The best insoles, slippers, and massagers to keep your toes toasty.
Rena Behar is a freelance journalist and editor focusing on tech, travel, and gender. She has contributed to Travel + Leisure, TripSavvy, and more. Cowboy Boot Inserts
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Once you’ve figured out your next cold-weather travel destination and picked out all your outfits, it’s time to accessorize, and not just with your new favorite hat or scarf. The best foot warmers will keep you warm while walking through the woods or Nordic streets, or even at home if your heating system isn’t keeping up. This category covers everything from disposable packets to plug-in massage apparatuses, so read on for the best ways to keep your feet toasty no matter where you are.
Hotronic provides an extremely impressive 24 hours of heat that you can control from your phone.
The technical value means they're much more expensive than other options on our list.
Hotronic’s foot warmer insoles are not messing around. With a 6,000mAh capacity, they’ll last for up to 24 hours on the lowest heat setting before needing a recharge. You can choose from three heat settings, plus a fourth Power Boost if you need an extra blast. Switch between the settings using the buttons on the battery packs or with the companion app; the app also tells you how much charge they have left. When you do run out, the batteries recharge via USB, so as long as you’ve got a computer with ports available, you’ve got charge. Their main drawback is the price tag, especially if you aren’t heading outdoors that often. You also have to purchase the insoles themselves separately; this pack only includes insole covers, but they are easy to fit to any custom insoles you may already have.
The Details: Lithium ion battery | 4 settings | Up to 118 degrees F | Up to 24 hours
These disposable options come in three styles and are super easy to use.
They don’t get as hot as other options and can’t be paused or reused.
Hot Hands are a ski lodge classic for a reason. These old-school foot warmers are easy to activate by shaking, then simply sticking them where you need them. They’ll heat up to 109 degrees Fahrenheit (running at an average of 99 degrees Fahrenheit) over the course of about 15 minutes. In addition to the insoles, Hot Hands makes toe warmers and “Bigfoot warmers” for men’s size 10 and up. Once these are activated, you can’t pause them, but you’ll get up to nine hours from the insoles, eight from the toe warmers, and seven from the Bigfoots. (Bigfeet?) If they feel like they’re fading before that, re-expose them to air and give them a good shake and they should come back to life.
The Details: One size | Chemical reaction | Up to 109 degrees | Up to 9 hours
These compostable warmers are made of biodegradable ingredients and can be resealed if you’re interrupted during use.
They’re not adjustable beyond that — it’s either all or nothing.
The real most sustainable choice is not buying things you don’t need, or buying them once and keeping them forever. If neither of those are in the cards for your current foot warmer journey, you can at least go compostable with these insoles from Ignik. The simple foot warmers are made with all-natural, biodegradable ingredients and provide consistent heat for up to eight hours — a long time for any warmer, especially one that’s air-activated. Once you’ve activated them, if you haven’t used their entire eight-hour run time, you can reseal the pouch and then activate it again (within up to 72 hours). Once that runs out, the pouch is reusable and recyclable. Just cut the warmer sack and compost the interior components. Ignik also makes toe warmers if you don’t need as much coverage.
The Details: One size | Natural minerals | Chemical reaction | Up to 8 hours
These fleecy, machine-washable booties surround your feet with natural grains and clay beads.
They only come in one size and are a bit bulky.
Take advantage of your microwave for more than just leftovers. These booties are filled with flaxseed, buckwheat hull, and clay beads, so all you have to do is put them in the microwave and then step in for their soothing, fleecy warmth. Because the fill is placed throughout the foot, ankle, and sole, you’ll be fully enveloped in heat immediately after the timer dings. And if you’ve worn them a little too much, just take out the filling containers and throw them in the wash. They come in one size that fits up to a women’s size 11 or men’s size 10, and they might be a bit bulky if you want to walk around, but are ideal for a cozy cabin getaway or relaxing at home.
The Details: One size | Minky fabric | Bead fill
These comfortable, battery-powered socks hold up to extreme conditions.
They aren’t machine-washable and take up to 15 minutes to heat up.
We tested out 15 different pairs of heated socks, and the Day Wolf came in at the top of the pack. Over the course of two months of testing, they kept us warm while out in the city and on the ski hill, feeling soft, breathable, and stretchy the entire time. They have excellent cushioning as well as a good level of thickness, and they won’t bunch up in your boots. The heat comes from a rechargeable battery, which you can remove in order to hand-wash the socks. They took up to 15 minutes to fully warm up in testing, but once they got there, they stayed nice and toasty.
The Details: S to XL | Polyester, elastane, nylon | Battery | 3 settings | Up to 121 degrees F | Up to 10 hours
These booties envelope your whole ankle while providing a soothing lavender scent.
You can’t actually do much walking in them; they’re better for reclining.
Dr. Arthritis lives up to its company name thanks to its founders, two actual medical doctors. Its booties go higher up the ankle than most other designs, providing plenty of warmth to your lower extremities thanks to microwavable, flaxseed-filled insoles. Just remove the insoles, heat them up, and then reinsert them before slipping your feet in. They’re available in blue or pink, though only one size, and are conveniently both hand- and machine-washable. They even smell like lavender for extra winter relaxation.
The Details: One size | Fabric | Microwavable insole
These fleecy, machine-washable slippers stay warm up to four hours.
They only come in one unisex size.
We named the ActionHeat our favorite heated slippers for their ability to warm up the entire underside of your foot with built-in heat panels accompanied by a soft fleece fabric and plush cushioning. They’re powered by three AA batteries per slipper, which last for about four hours, zipped into the soles and activated by an on/off switch on the side. You can remove the batteries to run them through your washing machine after taking advantage of their weather-resistant material by wearing them outside.
The Details: One size | Weather-resistant fleece | AA batteries | 1 setting | Up to 120 degrees F | Up to 4 hours
These remote-controlled insoles provide three settings and up to five hours of battery life.
Their battery life can be short, especially if you use the highest setting.
If you’d rather go for a pair of reusable insoles, opt for this rechargeable style from Dr. Warm. You get three heat modes to choose from, ranging from 100–113 degrees on low to 140–150 degrees on high, with a battery life that can range from two to three hours on high and four to five hours on low. It’s all controllable by remote, so you don’t need to worry about having your phone on you or taking your shoes off to adjust them. When the battery runs out, they plug in via USB-A cable, and a wall adapter is included if you don’t have any ports to spare. They also come in two sizes — medium, which fits a women’s 5.5 to 9 and men’s 4 to 8, and large, which fits a women’s 9 to 11 or men’s 8.5 to 12 — and black or red so they can blend in with your shoe or stand out. And if you want to customize your fit, take advantage of the trimmable front end.
The Details: M and L | Lithium polymer battery | 3 settings | Up to 150 degrees F | Up to 5 hours
They let you tuck your feet right into a warm, fleecy pocket.
You may need to do some maneuvering to keep the warmth in and drafts out.
This top-rated pad lets you tuck your feet right in the middle, essentially sandwiching them in between two fuzzy flannel sheets. Choose from three heat settings that go up to 120 degrees Fahrenheit, adjusted by the on-cord control panel. Since you can only use it while it’s plugged in, it can technically go indefinitely, but has an auto shut-off after two hours for safety. The 10-foot cord gives you plenty of space to choose from even if you’re short on outlet space, and since it measures a generous 20 by 22 inches, you’ve got room for a friend to snuggle in next to you as well. Since it's so large, though, you may need to do some maneuvering to keep drafts out and avoid heat escaping.
The Details: One size | Fabric | Battery/wall plug | 3 settings | Up to 120 degrees F | 2 hours before auto shut-off
Get several modes of deep massage with this device that can accommodate multiple parts of your legs.
It’s quite bulky and weighs in at 22 pounds, so it's not easiest to store or maneuver.
Treat your lower legs after a long day of shoveling snow or hitting the slopes with the Cloud Massage. This heated massager with two separate cushioned sections can work on your feet, ankles, or calves with five different modes and an adjustable base. While you only get one heat level (on or off), you can choose from three intensity levels as well as a rolling massage, compression therapy, or sway function; if you upgrade to the remote-control version, you get two heat settings and four intensity levels. Just keep in mind that it's quite bulky and weighs in at 22 pounds, so it may not be the easiest to store or maneuver if you’re short on space, but since you plug it in to operate, you’ll never run out of battery life.
The Details: One size | Corded electric | One heat setting (no remote) or two heat settings (with remote)
Tuck your feet into a cozy cavern with multiple heat and massage settings
The focus is more on vibration than heat, some of which may escape out of the opening.
If you’re still just dipping your toe into the world of foot warmers and don’t want to commit to a more expensive massager, the Snailax will serve you well. Tuck your feet into the plush cloth-lined opening and enjoy a heated (or not, if it’s not that kind of day) vibrating massage (kneading not included). There are two levels of heat to choose from, as well as five vibration modes. You can also unzip the foot pocket and just use the flat cushion base as a vibrating massage pad elsewhere on your body, like your lower back. There’s no battery needed, since you plug it into the wall, but it’s still fairly light and portable to move from under your desk to in front of the couch. If you choose to upgrade to the version that includes a remote control, you get three vibration modes and intensities and two heat levels.
The Details: Up to 3 heat settings | Up to 130 degrees F | 30-, 60- and 90-minute heating intervals
Do you want to be able to adjust the temperature of your foot warmer, or is a simple on/off switch sufficient? If you’re going to be outside all day and not doing any high-intensity activity, one setting is probably sufficient, but if you’ll be going indoors and out, you may prefer the ability to turn down the heat when you’re inside both to avoid sweat and to help your batteries last longer.
Make sure you try your foot warmers out with whatever shoes or boots you’ll be wearing them in, especially if you’re going to be wearing something notoriously tight-fitting, like ski boots. Thicker socks or pads may throw off the fit of your equipment or not fit into sleeker styles.
If you’re bringing your foot warmer on a trip, you should consider how it will fit in your luggage. Some reusables won’t be able to go in your checked luggage (check the battery type to see if it’s TSA-approved) or are bulkier or heavier than just throwing a few single-use packets into your bag.
Many foot warmers, both single-use and reusable, only heat up in the front of your foot. If you’re facing colder conditions or just want a more fully enveloping heat experience, make sure your foot warmer has heating elements throughout the foot.
It depends, but most of them end up somewhere in the low 100s Fahrenheit. (Our top picks can reach around 120 degrees based on manufacturer specs.) If you’re worried about your foot warmers getting too warm, check the details from that specific manufacturer. Keep in mind that with battery-powered heaters, the higher you put the heat, the less battery life you get. Some plug-in foot warmers have multiple modes you can choose from if you want to vary your heat; single-use options aren’t adjustable, but may get overly hot if continuously exposed to oxygen, like in a ventilated shoe.
Yes. In terms of our top picks, Hot Hands states that their warmers have an estimated shelf life of three to four years, and Ignik states that their warmers are effective for three years from the manufacture date.
This is really a question for your doctor. People with peripheral neuropathy or other types of decreased sensitivity in their feet, diabetics, and those with sensitive skin may want to be cautious as they might not be as aware of potential overheating. Be sure to check with a medical professional if this is potentially an issue for you.
For this story, Rena Behar dug deep into product reviews, round-ups, and testing reports to find the best foot warmers, using her more than 10 years of experience as a product researcher and gear reviewer.
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