Are electric hand warmers worth it? These saved my chronically cold hands

If you've ever asked "are electric hand warmers worth it?" you're in exactly the right place. I'm one of those people who loses circulation in their hands, even in the middle of summer. I also live in cashmere layers and keep a heated throw on permanent standby. And yet, every weekend you'll still find me plunging into near-freezing water for a cold water swim. Add in long hikes and a lot of time outdoors and my hands are forever exposed to the elements.

All of that is a long way of saying: I'm the ideal candidate for electric hand warmers. However, despite trying just about every style and brand over the years, I've never found ones that really delivered the warmth my hands needed. Some barely got past tepid, others vanished to the bottom of my bag, and a few even gave me a tiny electric shock. That's not quite the cosy comfort I had in mind for the latest addition to my capsule winter wardrobe.

So, up until last month, I has resigned myself to numb fingers and sprinting home to wrap my hands in my trusty electric blanket. However, last month I discovered the Ocoopa UT3 Rechargable Electric Hand Warmers. Between Reddit threads on what to wear hiking, recommendations from friends with Raynaud's (which I also have), and countless reviews from professional skiers claiming these are the best rechargeable hand warmers out there, I took a birthday punt. And I've used these every day since.

Ocoopa UT3 Rechargable Electric Hand Warmers: everything you need to know

There are a lot of reasons why the Ocoopa Rechargable Electric Hand Warmer Set have earned a solid spot in my hands and gloves, but I'll talk you through the key ones. I think it's helpful to know that these are essentially designed for skiers, so they do warmth and convenience to the extreme. I'm not complaining.

Ocoopa Rechargable Electric Hand Warmer Set: £21.99 at Amazon

Designed to sit in the palm of your hand, these slim, light hand warmers are a godsend for anyone who feels the cold. They have up to 8 hours life from one charge and will get as hot as 52°C.

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There's also a table of handy specifications that I'll put below, so you know the details too.

I use them every single day

Nothing recommends a product better than how often you find yourself reaching for them. Before owning these, I relied on the best cashmere jumpers to keep me warm. However, since unboxing the Ocoopa UT3 Rechargable Electric Hand Warmers these haven't left my side and I've been able to branch out more with what I wear.

The Ocoopa UT3 Hand Warmers live in my work bag and keep my hands toasty on my commute, on the way to and from the gym, and on long weekend walks. Most importantly, they're the first thing I think about when I emerge from my icy cold water swims.

They heat up fast

A single button press will take you to the lowest heat setting and the warmth from that is practically instant. I even timed the heat-up if you want to see it in action: it's two seconds. For someone who gets painfully cold hands, this immediate relief is a game-changer.

They get properly hot

The three heat modes sound ambiguous, so I thought I'd get the numbers for you. These are hot stuff. My temperature check showed one light reaches 32°C, two is 45°C and three is 52°C. Most competitors don't even come close to 30°C, let alone with the deep, sustained warmth that these deliver.

They magnetically clip together

It's a small, but brilliant detail having a magnet that keeps them together and a loop for attaching these to gloves or coats. This has saved me from losing them into the depths of lip balms, keys, and headphones, whilst also making them easier to charge and store at home.

Ocoopa UT3 Rechargable Hand Warmers Specifications

It's helpful to dive into the details, so here are the numbers that back up all the reasons why I love these:

Alternative hand warmers to the Ocoopa UT3s

If you like the sound of electric, rechargable hand warmers, but something about the Ocoopa UT3 Rechargable Electric Hand Warmers doesn't quite fit your budget, there are reliable alternatives for comfort, warmth, and portability:

I'm yet to experience toastiness quite like what the Ocoopa UT3 Rechargable Electric Hand Warmers deliver. I would buy them again and again (and I think I've already influenced a fair few members of my family and friends to get them too).