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Zippo Rechargeable Hand Warmer

 

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Review of the Zippo Rechargeable Hand Warmer, made by Zippo

(You can print this review in landscape mode, if you want a hardcopy)

Reviewer:

I really like this product. It solves two problems for me. You might not have those same problems, so let me first state what I see as a universal benefit. Hold this in your hand(s) under a towel while watching a movie (or engaging in something else where your hands can be at rest) and you give yourself a circulation booster to those tiny capillaries and other vessels in your hands. The results of this improved circulation, if if you don't have circulation problems, include faster healing of abrasions, healthier nail beds, and improved joint health (the hands have many joints).

One problem I have is after a series of minor frost bite episodes, I developed Raynaud's Syndrome. When I do meal prep, this of course involves hand-rinsing in addition to working with refrigerated foods. The slight chill on my skin will suddenly trigger a Raynaud reaction, and my hands become very cold. They even turn colors if I don't do something quickly. It can be painful, as you might imagine. Usually, I stop what I'm doing and soak my hands in hot water then dry them thoroughly. Other events can trigger this, also. It doesn't take much. Sometimes, just gradual cooling throughout the day brings on the Raynaud's. Now I can easily prevent that with 30 to 60 seconds of heating; this gets the blood flowing and I'm good for hours. And I don't have to run hot water and go through all that hassle. I just hold a button down for a few seconds, gently grip the Zippo, and let good things happen.

Another problem is one that's compounded by the Raynaud's. I'm climber, and the type of climbing is gym bouldering. Climbing isn't about pulling yourself up as many people incorrectly assume. It's about moving your center of gravity to the most advantageous position and pushing yourself up. Yes, some climbing moves do involve pulling but your movement still originates in the hips. We climbers pivot on our toes; watch an advanced climber and you see just the tip of the toe on the foot chip or foot hold. All this pivoting has to happen with the hands, too. But they are not in shoes, they are bare. So the skin of the hand must slide, while under pressure, on that rough plastic, cement, or stone surface. That's why we climbers use chalk (to lubricate) and why we commiserate over blisters on our hands.

I have been addressing this second problem by filling a bowl with hot water and soaking my hands. But the water always feels too hot at first and then cools to quickly. So I have to empty and refill the bowl several times. It's not a consistent experience with temperature, it wastes water, and it's time-consuming. Plus I've got one more big glass bowl to wash and put away.

Now contrast that process with what I described earlier. I just push a button and lightly grasp the Zippo. A consistent temperature experience, no water used, and no time wasted. Even better, I can heat treat my hands at the climbing gym before leaving due to the convenience. The chemical warming pads aren't the same, because you have to heat those before using them. And they tend to not last all that long.

This is the best solution I have ever seen to hand-warming needs. But it's not just a hand warmer. It's rechargeable from any USB port, which is hugely convenient. Zippo designers included a really big battery (5200 mAH) to give it 6 hours of heat. They added a USB port to allow the user to tap that battery to power or charge other USB devices. That is really a neat feature.

Some other neat features:

  • Selectable heat level. Impossible with chemical warmers and maddening to attempt with water. Just tap the power button to move through the five heat levels.
  • Both sides of it provide heat. This surprised me, and I love this feature because I can warm both hands at once if I need to.
  • It looks cool. To me, it looks like a cross between a computer mouse and a car radar detector. It's just cool (no pun intended).

 

 

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