HotHands Foot Warmers review: our verdict on this bargain solution to tackling cold toes

Price on writing: £4 for a pack of five | Buy now from Amazon

On a cold day, whether you're on the go or working from home, one place where you're most likely to feel the chill first is in your feet. Wrapping them up under the best electric blanket or popping on a pair of women's slippers are both excellent solutions, but these can be pricey buys initially. That's where a disposable foot warmer can come in handy; these effective but cheap pads are attached to your socks for a welcome boost of warmth, and they cost less than £1 per use.

HotHands Foot Warmers are a popular choice amongst Mumsnetters, so I decided to put them to the test to find out how they fare, both indoors and outside. Using them across a week, I evaluated them carefully, weighing them up on their warming power, longevity, ease of use, and value for money. Here's what I thought...

For more Mumsnetter-vetted winter buys, don't miss our guides to the best hot water bottle and heated gloves.

What we like

• Impressive heat levels

• Cheap

• Easy to activate the heat

• Can be used indoors and outside

• No running costs like you'd get with an electric foot warmer

What we don't like

• Heat starts to fade after around five hours

• Disposable and creates single-use waste

• Need to be worn with shoes/slippers around the home (otherwise they're too slippy on hard floors)

Our verdict

• Warmth: 4.5/5

• Longevity: 3/5

• Ease of use: 5/5

• Value for money: 4/5

Easy to use, with excellent warming power, and a size ideal for popping in a bag for cold weather emergencies, I was really impressed with these cheap little foot warmers. The heat is simple to activate and they easily stick onto socks so there's minimal set-up involved – though it's worth noting that the heat lasts around five hours rather than the advertised eight. However, for such a simple product, I was impressed they lasted that long and I also loved the gentle and comforting warmth they provided.

They offer excellent value for money too, working out at just 75p per pair, so while they don't heat your whole body like a heated throw would, they work out much cheaper to buy initially. The downside is their single-use nature, which creates waste and also means that if you use them every day, the costs can soon add up over time. That being said, I think they're great to have in for those extra cold days working from home or for spectating sport at the weekends, rather than for every day use.

What are HotHands Foot Warmers?

HotHands Foot Warmers are air-activated heat patches that you stick on your socks to provide a gentle, consistent warmth around the toe area. They shouldn't be worn on direct skin, so it's essential you wear socks with them.

During testing, we also found the patches prove to be a bit slippy on wooden floors, so we'd recommend only wearing them if you put a pair of slippers or shoes on too.

Related: The best draught excluder for insulating your home

How easy are HotHands Foot Warmers to use?

Very easy – in fact, there was very little work needed here. Much like the brand's hand warmers, you just need to open the packet and take the patches out to start the heating process.

Then, simply remove the adhesive label and place the sticky side on your socks. That's it!

Related: Best thermal socks for cold feet

How warm are the HotHands Foot Warmers?

I was very impressed with the heat level of these foot warmers. During the first few hours, I found they were the perfect temperature for me; they gave a nice and gentle yet still impactful heat – not too warm and not too cold, the Goldilocks-standard of foot warmers you could say.

It's worth noting that the heat can't be adjusted to different settings like more expensive electric foot warmers, but I found they did the job brilliantly. And while the longevity isn't as high as advertised by HotHands (up to eight hours), I was still happy with the five hours they lasted before they started to cool down.

Price: are the HotHands Foot Warmers worth it?

At 75p per pair, absolutely; if used every so often, they offer excellent value for money. However, if they're used consistently every day, they may get quite pricey in the long run (using them daily for a month would cost around £23).

As they only heat the toe, they don't cover enough space to realistically have an impact on your energy bills like the best heated gilets and throws can do. So while they're not a cost of living game changer, these foot warmers are good, cheap option if you're looking for a quick, short-term solution to keeping your feet warm this winter.

How we tested

I tested the HotHands Foot Warmers in north London across a week in January. During testing, I carefully rated them on their warmth, how long the heat lasted, their ease and use, and overall value for money.

• Tested across a week in winter

• Used both indoors when working from home and outdoors for walks

• Cross-compared with other heated products I've tested

Related: Best thermal curtains for keeping out the cold

About the author

Natasha Gregson is an Affiliate Content Editor at Mumsnet, with an expertise in home and lifestyle product reviews and round-ups. With several years of editorial experience under her belt, she also has had work featured in national publications including The i Paper and Stylist Magazine.

With the ongoing cost of living crisis, she's been on a mission to seek out the top products to save Mumsnetters money on their heating bills this year, including testing out the best blanket hoodies and heated gilets.

When she’s not busy seeking out the best buys and advice for Mumsnetters, you can find her searching for the next best restaurant, watching live music, curling up with a good book, cross-stitching, or enjoying a good hike or swim.

About Mumsnet Reviews

All Mumsnet product reviews are written by real people after extensive research and testing. We work hard to provide honest and independent advice you can trust. Sometimes, we earn revenue through affiliate (click-to-buy) links in our articles. However, we never allow this to influence our coverage.

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