what options to search for when purchasing. Then, we examined ten expert-approved hand heaters whereas operating, mountain climbing, and snowboarding outdoors in chilly circumstances. Another excuse to belief our picks? We had a licensed private coach from our Evaluation Board evaluation this story for accuracy and security.
How Do Hand Heaters Work?
There are two foremost sorts of hand heaters—air-activated and battery-powered (or electrical). Air-activated hand heaters are constituted of iron powder, water, salt, and activated charcoal, amongst different substances, that when blended and uncovered to air, oxidize to provide warmth. Electrical hand heaters—whether or not handheld or pre-installed in gloves and mittens—depend on a chargeable, battery-powered heater.
Key Specs
Warmth Supply: Electrical | Weight: 7.2 ounces | Warmth Period: 6-14 hours | Temperature Vary: As much as 130 levels Fahrenheit | Our Total Ranking: 5/5
Who It is For
Greatest for strolling, commuting, snowboarding, and extra in very chilly climate circumstances.
Why We Love It
Survival Frog’s Rechargeable Hand Heaters are fast to warmth and preserve their temperature for a full day of outside adventures. When testing this hand hotter, we had been shocked by how rapidly they reached their most temperature of 130 levels (in simply 10 seconds!). The battery life was spectacular, too—lasting us for 5 full makes use of on a single cost.
Together with the ergonomic design, which we discovered comfy and straightforward to carry, we love that the heaters warmth on either side, maintaining your arms additional toasty. And with three easy-to-adjust warmth settings, these heaters are helpful in numerous climates. Plus, the heaters additionally double as a transportable charger on your gadgets via a USB port—a useful security function for those who’re on the go.
Potential Flaws
- The heaters have an extended cost time: We began charging them within the afternoon, and it wasn’t till the subsequent morning that they reached a full cost.
Most Precious Perception
“The heating capability and consistency of this hand hotter is absolutely nice and helpful indoors (chilly workplaces), strolling round outdoors, and when attending outside occasions throughout chilly winter nights.” —Elise Wojczyk Wang, Verywell Match product tester
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Lengthy cost time
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Brief battery life
Key Specs
Warmth Supply: Electrical | Weight: 7.2 ounces | Warmth Period: 8-15 hours | Temperature Vary: As much as 131 levels Fahrenheit | Our Total Ranking: 4.9/5
Who It is For
Greatest for shorter outside actions in chilly climate, like commuting, shoveling snow, ice skating, and extra.
Why We Love It
Compact and straightforward to make use of, Ocoopa’s Electrical Hand Hotter is a superb choice to hold your arms heat on the go. We admire the double-sided heating, which we discovered helpful for warming each arms without delay with only one hotter. The low-profile design additionally makes it straightforward and cozy to carry one hotter in every hand—even inside gloves and mittens.
Throughout testing, we had been impressed by the heaters’ fast, even, and intense heating. At one level, we even needed to shut them off as a result of our arms bought too heat. With three easy-to-adjust warmth settings, you possibly can customise to your wants relying on the local weather. Plus, three charging ports will let you cost your gadgets on the go if wanted.
Potential Flaws
- Whereas the producer claims an eight- to 15-hour battery life, we discovered that it solely lasts as much as 4 hours on medium warmth.
- It took about 5 hours for these heaters to succeed in a full cost, so that you’ll have to plan accordingly earlier than every use.
Most Precious Perception
“I am actually impressed by how rapidly this hand hotter heats up. Turning it on and altering warmth ranges, both up or down, might be felt immediately.’ —Anna Knief, Verywell Match product tester
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Heats rapidly
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Handy belt design
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Has a pocket for storage
Key Specs
Warmth Supply: Electrical | Weight: 17.9 ounces | Warmth Period: 5-14 hours | Temperature Vary: As much as 130 levels Fahrenheit | Our Total Ranking: 4.6/5
Who It is For
Greatest for lounging, walks, hikes, and backpacking—particularly for those who desire a heated pouch design.
Why We Love It
Not like different hand heaters that it’s important to maintain or match into your pocket or glove, Ororo’s Heated Hand Muff is a cozy heated pouch that you may slip your arms proper into. It comes with a detachable belt (with pockets), permitting you to retailer your cellphone, exercise headphones, or a satisfying snack on the go.
Throughout testing, we discovered that this heated muff warms rapidly and holds a cost for a number of hours. We love that it’s straightforward to regulate between the three warmth settings. Plus, it’s machine-washable (with out the battery), and we didn’t discover any change in high quality after a number of wears and washes.
Potential Flaws
- All collectively, the muff, belt, and battery really feel heavier than different heaters on our listing. Nevertheless it’s a good sacrifice for this hotter’s cozy consolation and useful storage.
Most Precious Perception
“It is fuzzy and furry inside, which is absolutely cozy, and the ribbed cuffs the place your arms go in are cosy. Along with a battery pocket, there are two extra pockets, which had been capable of match my cellphone and AirPods.” —Phoebe Sklansky, Verywell Match product tester
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Warmth rapidly
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Sturdy
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Comfy
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Lengthy cost time
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Brief battery life
Key Specs
Warmth Supply: Electrical | Weight: Not specified | Warmth Period: As much as 8 hours | Temperature Vary: As much as 130 levels Fahrenheit | Our Total Ranking: 4.3/5
Who They’re For
Greatest for shoveling snow, sledding, snowboarding, ice skating, and extra.
Why We Love Them
Heated gloves are a stable alternative if you wish to keep heat whereas collaborating in actions that require your arms, like shoveling snow, sledding, snowboarding, and different snow sports activities. We love Weston’s Heated Gloves as a result of they warmth as much as 130 levels in a matter of minutes and keep constant for a number of hours. We additionally admire that the three warmth settings are straightforward to regulate.
The sturdy, waterproof outer layer retains our arms dry and guarded within the snow. The adjustable wrist straps are significantly useful for blocking out the chilly wind in excessive circumstances. Plus, the gloves are comfy and machine-washable.
Potential Flaws
- These gloves take as much as six hours to totally cost, so that you’ll have to plan forward.
- We discovered that the battery solely lasts as much as 4 hours on the very best warmth setting.
Most Precious Perception
“The place these gloves excel is in effectiveness! They heated quite rapidly and saved my chronically chilly arms heat on the very best setting. I like that the wrist has an adjustable strap, which you need to use to customise the match.” —Michelle Parente, CYT, licensed yoga trainer, commerce editor, and Verywell Match product tester
Bonus Favorites
Whereas we didn’t take a look at the remainder of the hand heaters on our listing, we expect they’re price contemplating after thorough analysis. They’ve options and costs similar to the hand heaters we examined.
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Heats rapidly
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No cost required
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Reusable
Key Specs
Warmth Supply: Chemical response (water, sodium acetate, and steel) | Weight: 4 ounces | Warmth Period: 30-40 minutes | Temperature Vary: As much as 130 levels Fahrenheit
Who They’re For
Greatest for fast actions outdoors in chilly climate, like strolling your canine or practising sprints.
Why We Love Them
Hotsnapz’s reusable Hand Heaters use a chemical response to warmth immediately as an alternative of a chargeable battery. However not like HotHands’ Hand Heaters, which have an analogous heating supply, these are reusable, making them a brilliant cost-effective choose.
With a fast snap of the gel pad, these heaters warmth in seconds and supply 30 to 40 minutes of heat. To reuse, merely boil them in water for 10 to fifteen minutes and allow them to dry. We love that they’re light-weight and might simply match inside a glove or small pocket. Plus, they meet TSA tips, so you possibly can take them with you whenever you journey.
Potential Flaws
- Whereas they aren’t excellent for spending lengthy durations within the chilly, you possibly can carry all eight with you for greater than 5 hours of warmth.
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Light-weight
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Heats rapidly
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Lengthy warmth time
Key Specs
Warmth Supply: Chemical response (iron powder, water, salt, activated charcoal, wooden fiber) | Weight: Lower than 1 ounce | Warmth Period: As much as 10 hours | Temperature Vary: As much as 135 levels Fahrenheit
Who They’re For
Greatest for skiers, snowboarders, or anybody who spends many hours outdoors within the chilly climate.
Why We Love Them
HotHands’ Hand Heaters provide an extended warmth time, a handy small dimension, and a low value level. For those who’re heading out for an extended day on the ski slopes, we like that you may simply stash a pair or two in your gloves, mittens, or pockets. They common round 135 levels F for as much as 10 hours, so that you might be assured they’ll final all day.
They’re additionally the best choice when you possibly can’t recharge a battery, like throughout a tenting journey. Plus, we love that they’re air-activated and TSA-approved, making them an straightforward, no-fuss possibility for journey.
Potential Flaws
- You’ll be able to’t management the temperature on these hand heaters, so they could warmth up an excessive amount of for some.
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Heats rapidly
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No cost required
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Small and light-weight
Key Specs
Warmth Supply: Lighter fluid | Weight: 2.6 ounces | Warmth Period: As much as 12 hours | Temperature Vary: Not listed
Who It is For
Greatest for a brief canine stroll, a fast run, or to heat up your arms after you’ve been outdoors.
Why We Love It
For a reusable possibility that doesn’t require electrical energy, we suggest Zippo’s Refillable Hand Hotter. As a result of it runs on lighter fluid, when you fill it up and lightweight it, it stays heat till the fluid runs out, about 12 hours later. This hotter is a superb possibility for cold-weather strolling or tenting whenever you won’t have entry to electrical energy because it’s straightforward to refill on the go.
It does require a flame to activate, however as soon as it’s activated, this hotter affords flameless warmth. The outer case is steel, and we like that it comes with a pouch, so it’s straightforward to regulate the temperature and retailer the hotter for later. Plus, the slim, light-weight design suits effectively in small arms, gloves, and pockets.
Potential Flaws
- You’ll be able to’t flip this hotter on and off, and the warmth lasts for hours, so it’s possible you’ll find yourself with a scorching hotter whenever you don’t want it.
Hand Heaters We Additionally Examined
In whole, we examined ten hand heaters, however not all of them scored effectively sufficient to earn a spot on our listing of high picks. Whereas these three hand heaters had note-worthy options, they finally scored decrease in key classes than our high picks.
- Snow Deer’s Electrical Heated Gloves are very heat and saved us cozy whereas shoveling snow, sledding, and commuting. Nonetheless, we discovered that they solely maintain a cost for 2 hours on the very best setting, which isn’t lengthy sufficient for a full day of outside actions within the chilly.
- Sturdy and fast to warmth, Celestron Components’ FireCel+ Hand Hotter might need been a stable alternative, however we discovered it to be a bit cumbersome and too scorching to carry with naked arms.
- Karecel’s Rechargeable Hand Heaters warmth rapidly and maintain a cost for as much as eight hours, however the temperature is inconsistent, generally getting too scorching or too chilly with out us altering any settings.
What to Search for When Searching for Hand Heaters
- Warmth Supply: There are two foremost sorts of hand heaters: disposable and reusable. Disposable choices sometimes warmth up when uncovered to air. These are nice for whenever you received’t have entry to a charger, or as a backup in a pinch. Reusable hand heaters come within the type of dealt with gadgets or gloves and mittens and normally require a chargeable battery.
- Warmth Period: Hand heaters can maintain warmth for anyplace from half-hour to fifteen hours. For shorter actions like strolling, a hotter with a shorter battery life could also be sufficient. Nonetheless, for those who’re headed out for a full day of downhill or cross-country snowboarding, snowshoeing, or mountain climbing, you’ll want to select a hand hotter that stays heat for a number of hours.
- Measurement and Weight: The dimensions and weight of hand heaters can differ, and selecting the best one for you will depend on your most popular actions. Bigger, heavier heaters might present extra insulation, warmth, and length—making them a good selection for sports activities like snowboarding. Smaller, lighter-weight choices, together with disposable heaters, could also be extra sensible for actions like operating.
- Most Temperature: Hand heaters can develop as scorching as 95 to 150 levels Fahrenheit, relying on the model and sort. Some even have settings that will let you modify the extent of warmth, so you will discover one which feels comfy and never too scorching. Most electrical hand heaters and gloves have three ranges of warmth, however some have as much as six. Be conscious of how scorching your hand hotter is getting over time to keep away from burns.
- Further Options: Many handheld electrical hand heaters may also act as a tool charger in a pinch. Some additionally include a flashlight, which can be useful in sure low-light conditions. Select a hotter that meets your wants, relying on the outside winter actions you take pleasure in doing probably the most.
- Cost Time: Most battery-operated hand heaters take a number of hours to cost. The heaters that we examined took anyplace from 4 to 6 hours in whole.
How We Examined the Hand Heaters
To seek out the most effective hand heaters, we researched and examined dozens of choices from high, trusted manufacturers. For the pairs we choose via analysis, we start by talking with consultants on what options to search for and any specific merchandise they suggest. Then, we evaluate dozens of best-selling, highly-rated merchandise to search out the most effective choices in the marketplace. Once we take a look at hand heaters, we use them indoors and outdoor in chilly temperatures and winter circumstances to see how they carry out in the true world. As we proceed to check and evaluation extra hand heaters, we hold these 5 key standards in thoughts:
- Ease of Use: Upon unboxing, we pay attention to how straightforward it’s to know the producer’s directions and arrange the hand heaters for the preliminary use. We additionally take note of how intuitive it’s to show the heaters on, modify any warmth settings, and use any extra options. Hand heaters obtain excessive scores if there’s no confusion upon every use.
- Effectiveness: Effectiveness is crucial relating to hand heaters, so that is a very powerful class we take a look at for. We consider a number of parts of every hotter: How rapidly does it warmth up? Does the temperature vary appear correct? How lengthy does the warmth final? We prioritize heaters that replicate producer claims and hold us heat in quite a lot of settings, each indoors and outdoor.
- Battery Life: To check for battery life, we use every hotter for a minimum of three hours at a time, evaluating if it lasted and the way a lot battery was left. Hand heaters earn excessive scores if the battery life is correct and constant all through the testing interval.
- Design: Every hand hotter has a singular design, so we assess every one independently. We take a look at the hotter’s features associated to design, together with the variety of warmth settings, how the unit felt and slot in our arms, and any extra options like show screens, flashlights, carrying circumstances, and extra.
- Sturdiness: Sturdiness is crucial when investing in any cold-weather accent. To evaluate every hotter, we observe whether or not or not it labored and maintained effectiveness via the testing interval. In circumstances the place the hotter is mechanically cleanable, we additionally consider how the unit labored after being washed. We prioritize heaters that we expect will maintain up effectively for a lot of makes use of (except they’re disposable).
Our Consultants
We consulted consultants at every stage of our analysis, testing, and reporting for this story. They helped us establish the several types of hand heaters and what key options to think about when purchasing. Additionally they helped inform our testing course of. Whereas we select merchandise independently, skilled steering helps us make the most effective suggestions.
- Kevin Huffman, DO, physician of osteopathic drugs and licensed health and wellness specialist
- Alexandra Roberts, wilderness first responder and member of Androscoggin Valley Search & Rescue
- Sarah Jeffries, paramedic and emergency care specialist and managing director of First Assist Course Leicester
Ceaselessly Requested Questions
Are hand heaters protected to make use of?
Hand heaters are usually not solely protected to make use of, however they’ll even assist you to keep away from dangers in emergency circumstances. However it is best to at all times comply with the producer’s directions, Jeffries says. She additionally recommends placing a fabric or glove in between your pores and skin and the hotter to keep away from getting burned.
How lengthy does a hand hotter final?
It will depend on the hand hotter. Disposable hand heaters might keep heat for as much as 10 hours, whereas battery-powered choices can last as long as 18 hours on a full cost and low warmth.
What hand heaters final the longest?
How lengthy a hand hotter lasts will depend on the warmth setting you employ (if it’s a battery-powered possibility). Disposable choices sometimes final fairly lengthy, says Roberts.
Do hand heaters work in excessive chilly?
Hand heaters are designed to work in very low temperatures, however their effectiveness might lower in excessive chilly, says Jeffries. Different elements comparable to wind and moisture can have an effect on their efficiency. Jeffries recommends utilizing hand heaters together with acceptable layers and insulated clothes to make sure you retain heat all through your complete physique.
Why Belief Verywell Match
An avid downhill skier dwelling simply outdoors of Boston, Sarah Anzlovar, MS, RDN, LDN usually makes use of hand heaters within the colder months. When she’s on the slopes, she prefers HotHands’ Hand Heaters for his or her comfort, dimension, and warmth length.