Tested: The 5 Best Hand Warmers for Cold Weather

A pair of gloves are all well and good, but to combat serious frostbite you need more than a little Thinsulate and some happy thoughts; you need a hand warmer that will keep your pockets toasty warm so you can keep all your digits. When it comes to this market, your options are very broad. From disposable to electric, we’ve checked them all and tested out the best hand warmers for your winter survival.

How We Tested

There are a good deal of hand warmers out there, but only a few of them are worth your money. For this guide, we had our favorites in mind already, but did some extra research to include a couple newcomers that should be on your radar, as well as some updated devices from fan-favorite brands. We also aimed to pick at least from the major hand warmer categories: electric, fuel-based, disposable, and air-activated.

For testing, we employed Govee’s Smart Thermo-Hygrometer, which gives readings of ambient temperatures by close proximity (kinda like a forehead thermometer) and delivers them to your phone via Bluetooth. We also used each hand warmer to see how well we liked them and, most of all, how willing we would be to use them again when it’s freezing outside. The results are detailed below

What to Look For

Type: It’s worth noting that not all hand warmers are created alike. Sure, there are some that are more widespread than others, but they don’t all work the same. There are five main types, which we detail at the bottom of this article. The benefit of this knowledge is twofold: it allows us to discern the risks and rewards of any one type of hand warmer and it gives us the ability to make an informed decision as to which types we want to spend our money on and which we’d rather avoid. The ones on this list range from electric to disposable, and a couple in between.

Reusability: Rechargeable hand warmers may be bulkier on average and harder to fit inside of your gloves, but they last longer. And while electric options may require actual electricity to charge up, which may not be available in every emergency, single-use non-electric hand warmers are not as great for the environment.

Runtime: It goes without saying that a hand warmer is only as good as its runtime. If you’re in extremely cold temperatures, you’ll want something that will last you all through the day and evening to prevent your hands from getting too cold. That said, always be cautious when using heat against your skin.

Zippo A-Frame

Best Fuel-Based: Zippo might be a legend of the butane lighter world but it also makes one heck of a hand warmer. The A-Frame might be the most popular pick out there, with a system that works on lighter fluid in tandem with a catalytic burner and open flame The fluid gets poured into the unit, after which you can hold your lighter to the top portion for about 10 seconds. But don’t worry, this hand warmer is entirely flameless. It doesn’t get excessively hot, but rather offers a gentle warmth for your pocket that lasts for up to 12 hours on each refill. So long as you have lighter fluid handy, this can keep going as long as you need it to without creating much waste. You can alter the amount of heat it creates as well as the length of its burn by changing how much oxygen it is receiving, though that is the only way to adjust it, which is imprecise at best. Once you get used to it, there is little better or simpler, especially for the low-tech man who wants to keep his heat simple.

The Good

Right off the bat, the Zippo A-Frame stands out amongst the competition for its visual design alone. I know that looks aren’t really important for hand warmers, especially since most of them are kept hidden away when being used, but the fact that Zippo took the care to make its device attractive speaks volumes about the company. Likewise, this is a really affordable unit at just $25 or less. It’s incredibly easy to light, as long as you have the proper accessories. Zippo also includes a pouring can, with a nose that fits easily into the hole under the burner. They warned against spillage, but I found this easy to avoid. Also, the unit ran for about all of its 12-hour runtime, for better or worse.

Having just one “setting,” the A-Frame maxed out at around 111.7ºF, which was less than the 120-degree estimate from the brand but I didn’t mind this. Kept inside the holding sleeve, this temperature is just about perfect. The equipped holding pouch was super soft on the outside, making the A-Frame’s warmth all the more cozy.

The Not So Good

Most of the downsides to the Zippo, and all fuel-based hand warmers, are pretty obvious. For starters, you need extra equipment. In this case, we’re talking about lighter fluid and a flame. Also, there are some hazards involved, such as spillage, which can be dangerous if you accidentally get any fluid on the outside of the housing. It should be noted that fuel-based hand warmers in general have an inherent flaw that you can’t really control the temperature, so that should be known right out of the gate.

I really love how soft and plush the equipped holding sleeve was, however, I do wish there were some sort of drawstring closure on the pouch to prevent this scorching hot hand warmer (with no set temperature) from falling out. I just used a sock instead. The A-Frame slides out of here rather easily, which isn’t ideal. Aside from not having a set temperature or the ability to adjust it, this hand warmer also can’t turn off when you want it to.

Verdict: While the Zippo A-Frame falls victim to the typical flaws of fuel-based hand warmers, it’s also the best in the category. It requires extra stuff to operate (flame and lighter fluid) and you can’t set the temperature or turn it off. However, this unit has a long 12-hour runtime and an ideal default temp. We were surprised by the attractive housing but we didn’t love the equipped holding pouch which didn’t stay closed well.

HotSnapZ Gel

Best Gel Warmer: Gel hand warmers still have the power to fascinate most people. By simply clicking a small metal disc inside of the gelatinous pouch you create a cascade within the chemicals that begins to immediately put off warmth. These can reach up to 130 degrees, but you can also use them in such a way as to slow the chemical reaction for longer periods of heat when you need it. The issue with gel warmers is they aren’t intended to work for an extended period of time, but rather to heat up for about an hour to ninety minutes for a quick burst of heat. After that, you can heat them back up with boiling water. Due to their particular design, these are often placed in emergency kits for helping raise a person’s body temperature quickly or heat the inside of a sleeping bag before you slide into it. Athletes often use these strapped to sore muscles during a workout or to help improve circulation to extremities while exercising in the cold. For what the HotSnapz do – which is short term – they’re great, but aren’t going to give you hours of warmth.

The Good

The obvious benefit of HotSnapz is its malleability. Featuring a gel insert that stiffens after you activate the metal disc, these packs are comfortable against the skin and bend to remain flush against. you. They also kinda reach the perfect temperature for a non-metal hand warmer. We tested both the circular and rectangular packs and found that they operated around the same temps, with the rectangle having a slight edge. My thermometer maxed out at 120.4ºF for the round pack and 122.3ºF for the rectangular one. After 45 minutes, I checked the temperature again to see that, actually, the round pack only lost 10.7ºF while the rectangular pack lost 13.6ºF. After an hour, the temps on both units were down to around 100ºF, decreasing rather quickly from there.

I found myself going for the rectangular pack the most for its ability to stay balanced against my skin better. However, the compact nature of the round packs was better when I had gloves on or were putting them into a pocket.

Also, these are highly affordable. Right now, the price on Amazon works out to around $2.50 per pack. Plus, you can heat them back up with boiling water after they run out, which I found just as effective, albeit didn’t last quite as long.

The Not So Good

There aren’t a lot of downsides to the HotSnapz hand warmers. For one, the plastic exterior is technically not impenetrable, although I didn’t find myself worried about this much. But perhaps if you carry a pocket knife, put it in a separate pocket. Also, the runtime on these is significantly shorter than, say, the 12 or 18 hours of some other warmers. However, they’re designed for quick bursts, and, for the price, that’s all you can really ask.

I will point out that there were a couple of hand warmers in my pack that were a bit more difficult to break than others. If you’re literally freezing cold then that extra effort might come at a premium when you need it most.

Verdict: Simple and easy to use, the HotSnapz hand warmers are activated via a metal disc that heats up the gel interior. While we found some of the packs were harder to crack than others, we loved that you could reheat these after use. Affordable as well, these don’t have the same runtime as electric or fuel-based hand warmers but you also don’t need to keep heat on you for that long.

HotHands Hand Warmers

Best Single-Use: HotHands’ namesake hand warmers are some of the best in the business when you need something disposable that can wait for ages in the packaging for the moment when you find yourself trapped in your car during a blizzard, living off of the granola bars and illegal morphine you put into your first aid kit. These warm up slowly as soon as they are exposed to air, but once they’ve had a chance to hit their stride, you can get 10 hours of use without any trouble. The best part of disposables is that while they create more waste, they are also smaller so can be put into a glove or a sock to heat blood as it flows past, thereby keeping fingers or toes warm. Using them on a daily basis is extremely costly, but if you must work out in the cold with only a pair of basic fingerless or winter gloves, you might have no choice but to go with the smaller size.

The Good

Easily the cheapest on this list at 40 pairs of warmers for just around $30 (that’s about 40 cents per pack), the HotHands flagship Hand Warmers are pretty incredible. You literally just open them out of the pack and give them a good (or bad) shake. Then voila: You have heat! The temperatures on these are pretty great too. While they took a while to heat up, they got to 114.8ºF after 15 minutes and maxed out at 124.2ºF after 30 minutes. The temperature actually oscillated a bit after that but kept meaningful heat for literally hours, hovering around 117ºF most of the time. This is pretty awesome if you consider that most electric units don’t even last this long.

People love the small sizes of these, regardless of my own personal preference. They are admittedly great if you’re wearing gloves or even want to stuff one or two in your socks. Likewise, you can put a bunch of these into a first aid kit for hiking or the car, but just make sure you monitor the expiration dates. Much like the HotSnapz above, these are pliable to your skin and are extremely lightweight.

The Not So Good

My biggest issue with the HotHands hand warmers is that they aren’t instant. They take up to 30 minutes to fully heat up and even just 15 minutes to even notice much effective heat at all. I should also mention that these do expire after a few years, so you’ll have to use them by then. Likewise, these are not reusable, so you must throw them away when they run out of heat (I mean, unless you’re tryna start a weird collection of used HotHands).

Despite being great for gloves and pockets, they’re rather small for my liking. I do get cold hands a lot and the smaller size is not ideal for covering a larger area, unless I use more than one. On the other hand, the brand does make several different products for different uses. These are designed for hands/gloves, but there are foot warmers that are shaped like your shoe’s toe box, as well as a lap warmer blanket.

Verdict: Lightweight, cheap, and incredibly effective, HotHands are popular for a reason. The hand warmers can get plenty hot and stay at a pleasing temperature for as long as 10 hours, which is longer than many battery-powered units. Many people love the small size, which is great for gloves, socks, and pockets, while some might think they’re a bit too small. You can’t reuse these and unused packets do have expiration dates, but no first aid kit should be without a few of these.

OCOOPA UT4 Extreme Hand Warmers

Best Electric: Lately the world of hand warmers has jumped into the digital realm with items like the OCOOPA hedging out old standbys. And with the space getting increasingly crowded with similar products, the brand just set itself apart with the debut of the UT4 Extreme, a robust unit with four heat settings. Not only do you get an IP56 rating against dust and water but you also get a built-in torch light with a 58-hour runtime and a strobe setting. Oh yeah, the warmer also improves on the ever-popular device charging feature. Equipped with both USB-A and USB-C ports, this unit increases the common ~5,200mAh internal battery to a whopping 10,000mAh, meaning you can charge up your phone about halfway in just 30 minutes and the hand warmer itself can now last as long as 18 hours. The battery can also be used to juice up your handheld GPS or your cell phone, and the charger doesn’t require that the heat be turned on, which is a nice feature. One downside is you can’t be away from an outlet for long. At just $43, the price is surprisingly fair. And for a technological solution to the simplest of problems, this is a modern marvel.

The Good

As I mentioned, electric hand warmers are becoming more popular by the year, but honestly, a lot of them are starting to look the same. OCOOPA, who’s always kinda set itself apart from the pack –– consider its Hotpal which could be separated into two separate hand warmers or used as one singular unit –– has now done so once again with the UT4 Extreme. This makes the case for the electric hand warmer as the end-all, be-all type of hand warmer, at least in terms of minimizing headaches when adventuring. Rather than the typical ~8-hour runtime, this one gets you more than a standard day’s worth of heat. Plus, you can simply turn it off when you’re done with it. I loved how quickly this thing gets cooking but equally loved how quickly it cools down. I turned it off and it essentially got cold instantly. Pretty impressive! This quasi-failsafe is great for if you accidentally turn it too high or it gets increasingly hot unexpectedly for some reason.

There are four heat settings here maxed out for me at around 94.7ºF, 100.2ºF, and 117.2ºF, with the Extra Heat mode maxing out at 127.5ºF. And as easy as it was to press the button to change the three main heat settings, it didn’t press too easily so as to accidentally change your desired heat. For my own use, I found myself starting out with the medium setting for that first quick burst of heat, and then riding it out on low.

The Not So Good

If I could have picked just one hand warmer to take with me for a weekend camping trip, I would pick this OCOOPA model. However, there are some caveats. For one, the high setting gets really hot. High heat isn’t uncommon amongst hand warmers but just note that the metal exterior adds to the hot sensation. 117.2ºF is actually too hot for your direct skin to handle. If you’re using this setting, the unit should be kept inside of a sock or something of that nature.

Another strange quirk is that you can’t use the charger and the heating features at the same time. You must choose one or the other. Also, if you long-press the flashlight button, there’s apparently an “Extra Heat” mode that I could only get activated when medium or low settings were pressed.

Verdict: In terms of daily or occasional use, the OCOOPA UT4 Extreme really dwarfs all other electric hand warmers in its sheer power alone, but it also benefits from four heat settings, ranging around 30ºF in temperature. The power also comes in handy for device charging and increasing the runtime to a whopping 18 hours, making this a great camping companion. You also get a handy flashlight and super durable housing. We felt the high-end temp got a bit too hot but this could still be useful in certain scenarios. Meanwhile, we do wish that we could have used the device charger and hand-warming settings at the same time.

Outdoor Research Prevail Heated GORE-TEX Gloves

Best Heated Gloves: Outdoor Research makes some of our favorite outdoor gear. You can see them pop up on a few of our jacket guides, preferred for its ability to imbue well-performing products with a dash of style without being too aggressively style-forward. Well, they also make the best pair of heated gloves in the game with the Prevail. Available in a couple of colorways, the mitts have a dual-layer shell made from polyester and nylon with a waterproof-breathable GORE-TEX insert and goat leather on the palms. Insulated with EnduraLoft polyester fibers, the gloves are also lined with 320g of polyester fleece for warmth and comfort on the inside. In terms of heat, the touchscreen-friendly gloves are powered by rechargeable lithium-ion batteries.

The Good

The best part about heated gloves is that, if they’re made well, you can still use them as hand-warmers even without any electricity. The Outdoor Research Prevail Heated Gloves are the quintessential example of this. They deliver heat highly effectively on three levels but can easily keep your hands and fingers warm without it thanks to the insulation and fleece lining. Not to mention, these just look really attractive. I was able to test the black-and-brown option, which showcases OR’s meticulous styling and knack for design, incorporating both colors and materials (the poly-nylon blend and leather) really well.

Adjusting the bungee cinch closure at the cuff was super easy and to keep these gloves from getting lost, you can either hang them around your wrist with the affixed tether or snap them together to throw them in the equipped mesh bag.

While these take a few minutes to heat up, especially all the way around your hands, the cool-down time is pretty quick, as expected. The max heat on each of the three levels was 116.2ºF, 104.2ºF, and 95.7ºF. However, the high setting was still tolerable, perhaps because of the fleece lining. I also liked how clear it was which level you were on (red, yellow, or green lights). You don’t have to worry about them turning off incidentally because their buttons require a 3-second press. The batteries last for anywhere between 2.5 and 8 hours, depending on the heat intensity, and you get coverage around your entire hand, which is crucial.

The Not So Good

Very similar to a heating pad, the Outdoor Research gloves took about 5 minutes to get to their full warmth, unlike the OCOOPA hand warmer above which achieved its warmth in seconds. Also, while these are touchscreen-friendly, it’s not as easy as it sounds. You won’t be very nimble in these goblets. Even just picking up my phone was a challenge. And don’t you dare try texting or you’ll wind up sending unintelligible messages.

Verdict: Handsome additions to any winter hiking loadout, the Prevail Heated Gloves from Outdoor Research are highly effective and long-lasting. We loved the visual aesthetic of the gloves and that they could keep your hands warm even when the battery was low. They’re touchscreen-friendly but still very difficult to use with your phone. While they take the longest to heat up, they are still our preferred choice for covering the entire hand.

Hand Warmer Comparison Chart

How Long Should I Warm My Hands For?

While certain models have hours-long runtimes, you won’t want to keep the heat on your hands for longer than 15 minutes at a time and be careful not to let them get too hot. Also, always use hand warmers as intended and follow instructions closely.

Types Of Hand Warmers

Air-Activated/Disposable: Probably the most common of all hand warmers – and also perhaps the most interesting – are the disposable air-activated variety. These are the kinds you see while waiting in the checkout line of grocery stores in the colder parts of the world. And while they seem so basic, they’re actually quite interesting because of the chemical reactions through which they function. You see, these little packets of warmth just waiting to be unleashed are filled with iron powder and activated charcoal to make them work, followed by water combining with rust for oxidization, which leads to heating. The water also doubles as a conductor for even heating. Salt is included in the mix to amplify the results.

Supersaturated Solution: The main principle behind supersaturated solution hand warmers is not dissimilar to air-activated disposable ones, but for one major conceptual difference: they can be reused. The reason for this is due to the chemicals within the gel, which is comprised of a sodium acetate mixture – one capable of cooling to room temperature without crystallizing. Within each of these packets, there’s a small pliable metal disc that can be bent or “popped,” breaking off microscopic bits of metal that kickstart nucleation that eventually leads to a thermodynamic reaction. To make these reusable, the solution must be turned back into a liquid. In order to make these reusable, the solution must be turned back into a liquid by putting the packets into boiling water. Rinse and repeat until eventually the chemical bonds break down and the packets don’t continue to work.

Lighter Fuel: One of the most important things to know about lighter fuel hand warmers is that, while they state that they are “flame-free,” this does not mean they are free of combustion. Yes, they can create heat without a visible flame, but to produce that heat, they still require the same chemical reaction that burns fuel and creates energy and heat. Take, for instance, the Zippo hand warmer tested above. It houses a lighter fluid reservoir – with an odd cotton-like mesh inside of it – that needs to be filled prior to operation. Once the reservoir is filled, a “catalytic burner” unit is placed atop it. That unit draws the fuel into it and, when exposed to fire (yes you need a separate lighter or matches to start the reaction), begins the combustion process without a visible flame. Then, you simply put the protective casing back over the top of it and you are free to put the warmer wherever you need it. The downsides here are the preparation time, the prerequisite of fuel, and the cost and hazards of fuel. It is worth noting that this type of warmer, as a result of combustion, creates carbon monoxide, which can be hazardous – though shouldn’t be a problem with decent ventilation or outdoors

Battery-Powered: Generally speaking, these types of warmers have a functional life of about 6 hours per charge depending on the level of heat. Battery-powered hand warmers are fairly straightforward from a functionality standpoint – though the actual science behind it we’re sure is more complicated. In them, a rechargeable battery sends power to an onboard electrically resistive heating device, which converts that energy into heat. On simple devices, the level of heat is fixed. On more complex ones, the user can select the level of heat put out by the device.

Charcoal: The downside to a charcoal hand warmer is pretty obvious: you have to burn charcoal. For a charcoal hand warmer to work, you have to actually burn charcoal – exactly like a BBQ. The case itself is typically a felt-covered unit, similar in shape and format to a sunglasses case, built from metal (to distribute the heat without burning). For it to function, the user takes a rod of charcoal and strikes the ends of it to start the burning process, then places it inside of the unit and closes it. This makes it safe to put in your pockets. But, since it’s actual combustion, it creates carbon monoxide – which can be hazardous to the user’s health.

Honorable Mentions

Oh yeah, Zippo also makes a pretty great electric hand warmer too. Like the OCOOPA we tested, the HeatBank 6 Pro doubles as a device charger, though less powerful at 5,200mAh, and features a built-in flashlight. It’s also a lot pricier for what you get than the OCOOPA.

HotHands also makes insole-shaped foot warmers. But seeing as this is a “hand warmer” guide, we decided to keep these as honorable mentions instead.

Aurora Heat makes these all-natural hand warmers from beaver fur. We felt this was a great idea, in theory at least; admittedly, they do have a strange look, if that’s what you care about.

Ignik, who’s known for its camping fire pits, also makes disposable hand warmers with a 10-hour runtime. These are very similar to a couple of options above and much more finicky.

Aside from the Outdoor Research heated gloves we tested, Weston also has a popular pair, albeit without GORE-TEX waterproofing. However, these are significantly more affordable.

Tested: The Best Handheld GPS Units

Using your hand warmers to venture off the grid? If so, check out our latest guide where we tested out the best handheld GPS units.