VQ Rechargeable Power Bank Hand Warmer: our verdict
Designed in collaboration with Cath Kidston, this hand warmer from VQ made a great first impression. It looks like a tiny old-fashioned radio, and is decorated with a pretty floral design. Also available in plain black, cream or in a floral teal, it's loads better looking than other hand warmers I've tried.
What's more, it doubles as a power bank, and this meant it quickly became something I popped in my bag whenever I was venturing out. I have a relatively old iPhone, and the battery doesn't last the day, so having this handy power bank on me gives me peace of mind when I know I'm going to be away from home (and plug sockets!) for the day.
As a hand warmer, I really liked the rounded edges, which made it comfortable to hold. It's quite heavy at 300g, but compact enough to have in my pocket or held against my skin to warm my hands or soothe period pain. I found the shiny plastic a bit chilly against my skin when it's first heating up, but it does get toasty pretty quickly.
The hand warmer comes with a USB charging cable, so it's simple to fill up with power. Once charged, you can use the battery to either charge your device or generate heat - sadly, not both at the same time.
It holds charge very reliably, and will keep heating for up to 8 hours. It gave my phone a steady charge and is compact enough to hold in my hands at the same time as I'm holding my phone. The charge level is displayed on a small LED screen, which is really helpful, and according to the manual it can charge an iPhone an impressive 3 times on one full battery charge.
Unfortunately, the hand warmer doesn't come with an output charger cable, and the little silicone flap that protects the USB and USB-C ports falls off regularly. Overall though, it's a good-looking, useful little device I'm glad to have on me while out and about.
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