When you are relying on rechargeable hand warmers to keep your hands warm during cold temperatures, you need to make sure they have sufficient battery life—especially if you are going to be using them for an extended period of time. You also may want to consider how long they take to charge.

The battery life will also be impacted by the settings you use and any extra features your hand warmer might have. If you want to extend the life of your rechargeable hand warmers, you may want to opt for a lower heat setting. This can help conserve the life of the battery and help it last longer, especially if you will be using your hand warmers for an extended period of time. When buying rechargeable hand warmers, [you want to be sure] the delivery of consistent, reliable heat is equally dispersed through the hand and not arising from a single point,” says Rennier Alejandro Martinez, MD, a board-certified surgeon who specializes in vascular surgery at Baptist Health. “Also, ensure it is portable so that it is easy to carry around. The easier it is to carry, the more likely patients will use them as often as they need to.” This compact hand warmer also has three different ports to accommodate a variety of cables, including USB, micro USB, and USB-C. And it can double as a power bank for your phone, which could be extremely useful when you're traveling. Although most people will find its sleek design appealing, if you have large hands, you may want a slightly larger hand warmer. and below: We don't recommend rechargeable hand warmers with this rating; you won't find any on our list. We Also Tested Benjamin Bring, DO, a family physician who specializes in sports medicine and osteopathic manipulation at OhioHealthFor an affordable, durable, and easy-to-use option, it’s hard to beat the Go Warmer Cordless Rechargeable Hand Heater with Flashlight. Not only does it contain two hand warmers—one for each hand—but it also offers three different temperature settings, making it easily adaptable to your needs.

And as an added bonus, they have a flashlight that comes in handy if you want to use your hand warmers while outside, such as while camping or walking the dog. You can even use the device’s USB port to charge your phone. Because symptoms of Raynaud’s do not only occur when people are outside but also can show up when you’re inside, it is important to have a hand warmer that is easy to use when you need it. The ORORO Bay City Heated Hand Warmer fits the bill. We also looked into the safety aspects of hand warmers to find out what to look for in a good model and anything to be aware of and made sure any hand warmers on our long list made the grade. But other than that, this hand warmer accomplished what it was designed to do. It kept our hands warm for a reasonable amount of time.Karecel Hand Warmers Rechargeable: This dual-sided hand warmer stayed warm throughout the testing and had three temperature settings, but it was uncomfortably hot at times. The heat produced was also inconsistent, with it frequently appearing warmer on one side than the other. Any person with fragile or thin skin needs to be careful using hand warmers because they are more prone to injury,” Gupta adds. “You also should not fall asleep using them. And you would not want to use a hand warmer if you have an acute traumatic injury. In those situations, ice or cold is more beneficial than heat.”

For people with Raynaud’s, using hand warmers can help alleviate these symptoms. But even people who do not have arthritis or Raynaud’s may have a use for hand warmers. If you spend a great deal of time outdoors hiking, camping, or even attending sporting events, hand warmers can be a helpful addition to your gear and help prevent injuries from the cold, including frostbite. You also should pay attention to the temperature ranges the device offers. Some hand warmers can get extremely hot and may not be a good choice for people with sensitive skin or nerve damage in their hands because they could get burned by excessive heat, especially if the devices are not handled with care. We researched dozens of rechargeable hand warmers and had our editors test 14 of them. Our editors used the hand warmers at least five times (for three hours at a time) through a two-week testing period in the winter. We evaluated the products for their number of heat settings, how long the battery lasts, and extras, such as charging ports or flashlights. We also considered cost, durability, and effectiveness when selecting the best hand warmers for our list.

How we chose the best hand warmers

to 5 stars: These are the best rechargeable hand warmers we tested. We recommend them without reservation. Catalytic hand warmers - Catalytic hand warmers require either charcoal or lighter fluid to generate heat. While they can offer significant heat retention, they can be a faff to activate and as such, many are being phased out and replaced with rechargeable battery-powered options. I used my portable hand warmer when I went to a Notre Dame game recently,” says Bring. “It was cold—probably about 7 degrees outside and even colder with the wind chill. But my hands stayed warm even though I was out there for more than eight hours. Hand warmers also can prevent cold injuries when you are going to be in extreme conditions for an extended period of time.”

If you are looking for hand warmers to help alleviate your arthritis symptoms, you may want to take a look at the SkyGenius Rechargeable Hand Warmer. This easy-to-use device has a single button, a long battery life, and three different temperature settings. And while it takes some time to charge and the heat can be inconsistent at times, these hand warmers are effective. If you have sensitive skin or nerve damage in your hands, these may not be the right-hand warmers for you. According to NavYash Gupta, MD, FACS, associate professor of surgery and clinical chief of vascular surgery at Cedars Sinai, people with these conditions can find it difficult to sense how hot the heat is and may not be able to tell when they are injuring their skin.The only downside to these rechargeable hand warmers is that they do not have a carrying case or lanyard. But we felt all the other cool features make up for this slight inconvenience. During our testing, we read the instructions and rated how intuitive each device was. What they discovered is that many of the hand warmers we recommend are often self-explanatory and do not require a big learning curve, or they contain a relatively simple and straightforward instruction manual. Even those with multiple buttons or settings were relatively easy to use. While these rechargeable hand warmers may come with a short charging cable (only 7 inches long) and take a while to charge, you cannot beat the extensive battery life. Once charged during our testing process, these hand warmers were at full battery strength throughout the entire testing period without needing to be charged again. That said, these gloves run a bit big and may not be suitable for small hands, especially if you intend to use them for sports like cross-country or downhill skiing. They also have a large power button that is located on the front of the glove that could get pushed by accident during vigorous outdoor activities. They’re also pricey, which might be worth it if you use them frequently, but for occasional use, it’s probably not worth it.