We found a jacket for every warmth and activity level
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For many of us, cold temperatures can take a lot of the fun out of the winter months. If your regular winter jacket isn’t cutting it for you in the warmth department, PEOPLE has got you covered with a toasty step up — the heated jacket.
“Now it’s very mainstream, but ten years ago, when my cousin and I founded The Warming Store, there were very few people who had ever heard about heated clothing, and very few brands,” The Warming Store co-founder Justin Silverman tells PEOPLE.
“Heated jackets were actually invented to keep people warm while riding motorcycles in the cold,” he adds. “The wind chill makes it feel a lot colder commuting to and from work or going on a scenic ride... but I wear my heated jacket primarily while dropping my kids off at school! We have a lot of customers who buy heated jackets for skiing, but most people actually buy them to be more comfortable during daily activities.” In other words, regardless of your situation, if you're in a cold-weather environment and looking to keep extra toasty, these high-tech jackets can be a total game-changer. It's like wrapping yourself up in a cozy electric blanket.
PEOPLE put 17 heated jackets through their paces in order to offer you the best recommendations to stay super warm all winter. Read on for our favorites.
One button for everything, which simplifies the heating process
Took only 54 seconds to heat up
Cozy heating sensation across chest and back
Water rolled off our sleeve in seconds, proving water-resistance
LED light is visible from the outside
Not the softest jacket we tested
It took just 54 seconds for us to feel warm and toasty in the ORORO Heated Jacket, our overall winner out of 17 jackets tested. The instructions were straightforward and include pictures‚ plus there’s just one button to press for cycling through heat settings and turning the heat on and off. A dedicated pocket inside the jacket stores the battery and closes with a zipper.
We noticed the difference between heat settings, and the highest setting was quite hot. The heat was strongest on our back but we could feel it on our chest as well — making for a cozy experience. Listed as water-resistant, the jacket did repel water nicely, rolling off the sleeve well in our testing. It felt dry inside, though the outer sleeve felt damp after a few minutes.
Our only gripe with the design of this jacket is the LED light being visible from the outside. Personally, we would prefer more discrete heating. The plus side to the outer button is that it's extremely easy to access. The rest of the design was great as well. There are two roomy side pockets and one on the chest, the padded hood is detachable and adjustable, and there is also a cord to tighten the bottom of the jacket. The jacket feels pretty lightweight, and it's nicely tapered at the waist to create a flattering silhouette.
Material: Polyester | Care instructions: Machine wash | Heat time: Up to 10 working hours | Heat zones: 3 | Hood: Detachable | Hem: Adjustable
This was easily the coziest jacket we tested — we love how comfortable this one feels from hood to hem
Intuitive to use and stylish to wear
This jacket did not feel water-resistant in our testing.
The battery died earlier than advertised for us.
Soft padding and artificial warmth? Consider this jacket the perfect winter cocoon. It heated up almost instantly for us and got super warm up in the chest and upper back areas — like being inside a toasted marshmallow. If you like a puffer jacket in general, you'll like this style, amped up in coziness with the heating feature.
The instructions are very intuitive — just hold down the button on the chest of the jacket for 3-5 seconds and the heat turns on instantly without any issues. We also appreciated that the jacket automatically lowered the heat setting after we did jumping jacks while wearing it. This is a great feature if you're doing an outdoor activity like skiing and may not be able to adjust the settings while in motion.
The jacket is lightweight, sleek, and does not appear bulky. The battery pack sits in the bottom left side, so if you have your hands in the pockets, you'll feel it, though it's not an inconvenience, nor is it cumbersome. However, the battery did die in our testing before the two-hour mark.
Above all, we loved how cozy and soft this jacket is. The materials have a high-quality feel, though it's not the most water-resistant — when spraying water on the sleeves, we felt the dampness almost instantly. It would be nice if there were an outer shell on top for very cold or wet weather.
Material: Nylon | Care instructions: Machine wash | Heat time: Up to 8 hours | Heat zones: 4
Heats up in less than 30 seconds
Waterproof and windproof, it's a great choice for outdoor winter sports
Battery pack displays the percentage of power remaining
It doesn't have the coziest feel
The fit is quite boxy, particularly for women
The TideWe Heated Jacket is listed as waterproof and windproof and we found it to be an excellent choice for prolonged periods outside in cold and rainy or snowy weather and can function like a ski jacket. The moisture immediately beaded up and rolled off in our testing. The features were quite useful, like a battery pack that displays the percentage of power remaining. This jacket heated up incredibly fast — less than 30 seconds — and we felt the most heat in the back. It also got warmer the longer we wore it. Set-up was relatively easy with just an instruction tag.
We counted eight pockets total, plus pockets on the sleeve, making this a good choice for skiing or snowshoeing. We found it to be designed more for function — with the variety of pockets and a hood with a hard brim to keep water out of your eyes — versus comfort. It was comfortable enough in our testing, just not the coziest feel.
Material: Polyester | Care instructions: Machine wash | Heat time: Up to 10 hours | Heat zones: 3
Very comfortable jacket, not too bulky or restrictive
It gets quite warm but not uncomfortably hot
Slim battery for a better fit
Heats up in around a minute
A little tricky to set up and get started
We didn’t get off to the best start with this jacket, but it ended up being one of our favorites. It took us a second to figure out that the LED heat display was on the under-layer, and we also had a tough time locating the battery button, but after the initial confusion, it was very simple.
The jacket felt very warm but not uncomfortable and heated up in about a minute. The outer shell is removable and the jacket underneath is stylish and thin, with a slim battery. It’s got a hood and hand pockets, but no chest pocket, and water beaded well on the exterior in our moisture testing.
This was the most comfortable jacket we tried on. It did not feel too bulky or constrictive. It was soft and plush on the inside, and it was flexible with our movement. We would wear it as a regular jacket and then use the heat function when needed. It’s non-bulky, stylish, and versatile.
Material: Polyester | Care instructions: Machine wash | Heating zones: 3 | Heating time: Up to 10 working hours | Layers: Windproof shell, insulated inner jacket
Great style and color selection
Setup was easy and intuitive, and it comes with a QR code and video demonstration
With a warm but not hot feel, this may not be the best choice for the coldest days
While it was dry on the inside, the jacket remained wet to the touch on the outside after spraying it
The arms warmed up the quickest on the DEWBU Heated Jacket, on top of the warming zones on the front and back. It's not necessarily hot, but definitely cozy. Advertised as “windproof and snow-proof” it had mixed reviews in our moisture testing. When sprayed with water, the moisture immediately beaded up on the outside of the jacket but remained wet to the touch on the outside. However, the inside was dry.
Setup was easy and intuitive, but the jacket also comes with directions and a QR code for a video demonstration. We loved the burgundy color of the jacket (it comes in several color choices) and features like a tall pocket to fit bulky gloves or a water bottle, plus regular sized hip pockets. The hood features a drawstring for keeping dry during outdoor winter activities as well.
It didn't really look like a standard-issue, boring heated jacket so, if not for that button, it could pass as a regular coat. It looks like a short, cute rain parka, and we would definitely wear this just walking around the city — though you might want an actual women's rain jacket for heavier precipitation. And at $150, it’s a good price point for a spring and fall jacket, plus winter with the heating feature.
Colors: 9 | Fabric: Polyester | Care instructions: Hand or machine wash | Heat zones: 5 | Heat time: Up to 10 hours
Easy to use and cycle through various heat settings
Lightweight and easy to move around in
Warms up quickly in under 90 seconds
The button may be hard to access if you have the jacket zipped up on a cold day
If you’re looking for a little discretion in your heated jacket, this is a good option. It doesn't scream, ‘I'm wearing a heated jacket.' Plus, it kept us dry (if not somewhat cold) when testing its waterproof claim.
It was easy to operate this jacket and cycle through the heat settings. The jacket warmed up pretty quickly at just under 90 seconds. We were by no means cold while wearing this jacket, but the most noticeable heat was concentrated on one spot on our upper back. We also felt some mild heating on our left arm. That one hot spot did a pretty good job of keeping our whole body warm, but we would have liked for it to have been a bit more even.
The heated jacket felt lightweight and moved well, though that the heat button — located in the chest of the jacket — might be hard to access if you’ve got the jacket zipped up to the neck on a cold day. Overall, it was comfortable and cozy and the price is right on the money for what you get. The stitching is a blueish/gray color that we really loved. The pocket zippers are the same color. We thought that added a nice stylish touch to set it apart from your basic black zip-up.
Material: Polyester outer | Care instructions: Machine wash and dry | Heat zones: 3 | Heating time: Up to 10-12 hours
Very comfortable and warm, with or without the heat turned on
Great design and well suited to hiking and long days outdoors
Jacket heated in two minutes and maintained the heat well
Not waterproof or water resistant
Upper back heating was more prominent than the front of the jacket, which was slightly uncomfortable
The design of the jacket was sturdy, and meant for outdoor adventure. We would compare it to a Carhartt jacket. Setup was easy and the jacket warmed up after two minutes and retained heat efficiently. However, the upper back heating was more prominent than the front of the jacket, which made it slightly uncomfortable. There was no auto turnoff setting or a temperature auto shutoff, which might be a useful safety feature for a jacket that heats up to 150 degrees Fahrenheit.
We did love the design on this jacket, which features a power bank placed in the pocket — it does not add any bulk to the jacket. It’s a very warm jacket even without the heat being turned on, and very comfortable.
Overall, we would recommend the product and gave it a perfect score for value. We liked that this product was easy to use, comfortable, and made of canvas. We do worry that this might be hard to use in snow as the outer layer is not water resistant at all, but think it's best for long outdoor daily use.
Care instructions: Machine wash | Heat zones: 3 | Heating time: Up to 4.5 hours
It's been a year since our initial testing, and our overall winner, the ORORO heated jacket for men and women, is still our number one pick for its sleek style, great value, and exceptional heating capability. We also added a new winner: the unisex Venustas Heated Jacket was named Most Comfortable of all the jackets tested for its cozy feel from hood to hem. It's also intuitive to use and stylish to wear.
“I'd say the most important thing to consider is whether or not the heated jacket comes with battery packs or if it needs to be purchased separately,” says Silverman. “We always include the battery in the price to avoid confusion,” he adds, but other stores and sites may not, “which also makes it seem less expensive.” Battery packs can cost anywhere from $24 to $60 depending on the type of battery your jacket requires, so it's something to keep in mind as part of the cost if your jacket does not already include one. Our top pick, the Ororo heated jacket, comes with a battery pack and has a dedicated pocket for easy storage.
“On the low end, some jackets only heat on the chest or pockets," explains Silverman. "On the high end, Gerbing motorcycle jackets have seven elements that heat the chest, back, sleeves, and neck collar.” Brandi Sutter, part founder of The Weston Store, agrees. “Having enough heating elements on the jacket will define if it is good quality,” she tells PEOPLE. “We always suggest looking for over four heating elements.”
Most people prefer a smaller, slimmer battery that doesn’t add bulk. You’ll also want to check the heating time to see if your warmth will last for a couple of hours or a full 8-10 hours. Sutter also recommends a 5V rechargeable battery: “Anything less than that will not be long-lasting or very warm.”
This is a popular feature on heated jackets, located on the front of the chest to show if the jacket is on, and on which heating level. “Some people like the light, but some find it annoying or too flashy,” notes Silverman. “Some brands have the temperature control on the battery and not on the garment to fix this issue. ActionHeat has a patented power button that allows the user to to hide the indicator light on the chest while still keeping the jacket heated.”
Brands offer different service warranties on heating elements and batteries, says Silverman. “Buy a heated jacket from a trusted brand or retailer.”
“It's never a bad time of year to buy heated clothing because it will always keep you warmer without all the bulky layers. I wear my vest in the fall and then a jacket when it gets below about 30,” says Silverman. If you want a good deal, capitalizing on seasonal sales may earn you a healthy discount. “Black Friday and Cyber Monday are when we run our biggest discounts," he shares.
We began by evaluating the instructions for each heated jacket, making sure the correct accessories were included. Our team noted how simple (or not) it was to get each jacket up and running. To evaluate each jacket’s heating capability, we wore the jacket for five minutes (without using the heating component). We then used a pronged thermometer to take the temperature inside the torso area of the jacket to gauge the natural body heat inside while wearing it.
After, we turned the jacket heating component on to the highest setting and recorded the temperature after 15 minutes, or stopping the stopwatch when it began to get warm. The quality and feel of each jacket was tested via us walking around and performing tasks while wearing them — including jumping jacks. These tests helped determine the comfort level when wearing these jackets, and if we would recommend each jacket for winter sports.
We also looked at the features like pockets, zippers, the hood, and anything else to see what the jacket offered beyond its heating capabilities. The jackets were also sprayed with water to test their water resistance, and then for a final assessment, internal temperatures were taken after two hours of leaving the jacket turned on to see the longevity of the heating element. Using these insights, we created our best heated jackets list.
Silverman says there are no risks with wearing a heated jacket. Many people also ask if they can wear their heated jacket in the rain, to which he says, “and that's completely safe as well. Heated jackets by the top brands are now even machine washable (just take the battery out of the pocket).”
“Yes, yes, yes!” promises Silverman. “Heated jackets allow you to spend more time outdoors in cold weather and help you enjoy that time instead of being freezing cold. Whether it's walking a dog, skiing, sitting at a soccer game, or outdoor dining, it simply makes your experience better by not feeling uncomfortable. Heated jackets are also really great for people who have to be outside for work and can help productivity by reducing the need to take breaks indoors to warm up. Another benefit is that you don't need to wear as many layers and avoid big bulky layers with a heated jacket. The active heating elements allow you to stay warm without all the bulk.” You can feel just as toasty as if you were sitting in front of a space heater.
If it’s high quality, a long time. “We have customers who bought heated jackets 20 years ago that still work,” says Silverman. “Typically, the battery will need to be replaced every few years, but the actual heating systems are extremely durable.”
While anyone can benefit from staying warmer all winter long, even just pounding the pavement, running errands, or sitting in the stands of a football game, those who enjoy winter sports will want to look for a jacket with adjustable heat settings to account for increased body temperature. Says Sutter, “You may want it on high heat in the beginning and low heat towards the end [of physical movement]."
Rennie Dyball is an award-winning author who began her career at PEOPLE in 2002 as a reporter and remained on staff until 2017; she now regularly freelances for the brand. She covers a wide range of topics from beauty to pets, to housewares. For this story, she thoroughly evaluated our testing insights and sought expertise from outerwear retail store owners Justin Silverman and Brandi Sutter.
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