Here at SPY.com, we love hand warmers. There’s just something so satisfying about putting a little ball of heat right in the palm of your hands on a cold winter day. We’ve tested a lot of products to bring you only the best hand warmers for every possible situation, and we’re confident we’ve selected some excellent products.
In freezing cold temperatures, your extremities have to work extra hard to stay warm. Our feet, head and arms all lose heat more quickly than our core, and so we have to work extra hard to avoid heat loss on extra-cold days. Wearing thermal under-layers, wool socks and winter gloves can help keep your body from losing extraneous heat, but sometimes your fingers and hands need a little extra help staying warm and toasty. Thankfully, our favorite hand warmers provide fast, long-lasting heat.
There are a few different types of products to choose from, so we’ve put together this guide to buying the best hand warmers. When selecting these products, we considered and tested a few different types of products:
- Electric hand warmers
- Disposable chemical hand warmers
- Refillable hand warmers
How We Chose the Best Hand Warmers
In our experience, the best hand warmers are affordable, reliable and easy to use. They’re generally small enough to comfortably tuck into most pockets or fit into most hands. In addition, a hand warmer that can only provide a few minutes of heat isn’t much use to anyone, and the best options provide up to 10 hours of continuous heat. Most importantly, they have to keep your fingers cozy and warm no matter the temperature outside.
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When testing hand warmers for our readers, we considered a few important factors: reliability, power source (if applicable), overall value, convenience, and special features. Most of those criteria are self-explanatory, but some hand warmers have additional features such as built-in flashlights or the ability to charge your devices.
Sure, we’d recommend bringing a good pair of gloves when you expect to face the cold, but sometimes gloves just don’t cut it, especially if you’re outdoors for an extended period of time. So whether you work outside or are packing for a weekend ski trip, you’ll find only the best of the best hand warmers in our guide below. We’ve selected fuel refillable options, rechargeable electric hand warmers and some great disposable hand warmers too.
So get ready for freezing temperatures and check out our top picks below, because you shouldn’t have to worry about painful, frozen fingers when the weather turns cold and chilly.
1. orastone Rechargeable Hand Warmer
BEST OVERALL
We fell in love with the orastone Rechargeable Hand Warmers over the Christmas season, and we haven’t been able to find any drawbacks after testing them out. They were one of the most popular gift ideas featured on SPY in 2021, and we’re still using them as we deal with plunging temperatures in 2022. These electric hand warmers are stylish, practical and easy-to-use, plus they come with a convenient loop you can slip around your wrist. Finally, these electric hand warmers have a built-in LED flashlight.
ON SALE!
2. Zippo Champagne HeatBank 9s Hand Warmer
RUNNER UP
In addition to being known for its signature lighters, Zippo also makes some of the best hand warmers. The Zippo HeatBank 9s Rechargeable Hand Warmer offers dual-sided heat, has six heat settings up to 120 degrees F, heats up in five to 10 seconds, and includes indicator lights so you can monitor the heat and battery levels. On a 5,200 mAh lithium-ion battery, which recharges via Micro USB, this hand warmer boasts a remarkable average runtime of nine hours. Like all rechargeable hand warmers, it’ll last longer on lower heat settings and shorter on high heat settings.
3. HotHands Hand Warmers
BEST DISPOSABLE
Reusability is great, but sometimes you just need disposable, affordable heat. This value pack of hand warmers from HotHands costs less than $1 per warmer, a bargain compared to some of the other options on this list. These convenient disposable hand warmers are ideal for anyone who needs quick heat on the fly. Campers, hunters, outdoor workers and winter sports enthusiasts can slip these into their pockets or bags and enjoy long-lasting heat instantly.
Disposable hand warmers create heat through a chemical reaction, and these warming packs activate with a quick shake of the hand. HotHands claims these hand warmers will last for 10 hours, and in our testing, we found that they’re definitely good for six to eight hours of hot heat.
4. Zippo Refillable Hand Warmer
CONTENDER
Yup, the second-best hand warmer is also made by Zippo. The Zippo Refillable Hand Warmer is a classic hand warmer pick for good reason. It’s lighter and sleeker than most other rechargeable options and it simply looks great and works great to keep your hands warm for hours. You fill it with fuel and need a lighter to activate it, but because it’s a catalytic heater it doesn’t actually have a flame so you can safely tuck it away for an average of 12 hours of heat. The hand warmer fills up pretty easily and neither it nor the fuel is very expensive, which makes the Zippo hand warmer a great value pick too.
Read More: Don’t Miss a Single Text With the Best Touchscreen Gloves
5. OCOOPA Rechargeable Hand Warmers
AMAZON’S CHOICE
This electronic hand warmer from OCOOPA is a more affordable Zippo alternative that comes with a sleek, comfortable orb design that’s polished, smooth and anti-skid. It’s got three different heat temperatures ranging from 95-131 degrees F. When it’s not warming your hands, this little device can also be used as a power bank to charge your devices. It’s made with built-in temperature control so it heats up evenly right in the palm of your hand. Finally, tiny indicator lights let you keep an eye on the heat level at a glance.
6. Tundras Hot Hand Warmers
BUDGET BUY
Though we think HotHands Hand Warmers are the best overall disposable hand warmers, we also think it’s important to give a cheaper disposable option for those who anticipate being out in the cold a lot. Tundras Hot Hand Warmers won’t last as long as HotHands, with an average runtime of eight hours, but they’re much cheaper per pack than HotHands in this pack of 80 warmers. They work in the same way — shake to activate, wait 15 to 30 minutes for strong heat — and promise hours of warmth in the places you need it most.
7. FVSA Rechargeable Hand Warmer
LONGEST-LASTING
Sometimes you just need a hand warmer that will last as long as possible. That’s what the FVSA Rechargeable Hand Warmer sets out to do. This hand warmer relies on a 10,000 mAh battery to run for up to 18 hours on the lowest of three heat settings. That’s almost an entire day’s worth of heat on a single charge, and it’ll stay hot for up to 13 hours on the hottest setting too. Overall, if you want heat that lasts all day for your outdoor activities, the FVSA Rechargeable Hand Warmer will be one of the best hand warmers for you.
8. Celestron FireCel Plus
MOST FUNCTIONAL
If multifunctionality is a priority, then you’re going to want to check out the Celestron FireCel Plus. This three-in-one device works as a hand warmer, charger and flashlight. The USB port makes charging devices a piece of cake and the LED flashlight has two colors, red and white, that both have solid beam or blinking settings as well as an SOS setting. This little device also includes the ability to heat only one side or both sides, which is really convenient.
9. Nike Pro Hyperwarm Hand Warmer
BEST SLEEVE HAND WARMER
Ever wonder how NFL players avoid frostbite when standing on the sidelines in freezing temperatures? Well, now you can warm your hands (and arms!) like a pro football player. For athletes trying to stay warm, nothing beats a sleeve hand warmer like the Nike Pro Hyperwarm Hand Warmer. You just attach this thing to your waist and you can slip your hands into it for quick warmth any time. For extra warmth, you could even throw one of our disposable hand warmer picks inside for supreme, next-level toastiness.
10. Karecel Rechargeable Hand Warmer
BEST COLOR CHOICES
This Karecel hand warmer comes in black, bright blue, and pale pink, as well as all the desired features other electric hand warmers on this list have. It’s a hand warmer and power bank with three different heat settings including 104°F-113°F, 113°F-122°F, and 122°F-131°F. It’s got indicator lights to help you track the battery life and has a compact size for fitting in the palm of your hand. It’s built with power protections against over-discharging, overheating, and short-circuiting, and it’s got wrap-around heating so you can access the warmth from all sides.
11. The Outdoors Way Electric Hand Warmer
BEST FOR WINTER SPORTS
This hand warmer is made for anyone who loves to ski, snowboard, snowshoe, ice fish or do anything else outdoorsy in the wintertime. It’s made with double-sided heat and can go up to 115°F easily. It also comes with a 55 lm flashlight that’s got an SOS setting in case you ever find yourself in a pickle you can’t get out of. It comes with a durable carrying pouch for travel in the great outdoors, and it can double as a charger for your devices as well.
12. INNOPAW Rechargeable Hand Warmers
ALSO CONSIDER
This hand warmer option features magnetic force that allows it to be used as one or two warming devices. There are three heat settings and a battery light that will let you know when it needs recharging. This style, which is great for outdoor sporting events, camping, hiking, skiing, and more, can also be used as a power bank to charge your electronic device at any time.
13. Hotsnapz Hand Warmers Reusable Round & Pocket Warmers
BEST REUSABLE HEAT PACKS
Get immediate heat with no electricity or batteries using these hand warmers. Simply snap them to get instant heat up to 130 degrees. Each lasts between 30 and 60 minutes. After use, they can be recharged by boiling in water for 10 to 15 minutes.