Best Hand Warmers
Today there is a great range of different styles of hand warmers available which basically fall into four main categories:
- Disposable (single use) – typically small air-activated pouches.
- Reusable – typically small pouches with a liquid that can be re-activated by either placing in boiling water or the microwave.
- Rechargeable – typically small units which are recharged using a USB cable (these can often double as a power bank – handy if you love taking your tech with you on the slopes).
- Refillable – typically a small unit that is fuelled by lighter fluid.
If you want to find out more about the different types, check out the Buyers Guide for a more in-depth look at the features, pros, and cons, etc. Or if you want to jump right in reading on for our pick of the best hand warmers available.
For safety reasons, please take a moment to read our advisory below. And if you plan on taking your hand warmers when you fly, check out our quick info section on Flying with Hand Warmers in the Buyers Guide.
View the Our Top 7 Hand Warmers
- HotHandⓇ Hand Warmer
- Grabber Hand Warmer
- Little Hotties
- HotHands Hand Warmer Value Pack
- HotSnapZ Reusable Hand Warmer
- Zippo 12-Hour Hand Warmer
- EngeryFlux G3
1. HotHandⓇ Hand Warmer
Best Hand Warmer for Skiing
Read Customer Reviews →HotHandsⓇ have been in the business of creating their extensive range of air activated warmers, for decades. Their products are a firm favorite with skiers and are suitable for most ages. HotHandsⓇ hand warmers are small with a slim profile so perfect for popping into your pockets or gloves. They’re single use and widely available.
The Good
- Air activation means they are ready to use whenever you want them and they’ll reach the optimal temperature in only around 10 - 20 minutes.
- Long lasting duration of up to 10 hours which should cover your day on the slopes no problem, though of course, if you’re going to be out longer, simply pack a few more.
The Bad
- Single use means you’ll have to pack a few if you’ll be out for a long day and if there are lots of people in your party this might weigh down your backpack.
2. Grabber Hand Warmer
Read Customer Reviews →As with the HotHandsⓇ hand warmers, these are small, single use items which are ideal for days on the slope. Want to find out more about how GrabberⓇ warmers work? Watch this short video to find out more - https://grabberwarmers.com/warmer-technology/
The Good
- Air activation means these warmers are ready when you need them.
The Bad
- Single use means you might need to pack a few of these if you’ll be spending a while on the slopes or you’re with a group or your family.
3. Little Hotties
Best Budget Hand Warmer for Skiing
Read Customer Reviews →Little Hotties are the same air activated type of hand warmer as the above two reviewed products. Environmentally friendly, natural ingredients that are safe to throw in the regular garbage after they’ve cooled down, make Little Hotties ideal for ski trips and days on the slope. They’re small and conveniently wrapped with two per pack.
The Good
- Air activation means these little hand warmers are ready to go with no fuss.
- Safe for children*.
The Bad
- Single use means you’ll need several for a group/family or if you’re planning on a long day on the slopes.
4. HotHands Hand Warmer Value Pack
Read Customer Reviews →Exactly the same as above (best hand warmer for skiing pick), but with more in a pack you save money. Great idea if you’ll be using more than one pair a day or there’s a few people at your party. Great for families too. HotHandsⓇ have been in the business of creating their extensive range of air activated warmers, for decades. Their products are a firm favorite with skiers and are suitable for most ages.
HotHandsⓇ hand warmers are small with a slim profile, single use items which are readily available and simple to use.
The Good
- Air activation means they are ready to use whenever you want them and they’ll reach the optimal temperature in only 10 - 20 minutes.
- Long lasting duration of up to 10 hours which should cover your day on the slopes no problem, though of course, if you’re going to be out longer, simply pack a few more.
The Bad
- Single use means you’ll have to pack a few if you’ll be out for a long day and if there are lots of people in your party this might weigh down your backpack.
5. HotSnapZ Reusable Hand Warmer
Best Reusable Hand Warmer for Skiing
Read Customer Reviews →These reusable hand warmers are an alternative to the typical single use products that are often seen at resorts and outdoor gear stores. They’re simple to use and require nothing more than boiling water or a microwave to recharge them. Want to find out how HotSnapZⓇ work? Watch this short video to find out more - https://hotsnapz.com/
The Good
- A large pack of eight warmers, four round and four rectangular, make these great for a larger group or family.
- Reusable.
- Lifetime warranty.
The Bad
- A limited period of heat of between 30 - 60 minutes makes these unlikely to sustain you on a long day of skiing.
6. Zippo 12-Hour Hand Warmer
Best Refillable Hand Warmer for Skiing
Read Customer Reviews →The Zippo 12-Hour High Polish Chrome Refillable Hand Warmer is different to all of the others we’ve reviewed thus far. It looks similar to a traditional lighter and requires lighter fluid to fuel it. But don’t worry, there’s no actual flame, it produces flame-less heat in a compact little warmer. This model offers a lightweight, sleek design which weighs only 2.6oz. Once alight it offers heat for up to 12 hours.
The Good
- Up to 12 hours of heat from one fill.
- Great for longer days on the slopes.
- As long as you have enough lighter fluid you can use this continually.
The Bad
- Requires you to carry matches or a lighter to light the unit.
- Fiddling about trying to pour lighter fluid into the chamber when you’ve got cold hands might be a pain.
7. EngeryFlux G3
Best Electric Hand Warmer for Skiing
Read Customer Reviews →Human Creations™ create stylish well crafted products which they continually adapt and re-design bringing their consumers contemporary flair at an affordable price. This is the third generation of their popular EnergyFlux hand warmer. They’ve gently curved the EngeryFlux G3 for a more comfortable fit within the hand and made it easier to turn the unit on and select the desired heat setting.
The Good
- A simple switch on the base lets you turn it on and choose between the two heat settings.
The Bad
- Lower battery life than the previous model - on the 420C (Low) setting expect up to 4 hours of heat and on the 470C (High) setting you can expect up to 3 hours of heat.
Buyer’s Guide
When you’re out on the slopes all day, even with a great pair of ski gloves or mittens, your hands can sometimes get cold. Especially at the start of your day when your hands haven’t yet warmed up, or when you’re on the ski lift. Or when you’re heading out for dinner at your resort and the cold is biting. At times like these portable hand warmers are great!
You could invest in heated ski gloves or mittens. But if you only need heat for part of the day, hand warmers might be a cheaper solution. These inexpensive, small devices are disposable or reusable and come in a range of designs. In this article, we’ll be looking at these handy little gadgets and learning more about the types, their features and functions. And hopefully giving you a little guidance on the right-hand warmer for you (and your family).
What is a Hand Warmer?
Hand warmers are small, pocket-sized units which give targeted heat to your hands (or feet) they are:
- Disposable (single-use),
- Reusable,
- Rechargeable or
- Refillable.
Disposable Hand Warmers
You‘ve no doubt seen these little packets at your ski resort front desk and have been used to warm up skiers hands for years. Lightweight and widely available either at your resort, online or at your local outdoor supply store, they offer long-lasting heat in a handy, disposable pack. The most popular size is great for warming your hands but they are also available as a full sole, toe or body pack which are not only great to use while you are skiing but also for soothing aching bodies, once you get back to your room. They are:
- Single-use.
- Air-activated, it‘s simple, you unwrap, shake and wait for the packet to warm.
- Heat within 15-30 minutes of activation.
- Re-activated by exposure to air.
- Long-lasting with a typical life of up to 10 hours.
Once you’ve finished for the day dispose of the unit in the regular trash, the ingredients used are not damaging to the environment (check individual manufacturers for a list of ingredients used and how best to dispose of them after use).
Reusable Hand Warmers
A mix between a disposable and a reusable hand warmer. These little liquid filled pocket and hand warmers are ideal for places where you might not have easy access to charge a device or hate throwing away multiple single-use warmers. They are:
- Multiple-use.
- Activated by snapping the fluid inside which generates the heat.
- Short-term heating with a duration of between 30-60 minutes.
- Re-activated by placing into boiling water and then allowing to cool.
Battery/Electric Powered Rechargeable Hand Warmers
These smart little devices are a great addition to your skiing kit if you want instant heat and don’t want to commit to the cost of heated gloves or mittens. They are:
- Multi-use.
- Ready immediately once charged.
- Long lasting with a duration of between 6-8 hours depending on the model.
- Re-activated by charging with a USB compatible device for 2-3 hours.
Rechargeable Hand Warmer Features
The features available will vary from make to make but listed here are a few of the features these devices can offer:
- Size – varies between a medium-sized pebble which fits in your palm to larger models which cover most of the palm and fingers for more widespread heat. Larger sizes work well for pocket warmers.
- Double-sided – allows for a wider spread of heat across the whole hand and not localised to just the palms.
- Temperature settings – gives you a choice of (normally) three different heat settings.
- Quick warm/heat – heats the unit quickly to your desired temperature.
- Battery indicator – shows you the units battery reserves.
- Automatic shut-off – turns the unit off after a preset time to save the battery (most allow you to turn the unit back on again afterwards).
- USB – allows you to charge the hand warmer using a USB connected device.
- Power bank – this can be useful when you’re planning to be out all day and are a tech-lover, the unit doubles as a power bank to recharge your gadgets while you ski, sit on the chairlift or enjoy the Après-ski.
- Carry pouch – keeps your cable and hand warmer together when not in use and protects them both while you are travelling.
- Lanyard – lets you loop your hand warmer over your wrist so it doesn’t drop into the snow. This is a good idea if you are using your hand warmer and you‘ve removed your gloves or mittens.
Are Electric Hand Warmers Safe?
They have built these smart little devices to be safe to handle and use, here are few of the safety features available:
- Shockproof.
- Short-circuit protection.
- Over-charge protection, unit switches off once charged.
- Over-heat protection, unit switches off if it becomes too hot.
Refillable Hand Warmer
These units use lighter fluid to give long-lasting heat in a handy, high-grade metal case. They are:
- Multi-use.
- Ready in 2 minutes.
- Long lasting with a heat duration of between 6-12 hours depending on the model.
And don‘t worry, even though they use lighter fluid, there‘s not a naked flame!
Hand Warmer Types Compared
Cost
For around $20 you can buy either:
- A rechargeable hand warmer,
- 20 pairs of disposable hand warmers,
- A refillable unit + the lighter fluid or
- 8 reusable hand warmers.
So, with this mind, your choice comes down to whether you want:
- Single or multiple use.
- The type of fuel i.e. rechargeable via a USB, lighter fuel or boiling water.
- Duration of heat needed.
- Ease of use.
- Whether you want dual functions such as having a power bank.
Flying With Hand Warmers
The great news is that hand warmers, especially the small disposable ones, can be picked up from your resort, outdoor equipment store or even at the lift station. But, if you decide to purchase them before your trip and will be flying, please:
- Check with your carrier to see what their rules and regulations state.
- Check where you should pack your hand warmers, either as checked bags or if you can carry them in your carry on.
- Check that any liquid filled hand warmers meet the liquid carry-on allowance rules.
- Pack liquid filled hand warmers into a sealed plastic bag for protection.
- If you plan on taking refillable lighter style hand warmers check with the airline and check the TSA website for more information.
- Note: the TSA does not permit you to carry lighter fluid either as carry on or in your checked bags.
- It is your responsibility to check with the airline and the TSA to ensure you can take your hand warmers on board the plane.
For more information on flying with your hand warmers read the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) blog post-TSA Travel Tips Tuesday: Hand Warmers. Don’t forget, hand warmers aren’t just for the snow, you can use them at home while hiking, commuting to work, the school run, watching sports, or out for a walk with the dog.
Always read the instructions before giving them to children and supervise young children when they are using these products.
Safety and Health Advisory
Although all the products we’ve selected are safe, please:
- Read and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Pay particular attention if you have sensitive skin.
- Always ensure that the product is suitable for use by children, before you let them use it.
- Supervise children, especially young children.
- People with health conditions such as Diabetics should check with a medical professional before using these types of products to ensure that they are suitable.
- Always dispose of used single use hand warmers in the correct manner to avoid accidents or damage to the environment.