Best Budget-Friendly: Electric Heated Foot Warmers for Men and Women

As a native born Coloradan, I know cold—and trust me, when your feet get cold, it goes downhill from there. Cold feet = cold everything. 

So when our staff tested foot warmers for a bed, we were excited to see which ones would take the chill out of a house in Colorado in the winter.

Foot warmers for beds come in a couple of different styles. The pocket-style is popular—a soft pouch has a heating element, so you just slide in your feet to get warm.

Other foot warmers are designed like a heating pad. This has the advantage of also being able to warm your legs or back—you either lie on top of the pad or place the pad on top of your legs/feet.

Some foot warmers are designed as mini electric blankets (also called bed warmers). Smaller than a full-size electric blanket, these warmers go at the end of the bed to warm your feet and legs.

We should also point out that foot warmers don’t get as warm has heated blankets—by design. They keep feet warm, but that disappoints some folks who want more heat.

And yes, we know, some foot warmers can get rather pricey. That’s why we like this model by Gintao—it works well and didn’t break the bank. We like the features of this warmer: note the two hour auto shut-off and three heating levels. 

Here’s more:

What We Liked

• Soft and warm.

• Easy to use.

• Shuts off when heat reaches desired temp.

• Quickly heats up.

• Affordable.

What Needs Work

• Sides don’t get as warm, as heating element is in the center.

• Can’t easily use with shoes, so may not be best for some office environments.

• Cord has an awkward attachment point.

• Not machine washable.

Best for Feet and Back: Snailax Heating Pad for Back Pain Relief

If you are looking for a foot warmer that can also double as a heating pad for your back, this would be our pick: Snailax’s Heating Pad. 

As the name implies, this pad can be used under your feet in a bed  . . . or under your back to provide warmth. We like the clever design here: buttons on the side enable you to make this pad into a pocket to warm your feet. Both sides of this pad have plush fabric that is soft to the touch.

What We Liked

• Versatile design.

• Lightweight.

• Sized nicely for feet, legs or back.

• LED control shows it is on.

• Six heat levels.

• Folds into a pocket for use on feet.

What Needs Work

• 2 hour auto shut-off not ideal for overnight use. 

• Some users wished it was softer, although we thought it was fine.

Best Tried & True Brand: Serta Ultra Soft Plush Electric Heated Warming Pad

When we research an item like foot warmers, we always start by asking our readers for their favorites. When we chose this topic, one brand came up time and time again: Serta’s Ultra Soft Plus Electric Heated Warming Pad. If you want to go with a tried and true brand with a good reputation for quality and durability, this would be our pick.

What We Liked

• Soft plush fabric so you don’t feel the electric wires.

• Nice size.

• Slips under bed sheet at night.

• 4 heat settings.

• Auto shut-off at 4 hours is just right for most folks.

What Needs Work

• Pricey.

Best Long Run Time: Battle Creek Bed Warmer

Some folks want to use a foot warmer to take the chill out of bed before sleep. Others want to use a foot warmer all night . . . and especially if your home is drafty, we can see the point.

But that exposes the flaw with some foot warmers: auto shut-off features that turn off the warmer after just two or three hours. That means you have to turn it on again in the middle the night.

We did find one model that had impressive warmth AND a long auto shut-off time: the Battle Creek Bed Warmer. We like the quality here and it stays on a for a full eight HOURS before turning off.

What We Liked

• Can be used under a sheet or on top of bed.

• Three heat levels.

• 8 hour auto shut-off.

• Easy to use.

• Comfortable.

• Long power cord.

What Needs Work

• Switch should have longer cord to be positioned near head of bed.

About the Authors

Denise & Alan Fields are consumer advocates and best-selling authors. The Fields have authored 12 books with three million copies in print, including the best-selling guide to baby gear, Baby Bargains.

The Fields have been featured and quoted in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Los Angeles Times.

As consumer products experts, the Fields have been guests on the NBC Today Show, Good Morning America and ABC’s 20/20.

How We Pick Products To Recommend

We often turn to our readers (3 million strong!) to find products to recommend. We ask our parent readers for their favorites and consider their real-world experiences in our recommendations.

When we test a product, we always purchase it with our own monies. We do not take free samples, as we believe that compromises our independence.

We also fact check manufacturer information with our own measurements. If a maker claims a product weighs X pounds, we will weigh it to make sure. If the battery life is supposed to be six hours, we will see how it stands up in the real world.

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We make our living from affiliate commissions, but we always recommend what we think are the best bets for our readers (not the ones that are the most expensive). We are always looking for products that offer the best bang for the buck.

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