We put these winter tech pieces through their paces
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If you’re always cold in the winter, regardless of trying the warmest down jackets, a heated jacket could solve all your worries. Heated jackets might sound gimmicky, but the small battery pack and strategically-placed heating elements keep you warmer than a traditional coat. This can be a godsend when you’re skiing, hunting, or just walking around the city in the frigid months.
But, as with all technical gear, it’s crucial to ensure you spend your money on products that actually work. We had a team of testers run 19 different heated jackets through a series of tests, including taking temperature readings, testing battery life, and trying out the waterproofing of each jacket. All this was to help determine the best-heated jacket for every scenario come winter.
Heating indicator is shown on the outside
Our testers found that the Ororo Heated Jacket warms up fast, retains its heat, is very easy to use, and features everything you'd want in a regular winter jacket, like roomy pockets and a detachable hood—making it our top overall pick for the best heated jacket.
During testing, this jacket was a warm 76 degrees F inside without using the heater, and then it took less than 60 seconds to heat to a balmy max temp of 115 degrees F. Some other jackets on the list get hotter in less time, but this will be sufficiently speedy and toasty for most people. The jacket retained that temperature exceptionally well, clocking in at 109 degrees F 15 minutes after turning the heater off.
There are three heat settings, 115 degrees F being the max, all of which feel perceptibly different, and the heat is concentrated in the back and somewhat in the chest, making for an overall cozy experience. The Ororo Heated Jacket proved to be water-resistant, rolling droplets from a spray bottle right off without any moisture reaching the inside of the jacket (though our tester noted that the inside of the sleeve felt damp after a few minutes).
The instructions that come with the jacket are straight-forward and include pictures, and there's just one button to turn the heater on and off and cycle through the heat settings, which keeps it simple to figure out. Aside from being an excellent heated jacket, the Ororo also has everything you'd want from a regular winter jacket: two roomy side pockets, one chest pocket, and an adjustable and detachable hood. Despite having a heat pack, this jacket is lightweight, and the women's fit has a snatched waist that makes for a flattering silhouette. Bonus: It's machine washable.
Our only gripe with this jacket is that there's a small LED light on the left chest that lights up when the heater is on, and that light is visible from the outside, so it's not entirely discreet heating. But considering you can just heat the jacket for a minute at a time and have it retain its warmth, this wasn't enough of a deal breaker to overshadow all the upsides to this pick.
Price at time of publish: $200
Sizes: S to XXL, men's and women's | Materials: Polyester | Temperature Levels: 3 | Warmth Time: 3 (high), 6 (medium), 10 (low) hours
Women's model features less powerful battery
Smarkey’s Heated Down Coat heats up fast—from 78 degrees F to 139 degrees F in just 20 seconds, according to our testing—and retains its heat, as the inside still measured 128 degrees F after the heater had been off for 15 minutes. Obviously, that is far hotter than you’ll likely ever want, which is a plus because the battery will last longer as you’ll rarely need it on high heat. And we love that this jacket auto-adjusts the temperature down a level when it gets too hot, too, making it comfortable for you with less effort. (You can always unzip to dissipate the heat faster.)
Overall, our tester found this jacket super intuitive to use, even without the instructions, and verified it as water-resistant. Between its ability to repel water and stay super warm, it’d be an excellent jacket for skiing or snow sports, especially if you run really cold.
The jacket also looks nice and is well-constructed—a reasonable justification for the $148 price tag. And the jacket was plain comfortable—the design is simple and sleek, with lots of pockets, a cozy material inside the sleeves, and a slim (albeit slightly heavy) battery that fits in an inside zippered pocket, out of the way.
Smarkey’s makes a women’s version of the jacket that we didn’t test with a less powerful battery (4400mAh vs. the men’s 5200mAh).
Price at time of publish: $148
Sizes: M to XXL | Materials: Rayon | Temperature Levels: 3 | Warmth Time: 4 (high), 7 (medium), 9 (low) hours
Full protection from the elements
Battery doubles as a phone charger
Cut isn't universally flattering
The TideWe Heated Jacket is the most affordable on our list, yet it still gets hot (117 degrees F), does so in under 25 seconds, and retains that heat once the battery is off. The battery to heat the jacket also has a second USB port, so you could actually charge your phone while wearing this, too.
The jacket is fully waterproof and windproof as confirmed by our testing, and has a stiff brim on the hood to keep water from rolling into your eyes. We also love that it has tons of pockets—eight total inside and out—which is excellent for winter sports or long days outside.
The silhouette is a bit long, which might not be ideal for shorter folks or those who want a cropped fit. Our tester also found the zipper to be a little cheap and finicky. Lastly, it doesn’t come with instructions—and although our tester found that it was pretty intuitive to figure out regardless, this could be frustrating for some people.
However, considering how well it heats up and its technical features, you really can’t beat the value.
Price at time of publish: From $120
Sizes: S to XXXL | Materials: Polyester | Temperature Levels: 3 | Warmth Time: 3 (high), 5.5 (medium), 10 (low) hours
Heats up well and quickly
Jackets function independently or together
The battery pack is lightweight
With a 3-in-1 design, this jacket can be worn as a windproof shell, as an insulated inner jacket, or with the two combined for a warm and weather-resistant fit. Worn together, our tester found this heated jacket warmed up to 147 degrees F in 52 seconds and retained its heat well after 15 minutes with the battery off.
Though the windproof shell was fully waterproof, the insulated layer actually beaded water droplets right off when worn alone, too, which is excellent for unexpected winter rainfall. Our tester found the battery slightly complicated to use at first, but after the initial setup, it caused no problems.
Overall, this three-in-one is basic but stylish and just enough of what you need: It has hand pockets and a hood, but nothing superfluous, the battery pack is slim and lightweight, and both layers of the jacket look generic but sleek. Our tester found the fit to be comfortable and neither bulky or constrictive.
Price at time of publish: $130
Sizes: S to XXXL | Materials: Polyester | Temperature Levels: 3 | Warmth Time: 3 (high), 5.5 (medium), 10 (low) hours
Battery pack can charge from anywhere
Water leaves visible marks on the exterior
The Dewbu Heated Jacket doesn’t look like a technical jacket—the silhouette is that of a cute, short rain parka that blends in with running errands around the city, and it’s the only jacket on our list that comes in nine expressive colors.
And yet, it’s also a quality heated jacket for keeping you warm: Without the heater turned on, our tests found this lightweight parka was plenty warm for fall days but still had enough room underneath to add layers. With the battery on, this heated jacket went from 80 to 117 degrees F in just over one minute and remained super toasty inside over time thanks to its five heating zones which keep your whole torso and arms warm.
The battery on this jacket is also powerful at 12V and has multiple power supply methods (cords not included), so you can charge the battery off a power station, ATV, snowmobile, or even a boat if you’re wearing the jacket on adventures.
The jacket has ample pockets and a hood that’s adjustable and removable. Our tests proved the Dewbu to be sufficiently waterproof, although the water did leave a visible wet spot on the outside after beading off. The sleeve was still dry inside, though. It’s also windproof and machine washable.
Price at time of publish: $170
Sizes: S to XXXL | Materials: Polyester, spandex | Temperature Levels: 3 | Warmth Time: 4 (high), 10 (low) hours
If you want a unique but still understated jacket with a fitted look that’ll keep you warm on cold winter days, the Conqueco is for you. The jacket is fitted and inconspicuous with a sporty look alongside the accent seams of either gray or orange that keep it from looking too generic.
This jacket uniquely uses carbon fiber to heat the chest and back zones while remaining lightweight. Our tests found that it took slightly longer than others to heat up at 1 minute 26 seconds and didn’t get quite as hot at its max, but it was still able to hit 106 degrees F in under 90 seconds, both of which are more than ideal for most people.
It features a waterproof outer and a warm, comfortable velvet inner to keep the wind and water off you. Our tester did find that completely saturating the sleeve kept the water out, but their arm did feel cold, and the outside felt wet to the touch, so it seemed to absorb it rather than repel it. That said, it does prevent water from reaching your skin.
Price at time of publish: $140
Sizes: S to XL | Materials: Polyester, velvet | Temperature Levels: 3 | Warmth Time: 5 (high), 6.5 (medium), 12 (low) hours
Stays warm after heat is turned off
Battery could be longer lasting
ActionHeat’s Heated Work Jacket features durable canvas with rib-knit cuffs and a waist to keep the wind from blowing in, a wind-resistant outer, and a rugged zipper. But while this Carhartt dupe has the rugged aesthetic of workwear, it has secrets inside to keep you toastier than those around you.
The jacket has three built-in heating panels, which our tests determined take the jacket interior from 79 to 120 degrees F in 2 minutes and 30 seconds. That’s slower than every other jacket on this list, but still sufficiently fast for most people. Our tester also noted that it retains heat well, which is ideal for working outside.
The heat is most concentrated in the upper back, with some in the front. We wish it had an auto turn-off or temperature adjustment feature; instead, you'll have to make any changes manually.
Although this jacket claims to be waterproof, our tests found that the outer canvas layer absorbed the water sprayed on it. That said, the moisture didn’t seep through to the inner layers. This jacket will likely keep you dry in a light sprinkle but won’t withstand a downpour.
Price at time of publish: $250
Sizes: S to 3XL | Materials: Canvas | Temperature Levels: 3 | Warmth Time: 2 (high), 3 (medium), 4.5 (low) hours
Our best overall pick, the Ororo Heated Jacket, is machine washable, heats up quickly and stays warm, and performs as a great all-rounder. For a more approachable price tag, the TideWe Heated Jacket offers full protection against the elements.
Ororo Men's Heated Jacket With Heated Collar and 90% Down Insulation: This jacket had a lot of features we liked, including that the collar and pockets heat up in addition to the torso. However, the battery pack jostled too much during our jumping jack test and was annoyingly heavy even just standing still when the jacket was unzipped, which is why it didn't make our final list.
Ororo Heated Hoodie: We love the laid-back sweatshirt aesthetic here and that this hoodie was completely waterproof. But it was a little tricky to heat up; the battery felt a little bulky, the hoodie overall was a bit heavy, and the pockets don't have zippers, so they aren't very secure for your phone and wallet.
Pthadus Men's Heated Softshell Jacket: This jacket is cozy and soft, but during testing, the battery died after just 7 minutes, so we can't recommend this jacket in good faith.
Venustas Heated Down Jacket Unisex: Our tester found this puffy-style jacket to be super comfy, made even more so once the heat was on. We love that it auto-adjusts the heat when it needs to be lowered. But the battery died before the two-hour mark, and the jacket isn't water-resistant enough to stand up to snow.
Venture Heat Men's Bluetooth Softshell Heated Jacket: This jacket is warm, waterproof, and controllable via an app with a QR code stitched into the lining, which is pretty cool. Our tester wasn't a fan of the control button and light on the outside of the jacket, making the coat look less streamlined and unnecessary if you can control it via an app.
Milwaukee M12 Heated Jacket: Our tester found this jacket got warm but not necessarily hot, it cooled off rather quickly, and the battery died after two hours. In our opinion, it's not worth the high price tag.
Bosch 12-V Men's Soft Shell Heated Jacket: This jacket is warm when not on, heated up super fast (within 30 seconds), and is water-resistant. Unfortunately, the battery died before the two-hour mark, but the highest setting was also uncomfortably hot for our tester, so you could elongate that battery life by keeping it on low.
Dewalt Camouflage Men's Heated Jacket: This zip-up hoodie targeted at hunters is well-made and cozy, but during testing, the battery felt huge and bulged out of the side pocket. Our tester found the battery dug into their hip lying on their stomach, so it's not ideal for anyone active outdoors. Overall, there are better options out there for this price.
Dewalt Heated Soft Shell Jacket: This jacket heated up quickly, stayed hot, and did what it was supposed to do for the price. However, the battery pack is large, bulky, and inconveniently placed.
To determine the best heated jackets, a team of editors tested and evaluated each jacket on this list in our New York City lab based on a set of predetermined attributes: ease of use, heating, design, comfort, and value.
We took initial temperature readings before the jackets were turned on. Then we took temperature readings two more times throughout the test. We also timed how long it took the jackets to heat. We tested the waterproofness by running and spraying water over the jackets to see how well it was repelled. Testers also took turns wearing the jackets to assess their comfort.
When looking for the best heated jacket, you want to consider the following:
Opt for a slimmer fit if you prefer a sleeker silhouette and are mostly just walking around the city. However, if you’re going to be hunting, skiing, or partaking in another outdoor activity, you want a looser fit for easier movement. Additionally, opt for a looser fit or a bigger size if you're going to layer up under the jacket.
A functional heated jacket should heat up fast, keep you warm and comfortable, be warm in the right places (evenly distributed between your chest and back, at least), and the battery should last long enough for you to be out all day in the cold and stay warm, depending on how you cycle it on and off.
Aside from fit, the other factor that plays into comfort on a heated jacket is how seamless the battery pack is. Some jackets have specific pockets strategically placed for the battery to fit into without being bothersome, while the battery in other jackets feels bulky and cumbersome.
Because heated jackets come with more technology than a regular winter coat, they’re inherently a little pricier. That said, most of the top picks on our list are about equally priced with non-tech winter coats. Generally, you should be able to find a quality heated jacket for under $200, and a jacket above that price point should come with additional features that account for the extra cost.
If moisture from snow or slushy rain seeps through your jacket, it will make you colder. That means waterproofing is key—not just for a winter jacket but especially for one you’re buying expressly to stay warm.
The best heated jacket will have at least three heating elements: one on each side of your chest and a third on your back. This helps heat your torso, where most of your body heat resides. Some jackets also come with heating elements in the neck, sleeves, or pockets, which are nice touches, especially if you run very cold in the winter.
Most heated jackets are machine washable—just make sure you remove the battery first. If the battery pack connects to cables inside a zippered pocket, make sure you re-zip the cables inside. Then, machine wash on cold and gentle, and line dry (as you should do with all your technical outdoor gear).
Your heated jacket should come with a charging cable for the battery. You just plug that in, connect it to the wall or another power source compatible with the adaptor, and charge away!
Rachael Schultz is a fitness and outdoor product journalist based in Carbondale, Colorado. Growing up in and around cities on the East Coast, she wasn't taught how to backpack or ski as a kid, which means that as she moved West and her passion for the outdoors grew in adulthood, so did her research skills around what exactly one needed to buy to get outside. Now an avid mountain biker, skier, hiker, and camper, she's endlessly fascinated by and knowledgeable about the materials, performance, and convenience of outdoor gear.
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