****** - Verified Buyer
4.5
I'm rating these 5 stars because I'm definitely a fan. But it's not all good news to report, so I'll give you the good and the bad. First the good. Because these are re-usable, these things do save you a lot of money. Also, they get much hotter than most hand warmers, and they're really fun to use, and to show off to people. Seriously. FUN! However, they don't last very long before cooling off. I generally only get 10 minutes of strong heat, and then another 15 to 20 minutes of it slowing going from warm to cold. There are things you can do to make the heat last a little longer, like kneading them repeatedly. Also, if you keep them in your pocket, they last longer than if they're out in the cold air (logical, right). And someone else suggests you heat them up before activating them, which slows the 'freezing' (heating) process (I haven't tried this yet, but it sounds like it makes sense). Another thing is, it can be a bit of a pain having to take the time to boil these every day after using them, and personally, I've been lazy about it, and often let them sit for several days before boiling them. This is something you need to avoid doing. You need to boil them down right away. Don't let them sit in their hardened state. If they're allowed to sit, for some reason, when you do try to boil them down later you'll have a much harder time, and sometimes not be able to at all. I don't know why this is, but it just is. I've ruined a lot of them that way. So, learn from my mistake. Also, regarding their pretty color and appearance - don't expect it to last. The color fades quick, and they start to look really ugly. But it's not about looks, right?
