The Best Hand Warmers

Buying Guide

Your hands play an important role in your body’s temperature regulation. In fact, loss of motor coordination in your hands can be a warning sign that hypothermia is setting in. As you experience cold temperatures, the body directs blood flow to your body’s vital organs as a protective measure, so keeping your hands warm keeps your blood circulation more evenly distributed, helping you feel warmer overall.

For that reason, warm hands can make a big difference in how much the chilly weather affects you. When paired with a good hat and some warm socks and shoes, you can cover all your extremities to keep the chill at bay a little. But most importantly, warm hands just feel good when the weather’s cold.

Although gloves and mittens are great, a good warmer can take your hand warming to the next level. These come in two major types. There are disposable hand warmers and battery-powered hand warmers, with the latter requiring charging. Disposable hand warmers can last longer and require less forethought, but there are benefits to battery-powered warmers that make them worth the extra trouble.

Disposable hand warmers typically feature a mix of ingredients designed to react to each other when shaken. All of this is tucked into a sturdy pouch in a format that’s easy to take on the go with you. These will often be sold in sets so you’ll have multiple pouches. As you head out the door, you can tuck one in your bag or coat pocket to have handy, then toss it out when you’re finished.

Battery-powered hand warmers come in a variety of formats, most of which are designed for portability and to easily fit into the palm of the hand. You charge them for a couple to a few hours beforehand, then take them with you for at least a few hours of warming. Many hand warmers are also designed to charge your mobile devices, making this an added benefit of going with a battery-powered option.

• Many battery-powered hand warmers have multiple heat settings. This lets you customize the heat output to what you need.
• With battery-powered hand warmers, the intensity of the heat determines how long the battery will last on a full charge. If you use your hand warmer to charge your devices, this will also shorten battery time.
• Although disposable hand warmers promise long-lasting warmth, you might find you have to shake it after a while to reactivate the heat. These are one-time use options, though, so once the heat runs out, you’ll have to reach for another one if you’re still chilly.
• Look at the activation time of any disposable hand warmer you choose. While battery-powered warmers will typically start working as soon as you power them on, disposable hand warmers can take 15 minutes to a half hour to warm up.
• Consider the size and weight of the hand warmer. If you plan to carry it around with you, a bulky, heavier hand warmer can quickly become a burden.
• If you’ll be at your location for a while, make sure you take your power cord with you so that you can charge your hand warmer between uses. You might want to charge it overnight while you sleep, just as you do your other electronics.
• Some hand warmers have backup batteries that can kick in if the charge on the built-in battery runs out.
• If you plan to regularly use your hand warmer to charge your electronic devices, check to ensure it supports your specific devices. You’ll need to make sure you have the right cables, and if you’re counting on high-speed charging, that can limit your choice of hand warmers.
• Some battery-powered warmers have status lights that show which heat setting you’ve chosen, as well as how much battery is left. This can be a huge help.