When it gets to that point in the year when the first frosts appear, the hunt in the back of the cupboard for gloves begins. Sometimes even with gloves on, that chill begins to seep into your bones as you stand waiting for that bus, train, or friends. Rather than just use gloves, I have found some great pocket hand warmers that make you feel toasty once again.
In searching for the best hand warmer, I compared three types of hand warmer to decide which is best for my needs:
- OCOOPA USB Rechargeable Hand Warmer – best for ease of use, recharging and style
- Zippo Hand Warmer – Best for durability and lasting all day long
- Gel Hand Warmers – best for reusable ease and fun designs
- Little Hotties – best for ease of use and long lasting
USB Rechargeable Hand Warmers
The OCOOPA USB rechargeable hand warmer is the perfect solution for blending a phone charger with a hand warmer.
If you are outdoor enthusiasts, the hand warmer is good equipment to hike, camp, hunt, fish and other sport events.
And it’s also good choice for outdoor workers and those who have blood circulation problems. For those of you who get painful white fingers in the cold and have had problems with your smartphone packing in in really cold conditions in the mountains, this USB hand warmer solves both problems. It takes a couple of hours to charge up fully using the included USB charge lead.
As a hand warmer it has 3 different heat settings. The highest setting is great for rapid warming when your hands have got freezing cold but the second or lowest setting is fine for maintaining temperature when placed in the palm of the glove or in a zip pouch in the back of mitts.
I am getting about 6 hours heat on the lowest setting (not 8 hrs claimed) and about 4 hours on the middle setting.
As a phone charger using a USB to lightening lead it works fine. When I go skiing or climbing in the extreme cold I plan to put it in a pouch alongside my phone on a low setting to keep the phone warm and I can switch it over to phone charge if I run low on battery.
I found it to be an ideal size for a man’s glove (large). My wife finds it fine in a mitt but on the large size for her small palms in a glove.
My only criticism is that it is possible to accidentally change the settings by knocking the button on the face of the warmer. A recessed button or slide switch might be better. However you soon realise it has got too cold or too warm and it is easy to correct.
The Best Durable Reusable Hand warmer
The Zippo Hand Warmer is built for winter warriors. It features a sleek and compact design and fits easily into pockets and gloves without the bulk of other warmers.
The Zippo Hand Warmer uses Zippo premium lighter fluid to produce more than ten times the heat as traditional models and lasts for up to 24 hours. Plus it comes with a one-year guarantee making the Zippo Hand Warmer a perfect fit for any outdoors activity such as golfing – fishing – hiking or walking.
It burns without a Flame – The platinum-catalysed glass fibre burner offers quick and sure lighting. It produces a radiant heat without a flame – Extra Warmth – Produces around 10 times more heat than most disposable warmers – Economical – Constant warmth for around 24 hours with just 0.4oz of zippo fuel – Environmentally friendly – Virtually polution free , low odour. Low cost replaceable burner after around 70-80 uses.
Easiest Hand Warmers to Use
Little Hotties hand warmers are the easiest hand warmers to use. They come in a plastic sachet that keeps the hand warmer ready to use. To activate the Little Hotties, all you have to do is to open the sachet. The hand warmer will quickly warm up once exposed to the air. They provide warmth and comfort in all cold conditions for approximately 8 hours. Once it has finished, it cannot be used again.
The pack of 40 Little Hotties hand warmers is the bestselling hand warmer on Amazon for Snowsports enthusiasts. They provide an average activated temperature of 135°F (57°C), can be used by athletes, outdoor enthusiasts, sportsmen, spectators, skiers, construction workers and anyone who wants warm hands.
The Best Reusable Hand Warmer for Convenience
Reusable gel hand warmers are in my opinion the best and easiest pocket hand warmers to use.
Gel hand warmers instantly heat up by simply clicking the metal disc inside the hand warmer and waiting for the liquid to crystalise and heat up. On the first go it may take a few clicks.
Gel hand warmers last for about 3 hours, which is more than enough to get you to work, and you can have another one ready for using on the way home.
To reuse gel hand warmers, you need to boil them in water for around 10 to 15 minutes. Another great thing about gel hand warmers is that you can buy them in a variety of shapes.
So, that was a quick comparison of the different types of hand warmer. I always keep a few Little Hotties hand warmers in my car for emergencies and holidays. We also have four gel hand warmers for those wintry school trips. Much appreciated by children to keep them toasty on the journey.
- OCOOPA USB Rechargeable Hand Warmer – best for ease of use, recharging and style
- Zippo Hand Warmer – Best for durability and lasting all day long
- Gel Hand Warmers – best for reusable ease and fun designs
- Little Hotties – best for ease of use and long lasting