I’ve been using Zippo’s 12-hour hand warmer for a few years now, and I can tell you that it makes Minnesota winters a lot more bearable. But how often am I outside for 12 hours? Like, never. So when customers started to say that they wanted a smaller version, Zippo delivered with a new 6-hour hand warmer. It’s much smaller than the original version, but the catalytic converter is the same size so it burns very hot.
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The first version of the hand warmer worked great once you got it started. That was really the only complaint – that they could be tricky to light. The new 6-hour hand warmer has what they call “easy fill technology.” It basically amounts to a hole in the cotton wad, which makes it much easier to fill. They also changed the shape of the fill cup. Overall, the unit is much easier to use now.
I love the size of the 6-hour hand warmer, and I’m rarely out longer than that so it’s perfect for my needs. My only advice would be to use caution with this thing. It really cranks up the heat, so the bag is important on this little guy. In my opinion, it’s too hot to hold without the bag. I guess that’s a good thing as it makes a great bang for your buck.