Zippo Hand Warmer

Product Description

Take a little help for surviving a cold winter's hunt by using a 6 hour hand warmer. This pocket-sized hand warmer is made with rugged and durable metal to handle the rigors of your trek. It provides flameless, odorless warmth so it won't give your positioning away. Once you're done, refill it using easy fill technology so you don't waste lighter fluid. Warmth and convenience are easy to come by with the Zippo 12 hour hand warmer.

Top Reviews

I wonder if the burners they come with just suck and they expect you to buy a new one ...
by Fritz (2 out of 5 stars)
January 21, 2016

These definitely get plenty warm and are much nicer than the disposable ones. However, the first one I got stopped lighting after four or five 12-hour burns. Turned out the catalytic burner was used up so I ordered a replacement. The new one has been burning MUCH hotter than the original one did, and I'm hoping it lasts far longer than 4-5 uses. See some of the reviews for the burners and you'll find people saying the same thing: http://amzn.com/dp/B003D038PI

One thing to note: I can definitely smell these as they burn and I'm using Zippo brand lighter fluid. If I'm indoors or on the train to work, I can still smell them even if they're in the included pouch AND inside my winter jacket pockets. Walking around outside, you can't smell them if they're in your pockets, but if you take them out and it's not windy, you can occasionally get a whiff of the burning fluid.

I ordered 3 more (so I have one for each hand plus 2 for my fiancée) and none of them get as hot as the one with the new catalytic burner that I bought separately. I wonder if the burners they come with just suck and they expect you to buy a new one almost immediately. It's too early to tell though as I've only used the new warmers 2-3 times.

Also tested the temperature of the warmer (the one with the burner I purchased separately) with an IR thermometer after it had been sitting out for a couple minutes (outside of the provided case), and it got up to 170 degrees Fahrenheit which is definitely too hot to handle with your bare hands. The warmers with the straight-out-of-the-box burner maybe get to 100 degrees, which I can definitely handle with my bare hands.

UPDATE 2/16/16: So the other 3 warmers I bought all faced the same issue where the catalytic burner only lasted 4-5 burns. I'm definitely lighting these according to the instructions so I'm not sure what the problem is. Once again, I bought replacement burners and they're now getting much warmer than the original ones. I'll update again once I can confirm whether the new burners are lasting more than 4-5 times.

UPDATE 2/24/16: One of the replacement catalytic burners I bought has just died after only 3-4 burns. This is really disappointing since Zippo claims they last 80+ burns. It's just not worth it to have to buy a new $7 burner ever 4-5 times you light these. Unfortunately I can no longer recommend these to my family or friends.
↭ 🍁 ↭
6 hour hand warmer
by kenny (5 out of 5 stars)
February 6, 2016

I bought this smaller 6 hour Zippo hand warmer for my wife because she gets chilly easily. The size is perfect in a goldilocks kind of way as you can tell from the pictures comparing it to a zippo lighter and the 12 hour hand warmer; it's not too big, not too small, but just right. The Zippo warmer works well and, like some reviewers and several Youtube videos commented, both this warmer and my Zippo lighter work well with Coleman's Camping fuel, a much cheaper alternative, which I paid about twelve dollars for a gallon at Walmart.

I tried to see if there was any odor while burning the fuel in this warmer because my wife can be a bit sensitive to smells. Using a zippo lighter has more of an odor than this warmer and there really isn't much odor when using this hand warmer unless you take it out of the bag and put it up to your nose. I know this is the case because I tried sniffing the hand warmer while it was in the bag and also directly while out of the bag. To be honest I believe I have given myself a slight case of carbon monoxide poisoning from my many trials and made myself a little dizzy. Yes, this hand warmer burns fuel and it is meant to be used outdoors. It is not like burning a candle in your room.

I was also wondering if the 6 hour hand warmer used the same catalytic burner as the 12 hour one. I couldn't find any pictures of the 6 hour warmer burner but after getting this warmer the burner part looks exactly the same as the 12 hour one and another reviewer said both the 6 and 12 hour warmers use the same burner so I'm not worried about getting replacements.
↭ 🍁 ↭
I should have believed the reviews
by James Pulver (3 out of 5 stars)
March 23, 2017

I strongly believe these are a better hand warmer than any of the disposable ones. I also think they're going to beat any battery powered one - quick refill with fluid, no battery to wear out, the wear item is replaceable, they tend to last longer on a fill... However, the Zippo isn't the best of this style:

I have 2 of these and they are the same. I've used them for a year before trying the Peacock after being annoyed by the Zippo each morning. It's "OK" - and gets the job done, lasts well, the replacement burners are fine and it's cheap. But there are a few design issues / hassles that just make this more work than the competitor I recommend - the Hakkin Peacock. Again, if you have time, and need to save money, the Zippo is perfectly fine. But it's not really "a lot" more (the burners are a lot more though) for a LOT less hassle:

Comparing the Peackck to the Zippo hand warmer(mostly borrowed from my review on the Peacock):

Fill:

Zippo - Carefully get lighter fluid nozzle into small hole of measure / filler - probably spill a little. Fill to desired amount. Remove lighter fluid nozzle, maybe spill a little. Put fill neck into hand warmer center hole, fill no more than a third of the measure at a time, or get backfill / spill on the side of the hand warmer. Then let sit upright (how, the bottom is rounded? - I improvise a "vise" with whatever I have around, using a book or keyboard or whatever to hold against a wall / desktop PC, i.e. hold it up) for 2 minutes so the fluid evaporates from the very top and sides of the hand warmer. You HAVE to do this or you can have the whole burner element just ignite and burn for minutes - i.e. it just won't work right if you don't let the fluid clear off like this. I had it happen several times, and it wasn't great when I tried to rush. Putting this fire out isn't trivial if it happens either. I can't shove it into my ziplock bag and it's on fire. It takes a bunch of tries to blow out, and usually involves waiting a bit for "enough" of the fluid to burn off before someone can blow it out. NO MORE, I ALWAYS wait. Then put burner on.

Peacock - push on / in the filling system thingy (funnel?), fill to line with lighter fluid. Turn top part 90 degrees and in seconds the fill is complete. Put burner on. Notice no slow filling, no waiting...

Lighting:

Zippo- Use lighter for at least 60 seconds, moving the element across flame and all 4 sides (i.e. flip over, move vertical and flip), look for several embers / glow to "ensure" (I had about 85% success with this method) it's lit. Put top on and set on non-flammable surface for a few minutes so it can breath and make sure it's working. If not, start over.

Peacock - Use lighter for about 10 seconds (might have needed less), look for glow / ember. Ready for use.

Top / burner protector:

Zippo - Slight friction hold. Works sometimes. Top has a tendency to slide if not in bag, and if moving around to warm different sides of your hands. Have to watch for coming off.

Peacock - "clicks" in place. You have to intend to remove it - it won't slide off easily. Slightly a negative for filling / starting, but much safer - the burner won't accidentally be exposed.

Bag:

Zippo - Drawstring closure. Enough "effort" to close that i usually leave open, so can slide off of warmer. However, usually can stay on without actually being closed.

Peacock - Velcro - "forces closed" - have to make effort, and the noise is noticeable to open. I don't love the sewn on tag on the outside advertising the brand. It's a little uncomfortable to have that tag, like an annoying shirt tag when in my hands. I might swap for the zippo bags I have. Sewing on the Velcro was a bit sloppy and coming out on mine. By far the weakest point, but also not super important to me.
↭ 🍁 ↭
Quality Product, Made in USA, Keeps me warm when I need it!
by TeaMastaFlex! (5 out of 5 stars)
February 19, 2017

Love it! I use this hand warmer all the time, multiple times a week. I am an field archaeologist and work up to 10 hours outside, I happened to be working on a project in Bradford PA (where zippo is located) I first saw these warmers while touring the Zippo Museum in Bradford, and later ordered one for myself out of curiosity. It has been a lifesaver in the field at work! Really helps keep my hands warm and to dry off my gloves when they are cold and wet! It is great to bring out on a hike during the winter months, mine warms up and stays warm! After a month of consistent use it is still going strong, I haven't had to replace the burner yet. I think I am going to order a spare, I think this hand warmer is going to really revolutionize early spring/late winter fishing for me! Very reliable, rugged, and useful tool for outdoor enthusiasts and professionals alike!

Only draw back of this warmer is you can't really turn it off when lit, read the directions, and the fill tool, they will help you know how much fluid to put in so it doesn't burn longer then you need it too. Made in USA! Made in Pennsylvania!
↭ 🍁 ↭
Helps keep me warm.
by K. HUANG (5 out of 5 stars)
February 8, 2017

Hottest and longest lasting than alternatives that I have used: 1-time throw away, rechargeable, crystalline gels, etc. Because of the emissions, I try to only use this outdoors.

For those bothered by the smell of lighter fluid, I have used lampe berger in my hand warmers. It is probably fragrance covering the smell of petrol, but it is more receptive when you walk indoors. People do not look around for a leaking gas source. Even after a refill of lighter fluid, you can smell the lampe berger masking the gas smell. So you probably can do a mixture if you do not want to use all lampe berger. Note, it does cost 5-6x more than rosonol or 2-3x more than zippo lighter fuel. I will try other "fragrance oil" later on, but any that uses a catalytic wick should work with these hand warmers too.
↭ 🍁 ↭
Your outdoor best friend
by Sidd (5 out of 5 stars)
November 11, 2016

This is the one of the most useful, economical and frequently used gear i own. Both hand warmers that i own are probably year old now and have used them almost a dozen times. They do stay warm for almost 8 hours depending on how much fuel you add. Sometimes if i need more warmth, i take it out of the pouch and toss it in my pocket. They work awesome if the temperatures above 20 or so, if it drops below 20 then the performance degrades and but for obvious reasons, its so cold that the warmth is not enough. I prefer these over the disposable ones, cant say this is truly eco friendly bur compared to several dozen pairs of disposable warmers i think this one will do just.

Pros

Good size and feel. Feels sturdy and would last long

Generates enough heat to keep pockets or gloves warm enough

Lasts long, this is super durable, mine is 12 months or so but looks and works like new

The wick seems to last long, i am confident it can last probably 40 to 50 times of use

Considerations

This is not very effective if the temperatures are really cold, may be 20 and below

The pouch takes away some of the heat at times, and its better to use the warmer directly instead of keeping it in the pouch

Cons

Cant think of any
↭ 🍁 ↭
which is one of the two a manufacturer recommended fuels it DOES emit a slight odor
by John D. Mazzone (5 out of 5 stars)
October 12, 2016

Zippo hand warmer, camo version.

Using Ronsonol, which is one of the two a manufacturer recommended fuels it DOES emit a slight odor. Not a big issue to me, its very slight and only noticeably in a small closed room after a period of time. This is for work and that's mostly outdoors.

The temps I recorded are as follows: In its pouch after 15 minutes = the outside of the pouch is 120 degrees. If you leave the warmer exposed for 10 minutes it gets hotter and the bare metal was recorded at 194 degrees. I know there are electronic devices like this but I have used this thing 20 years ago and it's virtually bullet proof, so-to-speak. It will hold up in a work environment.I simply do not trust the rechargeable, especially knowing that most of them are using Samsung lipo's and we have all seen the news reports in regards to those battery packs. Filling is painless and as far as "shutting it off" which is not recommended by Zippo (for safety reasons) I have found using a pair of forceps and removing the burner part will extinguish it. I cannot recommend you do this as its contrary to Zippos advice.
↭ 🍁 ↭
Wish I knew about these long ago! Great Hand Warmers!
by eman (5 out of 5 stars)
March 14, 2016

Love these things especially here in the Pacific Northwest where baseball season starts in March and games start at the end of the month when the temperature only gets into the 50s. Got both the 12 hour and 6 hours sizes.

Fill-up: I plan on only using the Zippo fuel, so all experience below is with the Zippo lighter fluid. Fill-up is easy with the included, little flask. Recommend not to squeeze the fluid out since it needs time to absorb into the cotton-like material. Let gravity and the capillary absorption of the cotton-like material do its work. Put on the burner. Instructions says to let it stand upright for about 2 minutes before lighting. The 6 hour warmer is flat on the bottom, so it will stand by itself, but the 12 hour warmer is tapered, so you will need to lean it upright on something. NOTE: If you do not plan on not lighting up and saving for later, then recommend to put in the Ziploc bag until you use since the lighter fluid will evaporate, and you will not get the expected 6 or 12 hours of warmth out of them.

Lighting up: After filling up, take a Bic or any other lighter and apply the flame to the burner's gray material for about 10 seconds. You will be able to tell that it is lit by holding your hand directly above the burner. I hold it right below my chin since the face is more sensitive to feeling heat, but be careful since the burner can get hot after being lit for a while. After it is lit, then put the cover on and put in the included pouch and you're good to go.

Extinguishing: Other people say that you can put in the Ziploc bag to extinguish. I have not tried this but it makes sense since burning needs oxygen. However, I do recommend to leave in the felt pouch when you do this since the warmer does get pretty toasty and may melt the Ziploc bag.

Smell: These warmers do smell slightly when held close to your nose, but not noticeable when in your pocket. We plan on using these outdoors anyways, so this is not an issue. In addition, the smell does not transfer over to your clothes, so again, not an issue.

Length of warmth: These do need a break-in period. For my first fill-up, I only got about 7 hours for the 12 hour warmer and 4 hours on the 6 hour warmer, but I kept this outside and not in my jacket pocket. On my second fill-up, I only got about 9 hours from the 12 hour warmer and about 5 hours for the 6 hour warmer with the warmers being in my jacket pocket. I started to get buyer's remorse. However, on the third fill-up, I got about 14 hours from the 12 hour warmer, and 8-9 hours from the 6 hour warmer while in my jacket pocket!!! So it seems that warmth times will vary depending on if you keep in your pocket or if you keep it out in the open which makes sense since more oxygen means more burning of the fuel.

Recommendation: We love these things to where I have ordered another one of each. We will field test them at our kids' games in the next few weeks and will provide an update when possible.

CAUTION: Do not give to little kids since these do get hot out of the pouch, and you know how little kids get curious. Recommend to stick with the disposables for the kiddos and use these for the teenagers / adults.
↭ 🍁 ↭
Pretty much junk.
by D. Davis (1 out of 5 stars)
March 4, 2017

It looks nice and has the Zippo logo... but that's about the only thing that brings it up to a 1 star. I filled it according to the instructions. I let the fuel sit for a few minutes before attempting to light it... Nothing. Finally a filled it beyond recommended and made sure that there was fuel reaching the wick and lit it. The fuel burned, but as soon as I placed the cover over the flame, it snuffed out. Finally out of frustration I took a blow torch and got that thing glowing red. The flame still went out, but it stayed warm for a few minutes. You're better off buying an electric hand warmer or some of those chemical one time use things. This is useless!!
↭ 🍁 ↭
Could be warmer.
by D. Novak (3 out of 5 stars)
December 30, 2016

It's OK, but It doesn't give off as much heat as I had hoped. I miss the old Jon-E warmers.

*If this is not the "Zippo Hand Warmer" product you were looking for, you can check the other results by clicking this link.  Details were last updated on Apr 2, 2026 20:41 +08.