Choose a comfy and lightweight heated jacket to keep you feeling toasty all day long.
Anna Popp is a Commerce Writer at Travel + Leisure where she tests, researches, and writes about travel products. Since living overseas in 2018, Anna has been a travel writer and began reviewing products in 2021. Battery Heated Jackets
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Whether you’re snowshoeing in the mountains or relaxing outdoors, a heated jacket is ideal for keeping your body nice and warm. While they resemble regular outerwear, their interiors are filled with discreet coils attached to battery packs that power heat for all-day protection from the cold.
You may want a heated jacket for a range of activities, so we tested heated puffers, softshells, and hoodies in our lab. With the help of our expert Travel + Leisure product testers, we evaluated the heating, comfort, water resistance, and design of each jacket.
Our top picks for the best heated jackets overall are the Ororo Women’s Heated Jacket and the Ororo Men’s Soft-shell Heated Jacket because they provided even and consistent warmth on our testers’ chests and backs. We also love how easy it is to cycle through the three heat settings with the convenient button on the front of these coats. But we also found options for every type of outdoor enthusiast, so read on if you’re looking for a jacket with a different style or one that's packed with pockets for organization.
It provided ample heat on the front and back, and it felt like it was made of high-quality materials.
The LED light around the logo is very bright and noticeable.
Available in both men’s and women’s cuts, Ororo’s heated jacket impressed us with excellent performances during our series of tests. Setting up the slender battery is very intuitive, and the LED light-up button on the chest makes it easy to cycle through the heat settings. The light also means it's effortless to check which heat setting is on, with a blue light indicating low heat, white for medium heat, and red meaning you’re receiving the highest level of warming. It’s a useful function for quickly checking the temperature setting, however, since it’s visible to those around you, the outer LED light is slightly brighter than we wished.
In under a minute, we started feeling the Ororo jackets heating up on chests and backs. The warmth was most powerful on the rear of the jacket but wearing this coat creates an overall very cozy experience. The men’s version is particularly comfortable on the collar and pockets. Notable for a flattering fit, the jacket cinches at the waist, creating a slim but comfortable style that we love. Despite the form-friendly cut, it was seamless to move around in the Ororo design because of its lightweight and somewhat stretchy fabric. Thanks to a removable hood, you can customize the style of the zip-up coat to fit your preferences and whatever activity you’re engaged in. On top of that, the polyester material repelled water, and while the outer sleeve remained a little damp after the spritz, no liquid seeped through to the testers’ skin. If you’re planning to wear this for skiing, snowboarding, or other winter sports, you should be well-protected from any moisture. After two months of wearing this coat out and about, we loved that it moved very well while skiing and when running day-to-day errands.
The Details: 54 seconds to heat | Up to 115 degrees Fahrenheit | Waterproof | Size S-XXL | Polyester and spandex
It has a minimalist design, and eight pockets means there’s room for everything you want to store while on the go.
While the back of the coat heats up well, the front doesn't get as warm.
The Tidewe Heated Jacket impressed us by having more than enough pockets to safekeep phones, headphones, snacks, and more. With eight pockets throughout the interior and exterior of this sleek polyester jacket, we loved having the option to organize and separate items while still being able to easily access them when needed, especially from the pocket on the sleeve of the jacket. While we had an issue with the zipper splitting open at the bottom, the rest of the jacket felt sturdy, and the exterior fabric quickly repelled water when we sprayed it onto the sleeve.
Intuitive to set up and turn on, the jacket got warm in just 23 seconds, making it one of the fastest to heat up out of all the products we tested. The design of the coat is simple but effective, and it was comfortable to wear with the majority of the heat concentrated in the back of the jacket, according to our tester. We love that the power pack displays the percentage of battery left, and that it has a USB port to charge your phone. With thoughtful features like ample pockets and a cozy hood, this jacket is perfect for winter activities from riding a sled to skiing to snowshoeing.
The Details: 23 seconds to heat | Up to 128 degrees | Waterproof | Size S-3XL | Polyester
Travel and Leisure/Jhett Thompson
Travel and Leisure/Jhett Thompson
The instructions are very clear and even include a QR code to access a video on how to install the battery pack.
While the jacket is water-resistant, the fabric shows noticeable dark spots when wet.
For a stylish alternative to a standard-issue heated jacket, consider this unisex option from Dewbu. While it can heat up to 140 degrees thanks to its five heating zones (including heated sleeves), it can still pass for a standard short rain parka that you could wear just walking around town or running errands.
For easy heat-up on colder days, the jacket has a color-coded button so you can quickly set the temperature to high, medium, or low. The jacket also has a tall pocket that can fit bulky accessories like gloves, goggles, or even a water bottle, and there's also a hip pocket for storing smaller items. As a bonus, if you're out for a long day in the snow and the battery dies, it can even function when connected to an ATV or snowmobile as a backup power source.
The Details: 60 seconds to heat | Up to 140 degrees Fahrenheit | Water-resistant | Size XS-3XL | Polyester and spandex
It has a sleek shell and comes with a detachable puffer to layer.
It isn’t the most intuitive battery setup (though it’s simple after you do it once).
If you’re looking for a versatile, sleek winter jacket, the Tidewe Men’s Heated Jacket 3-in-1 with Battery Pack is a great choice. We love how functional the jacket is: it includes a lightweight shell and a detachable puffer fleece to layer. The water-resistant shell is perfect for rainy or windy weather, and the puffer fleece is the ideal layering piece for brisk days when the heating component will help you stay warm. Setting up the jacket and battery pack was slightly confusing in testing, with the button to turn on the low, medium, and high heat settings seemingly hidden in the puffer. However, once we found the button and placed the battery pack in its designated pocket, the heating was easy and intuitive to use. With coil zones on the chest and back, the jacket impressed by heating up quickly and got up to 174 degrees without making us feel uncomfortably hot. This jacket is exceptionally comfortable thanks to its soft and plush fleece interior that didn’t feel bulky or constrictive. Since it has two coats for the price of one, we think this heated jacket is an excellent value.
The Details: 52 seconds to heat | Up to 174 degrees Fahrenheit | Waterproof | Size S-XXL | Polyester
Travel and Leisure/Jhett Thompson
It heats up almost instantly and keeps the upper chest and upper back/neck area very cozy.
It's not as waterproof as other options.
We couldn't get enough of this soft and warm puffer jacket, it felt so cozy, like a nice puffer jacket, but with the heating aspect that made the jacket even more comfortable and cozy. The Venustas Heated Jacket was one of the fastest to warm up to a comfortable level of all the coats we tested, and it was so easy to set up. Simply hold down the button on the chest of the jacket for a few seconds, and it warms up in just 30 seconds. The chest button will light up red, blue, or white to show you what level your heat is at for easy adjustments. Plus, the jacket automatically lowers in temperature if it senses you may overheat.
If you like wearing puffer coats to keep you warm, this jacket will give you that next layer of comfort. It has ample padding on the sleeves, body, and even the detachable hood, yet it's lightweight, sleek, and doesn't look bulky. The battery pack sits on the bottom left side of the coat, so if you have your hands in your pocket, you'll definitely feel it, but it's not an inconvenience or too heavy.
The Details: 30 seconds to heat | Up to 131 degrees Fahrenheit | Waterproof | Size XS-4XL | Nylon
The battery pack and buttons are hidden so it looks like a regular jacket.
The heat is mainly concentrated on the upper back.
We love that the coils, battery pack, and buttons are completely hidden on the Conqueco Women's Heated Jacket Slim-fit Electric Hoodie Jacket. After it began warming in just a minute and a half, we were impressed with its exceptional 106-degree Fahrenheit heat build-up in 15 minutes on the high setting. Although we wish the heat was less concentrated in just the upper back, it provided plenty of warmth without feeling too hot while we walked around and did a few jumping jacks. The exterior polyester material prevents water from seeping all the way through, but it didn’t repel the water either, leaving the sleeve damp but not wet on the inside. Though the jacket is advertised as slim-fitting, we felt the fit was slightly boxy but appreciated that it was lightweight and easy to move around in. We feel confident that this jacket would keep you warm in the snow or light rain with the 3.7-volt battery pack that was slim and undetectable in its designated interior pocket. And if the highest temperature is too warm on your back, there are low and medium settings that can be rotated with the click of a button on the battery pack.
The Details: 86 seconds to heat | Up to 93 degrees Fahrenheit | Waterproof | Size S-XL | Polyester
The canvas shell feels sturdy and tough to damage.
The zippers were a little finicky at times.
The ActionHeat 5V Battery Cordless Heavy-duty Heated Work Jacket is one of the warmest jackets we tested, reaching a high temperature of 120 degrees Fahrenheit after being worn for just 15 minutes. We love how comfortable and cozy this jacket is even without the heat turned on, thanks to its soft fleece lining and water- and wind-resistant canvas exterior. When we sprayed water onto the sleeve of the jacket, it did look like the canvas soaked it up, but the interior was completely dry. This leads us to think that while moisture didn’t seep through, you might want to steer clear of heavy rainstorms since the material didn’t repel the water. The slim 5-volt battery rests in an interior velcro pocket, and it has a USB charging port so you can power up devices. However, the 4.5-hour battery life can decrease quickly if you charge your phone or keep the heat on the highest of the three temperature settings. This coat is machine-washable, and with its durable build, we think the canvas jacket would last for years.
The Details: 2 minutes 30 seconds to heat | Up to 120 degrees | Water-repellent | Size S-XXL | Canvas
Some jackets almost made our best list, but we discovered several small weaknesses during testing that had them falling short compared to our top performers.
Ororo Men's Heated Jacket With Heated Collar and 90-percent Down Insulation: It’s intuitive to set up, and we liked the collar heating, but the battery pack was fairly bulky and noticeable while moving around.
Venture Heat Men's Bluetooth Softshell Heated Jacket: The jacket provided solid heating around the upper back and was generally comfy to wear, but there weren’t any standout features compared to other jackets of the same cost.
We tested 17 heated jackets in our lab where our expert travel-product testers evaluated the outerwear based on traits like heating, comfort, design, and whether the set-up was easy or difficult. Additionally, we measured the temperature of the jackets over three hours and tested water resistance by spraying the garments with water.
First, our testers looked over the instructions that came with each jacket and placed the battery packs into them, also evaluating features like zipper quality and pocket functionality. The jackets with the best ratings for design were intuitive to set up and turn on, had a comfortable fit, breathable material, and convenient pockets for storing slim and discrete batteries. We took the initial temperatures of the jacket by using a prong thermometer before we turned the heating functions on. Then, we set them to the highest setting and recorded how long it took our testers to feel the warmth circulating. Setting a timer for another 15 minutes, our testers did 10 jumping jacks, sprayed water on the jacket exterior 10 times, and then took the temperature again. The outerwear with the best heating results warmed up quickly while maintaining a comfortable and even temperature throughout testing. The most comfortable jackets were cozy and cushioned and didn’t hinder movement, whether the heat setting was turned on or off.
The jackets were kept on the high setting for three hours, after which we took one final temperature reading to see how well the battery held up over time. Our testers had no previous knowledge of the price, and after testing was complete, they looked at the cost to judge the value of the product based on its performance.
If you’re planning on using a heated jacket for high-intensity outdoor activities like skiing or winter hiking, you’ll want a coat that’s easy to move around in and has a battery pack that isn’t noticeable. It could be useful to have a jacket that has a button on the exterior for adjusting the heat settings and an automatic shut-off or heat level adjustments for hands-free warmth management. For those planning on using a jacket as regular outerwear for commuting or sightseeing, prioritizing style and fit could help you find the best heated jacket for your activity needs.
Whether you’re looking to wear a heated jacket for sports or everyday use, purchasing one with water-resistant materials is crucial. Heated jackets are often advertised as water-resistant, which means that water may dampen the exterior material but shouldn’t soak through unless you are submerged. Waterproof means that the material should be a barrier against water at all times. While most of the jackets we tested were water-resistant, only a few seemed to be waterproof and repel water completely.
Depending on the size and quality of the battery, a heated jacket can provide all-day heat. However, if you keep the jacket on the highest heat setting or use the USB port to charge your phone, if applicable, the battery will likely drain faster.
In our tests, the highest temperature we recorded was 174 degrees Fahrenheit after the jacket stayed on for three hours on high heat. The temperature can fluctuate based on a variety of factors, but in general, the jackets we tested ranged from 115 to 150 degrees Fahrenheit after remaining on for three hours.
Heated jackets without batteries can be packed in carry-on or checked luggage just like any other coat. However, most airlines have restrictions on lithium batteries and only those with 100-watt hours or less can be brought in checked or carry-on luggage. Be sure to check with your airline and your coat's manufacturer to determine whether or not you can bring the battery pack with you before you head to the airport.
Growing up in the Cascade mountains, Travel + Leisure Commerce Writer Anna Popp spent every winter skiing and is an expert in staying warm during winter activities. After participating in the lab test where our expert product testers evaluated the jackets, Anna collaborated with our outdoor gear editor to pick the best heated jackets to keep you warm and cozy.
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