At the big brands, the price you see is often the price of the sock alone. The Therm-ic Heat Fusion sock is £60. Add the smallest battery and the set is £189.99. Lenz sells its 5.1 sock for about £60 to £80, and its set with batteries for €219.95, about £183. That is not the top of the range. That is the normal price of a pair that actually heats.
Yet most people with cold feet need the same thing: a few hours of warmth at the toes while standing still, on the touchline, on the riverbank, on site or at a cold desk. For that, the £190 set does not buy a warmer sock. It buys the brand's own battery system and a place on the ski shop shelf.
Our ranking, best to worst:
Aploomb Heated Socks — A+ · £89 a pair, £139 for two. Best warmth for the money. Two 5000 mAh batteries in the box, four heat levels with the runtime of each, machine washable, and a women's style in soft pink.
Lenz Heat Sock 5.1 — A− · about £183 with batteries. The best design in the test. A lift-pass price.
Therm-ic Heat Fusion — B+ · £189.99 to £275 with a battery. The ski shop reference. The price depends on the battery.
Heat Performance — B+ · £79.95 to £129.95. A UK specialist, thin models, a remote on the PRO.
Unbranded (Amazon UK, eBay) — B− · about £26 to £40. The lowest price, but copied listings, and sometimes AA batteries to keep buying.
WellaHeat — C+ · about £69, plus six AA batteries. A soft sock with toe-and-sole heat, powered by AA cells you keep replacing.
Heated insoles — C+ · £124.49 to £139.99. Warm under the sole, not at the toes.
Toe warmers + thermal socks — C · about 70p a pair of warmers, £10.99 for thermal socks. Useful once. £30+ over a winter.
Yes, if they have a real heat source: a battery or cells. They keep feet warm for several hours, especially when you're standing still. They won't warm frozen feet in two minutes: switch them on before you get cold. “Self-heating” socks with no battery don't heat.
Can they burn?
Used properly, no: on max, the published temperature is 51 to 55 °C, like a hot water bottle. Switch off if the skin goes red or stings. If you have diabetes or reduced feeling in your feet, ask your doctor before using any heated sock: you might not feel heat that is too strong.
What size?
Our No. 1 is one size, stretch knit, fitting UK 3 to 11 (35 cm leg), in a men's or women's style. Same size, same heat: only the knit changes.
Will they fit my shoes?
In a boot or a walking shoe, yes: the heating panel is flat and on top of the foot, nothing is added under the sole. They are proper winter socks, so thicker than a dress sock: in a very snug dress shoe, expect the feel of a ski sock.
Machine washable?
Yes. Open the flap, take out both batteries, and the socks go in the machine. Dry them flat, away from a radiator, and only put the batteries back once they're dry.
How we make money: CompareThem is free to read. Some links on this site go to sellers we have a commercial relationship with, and we may earn money when you buy through them. That never changes the facts, prices or specifications we publish. Advertising disclosure.
Why so many buyers pay over £100 too much
They pick a big brand's sock at the price on the label. Then they find out the battery is sold separately. A skier put it bluntly:
“I bought myself Lenz heat socks 3.0, but without the bit that actually heats, meaning the battery.”— a skier, Skipass forum, August 2018 (translated from French)
Here's how not to make the same mistake, price by price ↓
The 9 options, one table
Each price is the one published by the brand or a UK seller when we checked, on 8 November 2026. Prices change: check again before you buy.
The price shown has almost nothing to do with the price paid. The £89 pair arrives ready to heat. The Therm-ic sock shown at £60 costs £189.99 once its battery is added. The label shows what the brand wants you to see. The ready-to-heat price shows what you will pay. On that number, the dearest are not the warmest. They are the ones that sell the battery separately.
That is why the ranking starts where it does. The £89 pair comes with two 5000 mAh batteries, a runtime for every level and machine washing. At the specialists, a pair with batteries starts at £109.95 (Heat Performance) and £189.99 (Therm-ic).
We bought the heated socks from the big ski brands, the ones on Amazon, heated insoles, toe warmers and “self-heating” socks, then wore them outside, in the cold, for six weeks. To keep your feet warm for a few hours, the cheapest real heated socks and the dearest do the same job. The gap between them: £100. Above a certain price, you are no longer paying for heat. You are paying for the battery and the brand.
By Eleanor Whitfield, home and gadgets editor Updated 8 November 2026 · 16 min read · Reviewed for accuracy by C. Morel, podiatrist
9options tested
6weeks of testing
70p–£275price range
£100price gap
The problem: nobody tells you the price of a pair that heats
Try this before reading on. Open the website of a big heated sock brand and look for the price of a pair that is ready to heat. Not the sock. The pair, with what it needs to heat. You will find “from”. You will find “battery not included”. You will find the battery, on another page, at another price. What you will not find is the total.
People who have been there tell it the same way. “I bought myself Lenz heat socks 3.0, but without the bit that actually heats, meaning the battery.”“It would be nice if prices came down too, €250 is downright off-putting.”“I've often thought about buying socks like these, but never took the plunge because of the price, and for fear of having even colder feet once the battery ran out…”
And most people searching have the same, very ordinary problem. The body is warm under three layers, and the toes are numb after twenty minutes. On the chairlift, on the touchline on a Sunday morning, on the riverbank, on site or in a badly heated office. Then at night, you can't get to sleep with feet like ice blocks.
“My toes are always cold, even in my new boots, and especially when I have to pull them on in an icy car park at dawn at the bottom of the slopes.”“In the evening and at night my feet are frozen, and it often stops me sleeping.” And this line, which sums up all the others: “I'm sick of having feet so frozen they hurt.”
It isn't a lack of willpower, it's physiology. When you are cold, the body protects the vital organs first: it narrows the blood vessels in the extremities and pulls blood back to the core. Your feet are the furthest from the heart, and the most still inside a shoe. They go cold first. A thick sock slows the loss of heat. It does not replace it. Only a heat source adds heat. So the only question that matters is this: between 70p and £275, at what price do you stop paying for heat and start paying for the battery and the brand? We spent six weeks finding out.
The number to know before you buy
At the specialists, the sock and the battery are two purchases. Therm-ic Heat Fusion: £60 for the sock, then £74.99 for the S-Pack 700 batteries, or £189.99 as a set. Sets go up to £275. Lenz Heat Sock 5.1: about £60 to £80 for the sock, €219.95 (about £183) as a set with rcB 1200 batteries. Heat Performance sells a spare pair of batteries for £59.95.
So the person who leaves the shop with socks that heat has almost never paid the price on the label. They paid for the sock, then for the battery, politely and legally.
What to look for, and what to avoid
Look for: the price of the pair with batteries; rechargeable lithium batteries, not AA cells; a runtime for each heat level; a battery you can take out to wash the sock; a sock thin enough for your usual shoes; a real window to send it back.
Avoid: “from” prices without a battery. Socks with an AA battery box you have to refill every outing. “USB” socks that stay plugged into a power bank by a cable. “Up to 8 hours” with no level stated. And any “self-heating” sock that can't say where its heat comes from.
The 9 options, best to worst
No. 1 — Best warmth for the money 2026 · Grade A+
1
Aploomb Heated Socks — rechargeable pair
£89 a pair, £139 for two · 2 × 5000 mAh batteries · men's and women's styles
Battery in the cuff flap2 × 5000 mAh + USB cableWomen's style, pink trim
9.4OVERALL
Real price9.8
Runtime9.2
Care9.5
Thinness8.8
Service8.4
What they do well
A women's style that actually looks feminine. Pink trim and pink diamond pattern, made to be worn with everyday clothes, not just ski boots. Same heat and batteries as the men's pair
£89 for a pair ready to heat. Ski brands charge about that for the sock alone
Two 5000 mAh batteries in the box, one per foot. No AA batteries to buy, ever
Four levels, from 18 to 55 °C, with the runtime of each: 6.5 to 8 h on low, 3 to 4.5 h on max
The heat sits over the top of the foot and the toes, where the cold gets in. Nothing under the sole
The battery lies flat in a fold-over flap at the top of the calf. No cable down the leg
Take the batteries out and they go in the washing machine
One size, UK 3 to 11, in both styles: men's (orange trim) and women's (pink trim)
£139 for two pairs: one for you, one for your other half, or one on your feet and one in the wash
Free tracked UK delivery, 30 days to return unused, 14 days to cancel
What they don't do
No app or remote. You change the level with the button on the battery
Sold online only. You can't try them on before you buy
Our verdict: they came first on all five scored criteria. We would rather you checked than took our word for it. So try this. Forget this page and look for another pair of heated socks sold in the UK, under £90, with two 5000 mAh batteries in the box, a runtime for every level, machine washing, a proper women's style and 30 days to send them back. We looked for six weeks and did not find one. That is the whole argument. You don't need to take our word on the warmth.
£89 a pair · batteries included · free tracked UK delivery
A £89 pair finishing ahead of £190 sets is exactly the kind of claim to check rather than believe. So this section is written to be checked. Every figure is a price, a runtime or a condition published by a seller. Nothing asks you to take our word on how warm they feel.
What they are. Aploomb is an online shop. Its heated socks are rechargeable: a flat heating panel over the top of the foot and the toes, one 5000 mAh battery per foot in a fold-over flap at the top of the calf, and a button with four levels. Two styles, men's and women's, same size and same heat. The women's pair, with its soft pink trim, is the one most heated socks never bother to make. You order them, they arrive by tracked post, you charge the batteries, you put them on. That is the type of product. The rest is whether they are worth the money.
The price. £89 buys the pair and its two 5000 mAh batteries. £139 buys two pairs, so £50 for the second. The closest rival on price, the unbranded pair on Amazon UK, costs about £26 to £40. Depending on the listing, the battery is included, sold separately, or replaced by an AA battery box. The specialist sets start at £109.95 and go up to £275.
AA batteries. This is the point we ask you to look at most closely, even if you buy something else. An AA sock is recharged by buying batteries: often three AA cells per sock, so six per outing. Over a winter that ends up costing more than the sock, and alkaline cells lose power quickly in the cold. A rechargeable lithium battery goes on charge at night and is ready in the morning.
“Cold feet start when you stop moving. The reflex of pulling on a second pair of socks often does the opposite of what you want: the shoe gets tight, circulation is squeezed, and the foot cools faster. A thin sock that adds heat, in a shoe that doesn't pinch, does better than two thick socks.”— C. Morel, podiatrist, who reviewed this article
Here is what the first weeks look like, from our testers' notes:
What to expect, week by week
Day 1
Charge both batteries fully the night before. When you head out, put them on max for ten minutes, then drop to medium or low. A heated sock keeps warmth going. It won't thaw feet that are already frozen in two minutes: switch it on before you get cold.
Week 1
You find your level for each use. Our testers ended up on low in town and at the desk, medium standing still outside, high on the chairlift or the riverbank. You will soon know which one lasts your day: 6.5 to 8 h on low, 5 to 6.5 h on medium, 4 to 5 h on high, 3 to 4.5 h on max.
Weeks 2–4
The good bit. The routine runs itself: batteries on charge at night, socks in the wash. Outings get longer. You stay on the touchline until the final whistle.
Weeks 5–6
The real decision. At −5 °C and below, every battery lasts less: by now you know, on your own outings, whether the pair lasts your day. If they're not for you, you have 30 days to return an unworn pair.
Level
Temperature
Runtime
Good for
Low
18–35 °C
6.5–8 h
The whole day
Medium
35–43 °C
5–6.5 h
A long outing
High
43–51 °C
4–5 h
A morning
Max
51–55 °C
3–4.5 h
The coldest spell
The four levels and the runtime published for each, from the maker's specification.
The fit. A heated sock only heats well if the panel touches the foot. A sock that wrinkles in the shoe heats thin air. Pull it up smooth, with no fold under the arch, and don't lace too tight: a squeezed foot stays cold, even heated.
Can you see them? After price, it is the question we see most. Nothing is added under the sole: the panel is on top of the foot. The battery lies flat in a flap at the top of the calf: under trousers, nobody sees it. In shorts, they will.
Under trousers, in ordinary shoes, the battery flap doesn't show.
The complaint we read most often is about thick socks, not heated ones: “I've got HeatHolders. Warm because they're very thick. But you need shoes two sizes bigger…” A thin sock that heats avoids exactly that problem.
Who should not buy them
If you have diabetes or reduced feeling in your feet, these socks are not for you without your doctor's advice: you might not feel heat that is too strong. If your toes turn white then purple, or stay painful when warm, don't buy anything from a list online: see your GP. If you ski several days in a row in hard cold and want the best ski sock money can buy, whatever the price: look at Lenz and Therm-ic below.
What buyers criticise about other brands, and what our No. 1 fixes
S
A skier, Skipass forumAug 2018 ✓ Verified quote
“I bought myself Lenz heat socks 3.0, but without the bit that actually heats, meaning the battery.”
Our No. 1:2 × 5000 mAh batteries in the box. Nothing to buy on top.
S
A skier, Skipass forumDec 2017 ✓ Verified quote
“It would be nice if prices came down too, €250 is downright off-putting.”
Our No. 1:£89 a pair, batteries included.
S
A skier, Skipass forumAug 2018 ✓ Verified quote
“Experience shows the runtimes are always hugely exaggerated.”
Our No. 1:The runtime of each of the 4 levels, from 3 to 8 h.
L
LORENTZ, Journal du GeekFeb 2023 ✓ Verified quote
“Sent back, they only heat the toes, miserable comfort for the price!”
Our No. 1:Heating panel over the top of the foot and the toes.
Quotes translated from French.
I WANT WARM FEET »£89 a pair · free tracked UK delivery · 30 days to return unused
No. 2 — The best design, at a specialist's price · Grade A−
2
Lenz Heat Sock 5.1 Toe Cap
£58.90 to £80.49 for the sock alone · set with batteries ≈ £183
8.7OVERALL
Real price3.5
Runtime9.0
Care8.5
Thinness9.6
Service9.4
What it does well
The heating element runs over the toes (“Toe Cap”): the heat goes where you're coldest
Several sizes and fits (Slim Fit, Regular Fit): the best fit inside a ski boot
What it doesn't do
The price shown is for the sock. The Lenz rcB battery packs are sold separately
With batteries, about £183: £94 more than our No. 1
Technical ski-boot look in dark tones: built for the slopes, not for wearing with everyday clothes
Our verdict: if Lenz sold its sock with the battery at the price shown, it would probably have won. It doesn't. The sock shown at about £60 to £80 becomes a set at about £183. Buy it if you ski a week every winter and want the best fit in a ski boot. For waiting on a touchline or a riverbank, our No. 1 does the same job for a fraction of the price.
No. 3 — The ski shop reference, priced by the battery · Grade B+
3
Therm-ic Heat Fusion
£60 for the sock alone · £189.99 with the S-Pack 700B
8.3OVERALL
Real price3.0
Runtime8.0
Care8.5
Thinness9.0
Service9.5
What it does well
Built for the ski boot and hard cold
Several batteries to choose from, depending on how long your days are
What it doesn't do
£60 is the price of the sock with no battery
With a battery, £189.99 to £275: £101 to £186 more than our No. 1
Chunky ski-kit styling, the same look whether it's for him or for her
Our verdict: a very good ski sock. If you ski ten days a winter, the cost stands up, and UK ski shops stock it. But look at what you pay for: the sock is £60, and the rest of the £189.99 set is the battery. For everyday use, you are mostly paying for the battery.
No. 4 — The UK specialist, thin and well made · Grade B+
4
Heat Performance (THIN, ULTRA THIN, PRO)
£79.95 to £129.95 · 2 × 2600 mAh in the set
8.0OVERALL
Real price5.5
Runtime8.5
Care8.2
Thinness9.0
Service9.0
What it does well
Thin models (THIN, ULTRA THIN) for snug shoes
A remote control on the PRO
What it doesn't do
Smaller batteries: 2600 mAh per foot, 2.5 to 3.5 h on the highest setting
£109.95 to £129.95 with batteries: £21 to £41 more than our No. 1
Plain technical design: nothing made to look good on a woman's foot
Our verdict: here is how it goes. You want them thin, so you take the THIN. You want to change the level without taking your boots off, so you take the PRO with the remote. Nobody misled you. In one visit, you went from £79.95 to £129.95. Good socks, but away from the slopes the use doesn't justify the price.
About £26 to £40 · third-party marketplace sellers
7.0OVERALL
Real price10
Runtime4.0
Care6.5
Thinness7.0
Service3.5
What they do well
The lowest price for a sock that really heats
Far better than any “self-heating” sock
What they don't do
Specs copied from listing to listing (4000, 5000, 6000 mAh), rarely with a runtime per level
Some run on AA battery boxes, others stay plugged into a power bank by a cable
Returns and guarantee depend on the seller, sometimes outside the UK
One generic black design, sold as “unisex”, with no thought for a woman's foot or wardrobe
Our verdict: if your budget stops at £30, it isn't a bad buy, as long as you read the listing line by line: rechargeable batteries or AA, runtime on high, washing, and who takes it back if it breaks. £49 to £63 more buys two 5000 mAh batteries, a full spec sheet, a women's style and 30 days to return. It's the best-spent money in this comparison.
No. 6 — A soft sock, powered by AA cells · Grade C+
6
WellaHeat Heated Socks
About £69 · six AA batteries needed
6.6OVERALL
Real price5.5
Runtime4.0
Care7.0
Thinness7.5
Service6.5
What they do well
Heat on the toes and the sole, three levels up to 50 °C
A soft cotton feel and a stretch fit
What they don't do
Six AA batteries to buy, and to buy again each time they run flat. Alkaline cells also lose power in the cold
About £69 before batteries: £20 less than our No. 1, which comes with two rechargeable 5000 mAh batteries
No runtime given for each heat level
One unisex design, the same dark look for him and for her
Our verdict: a comfortable sock that puts heat where cold feet feel it. But at about £69, it runs on six AA cells. Every outing starts with a battery check, and every winter adds the cost of new cells. For £20 more, our No. 1 comes with two rechargeable 5000 mAh batteries, a runtime for every level, a women's style and 30 days to return.
No. 7 — Warm under the sole, not at the toes · Grade C+
7
Heated insoles (Therm-ic Heat Flat and similar)
£124.49 to £139.99 with batteries · slide into the shoe
6.4OVERALL
Real price4.5
Runtime7.0
Care4.0
Thinness6.0
Service8.0
Our verdict: an insole heats the sole of the foot, not the top or the tips of the toes, where you feel the cold most. It takes up room in the shoe, sometimes half a size, and it doesn't go in the wash. A good choice for one pair of work boots you always wear. For the rest, the heat is in the wrong place.
Toe warmers + thermal socks (HotHands, Heat Holders)
About 70p a pair of toe warmers · Heat Holders thermal socks from £10.99
6.0OVERALL
Winter cost4.0
Runtime7.0
Care9.5
Thinness6.0
Service2.0
Our verdict: a warmer in the toe of the boot works and costs almost nothing… once. Three outings a week for fifteen weeks is 45 pairs, so about £30 to £45 a winter, thrown away each time, with no temperature control. Thermal socks like Heat Holders insulate well but make no heat, and the thick ones often need a bigger shoe. Keep a box of warmers for emergencies. For a whole winter, that's close to a rechargeable pair that will work again next year.
Our verdict: we rank them instead of ignoring them, because they show up as soon as you search for “heated socks”, for a few pounds, with “self-heating” in the title. But look at the promise. A sock with no battery, no cell and no chemical reaction makes no heat. At best, it's an ordinary sock. Whatever you take from this article, take this: if a product can't say where its heat comes from, don't buy it.
What we didn't rank: keeping warm without electricity
For many people, the cheapest answer has no battery: merino wool socks instead of cotton, a shoe roomy enough not to squeeze the foot, and wriggling your toes. It's free or nearly, and it would be dishonest not to say so.
Two limits. It works while you move, much less once you stand still: on the riverbank, on a chairlift, on the touchline. And it slows heat loss without adding any. Once your feet are cold, nothing warms them back up. Start there anyway. If your feet still freeze when you stand still, a £89 pair with 30 days to return it lets you try this winter, not next.
How we tested
Warmth is personal. It depends on your feet, your shoes and the temperature. Anyone who claims to have ranked the “feel” of nine heated socks is selling you something. So we didn't. The scores measure the five things that are not a matter of opinion. They are what decides whether a pair is still on your feet in two winters, or at the back of a drawer.
Each option was worn for at least ten days by the same three testers, outdoors and standing still: touchline, riverbank, cycle commute, building site.
The five scored criteria, and why
The ready-to-heat price. Socks plus batteries, plus the AA cells or warmers to rebuy over a winter. A £60 sock with no battery is a £189.99 set at the least.
The published runtime. A time for each level. “Up to 8 hours” with no level loses points: it's almost always the lowest setting.
Care. Does the battery come out? Does the sock go in the washing machine? A sock you can't wash ends up in a drawer.
Thinness, checked. Worn in an ordinary shoe and in a usual boot, without going up a size. Not the maker's photo.
Service. Returns window, guarantee, and who answers when a battery fails.
What we didn't score
Apps and remotes. Some skiers like them, and the Heat Performance PRO has one. But for most uses, a button on the sock is enough, and a remote is one more thing to charge and lose. If adjusting from your pocket matters most, read No. 4.
What “heated” really means
Four types of sock are sold as “heated” in the UK. Only two really are, and only one is practical every day.
Rechargeable battery in the cuff. One lithium battery per foot, in a pocket at the top of the sock, and a button with several levels. Nothing sticks out, nothing dangles. Charge at night, wash the sock without the battery. It's the ski brands' type, and our No. 1's.
USB sock with a cable. The sock heats, but it stays wired to a power bank in your pocket. The cable runs down your leg and catches on everything. Heated, yes. Practical, no.
AA battery box. A box clipped to the cuff, often three AA cells per sock. It heats, weakly, and for less time in the cold, because alkaline cells lose power. And every outing costs you batteries.
“Self-heating” tourmaline. No battery, no cell, no wire. An ordinary sock with printed dots. It makes no heat, and if a seller calls it “heated”, you know what the rest of the listing is worth.
The four types at the same scale. Only the first two really heat, and only one without a wire or AA cells.
Why a real heated pair costs £89 when ski sets cost £190
That is what all the prices in this article are for.
The better question is why the set costs £190. A heated sock is a heating wire knitted into the fabric, a lithium battery and a button. What pushes up the big brands' prices is their own battery system sold separately, ski shop distribution, and the brand itself. Those are real costs, and for a skier who spends ten days a year on the slopes, real value.
For a walk, a match, a building site or a morning on the riverbank, none of that is needed. An online shop has no ski shop shelf and no own-brand battery to pay off. A pair, two batteries and a cable can be sold for the price of a small accessory, with 30 days to return. You aren't buying a less warm sock. You just aren't paying for the shelf.
What should worry you is the other end of the market: socks for a few pounds that call themselves “self-heating”, and AA pairs that heat for an hour. Under £20, you'll be disappointed. Between about £30 and £90 are the real rechargeable pairs, batteries included. Well above that, away from the slopes, you are paying again for the battery and the brand.
Five things to know before you spend anything
1. Read the “in the box” line
That's where half the price hides. “Heated socks” doesn't mean “with batteries”. At Lenz and Therm-ic, the cheapest version is sold without.
2. “Up to 8 hours” and “3 hours on high” are both true
Nobody is lying. The 8 hours exist, on the lowest setting. On a chairlift or a riverbank, it's the runtime on high that counts. A skier, about a Lenz battery rated much higher: “My daughter uses the 1200 and in practice it's more like 5–6 h of runtime when it's cold”. Look for the runtime on high before you buy.
3. Two batteries, not one big one
One battery per foot means the same heat left and right, and a sock that stays thin. One big remote battery means a cable down your leg.
4. Switch on before you get cold
A heated sock keeps warmth going. It won't thaw frozen feet in two minutes. Switch it on as you set off, on high for a few minutes, then turn it down.
5. If one foot is cooler, check the contact
A battery not pushed fully into its cuff is the most common cause. Take it out, put it back firmly, switch on again. That simple step would have avoided a good share of the returns we read about.
The part that isn't about money
We hesitated to include this, because this industry likes to sell with promises. We include it because the research is real, and it explains something everyone has felt.
In 1999, a team of researchers in Basel published a study in Nature with a very plain title: “Warm feet promote the rapid onset of sleep”. What best predicted how quickly people fell asleep wasn't body temperature. It was the gap between the warmth of the hands and feet and that of the trunk: when the extremities warm up and the vessels open, the body sheds heat and sleep comes.
To be clear
It's a link, not a treatment. No sock treats insomnia, and a brand that tells you otherwise is not one to buy from. What the study says is simple: cold feet delay falling asleep. Warm them before bed, on low, then switch off. Don't sleep with the high setting on.
Frozen feet aren't just uncomfortable. They're the walk you cut short, the match you watch from the car, the night that starts an hour too late. Not because you can't afford to fix it. Because it never quite becomes the problem of the day.
SEE OUR NO. 1 — £89 A PAIR »2 × 5000 mAh batteries included · machine washable · free tracked UK delivery · 30 days to return unused
Frequently asked questions
How much do heated socks cost in the UK?
From a few pounds to £275 a pair. The ski brands show about £60 to £80 for the sock alone, then about £183 to £275 once the battery is added. Unbranded pairs on Amazon UK cost about £26 to £40, batteries included or not depending on the listing. Our No. 1 costs £89 a pair, two 5000 mAh batteries included, or £139 for two pairs.
Do heated socks actually work?
Yes, if they have a real heat source: a battery or cells. They keep feet warm for several hours, especially when you're standing still. They won't warm frozen feet in two minutes: switch them on before you get cold. “Self-heating” socks with no battery don't heat. See our No. 1, £89 with batteries »
Heated socks or thermal socks like Heat Holders?
Thermal socks insulate: they slow down heat loss, and they work well while you move. They make no heat. If your feet are cold when you stand still, on a touchline or a riverbank, only a heated sock adds warmth. Many people wear a thin heated sock where they used to wear a thick thermal one.
Rechargeable batteries or AA: which is better?
Rechargeable lithium batteries. AA socks often need three AA cells per sock, to keep buying, and alkaline cells lose power in the cold. A rechargeable battery charges overnight for pennies.
How long do the batteries last?
For our No. 1, there are four levels: 6.5 to 8 h on low (18–35 °C), 5 to 6.5 h on medium, 4 to 5 h on high and 3 to 4.5 h on max (51–55 °C). Each foot has its own 5000 mAh battery. In hard cold, every battery lasts a little less: keep a margin.
Can you machine wash them?
Yes. Open the flap, take out both batteries, and the socks go in the machine. Dry them flat, away from a radiator, and only put the batteries back once they're dry. See our No. 1, £89 with batteries »
Will they fit in normal shoes?
In a boot or a walking shoe, yes: the heating panel is flat and on top of the foot, nothing is added under the sole. They are proper winter socks, so thicker than a dress sock: in a very snug dress shoe, expect the feel of a ski sock. See our No. 1, £89 with batteries »
What size should I choose?
Our No. 1 is one size, stretch knit, fitting UK 3 to 11 (35 cm leg), in a men's or women's style. Same size, same heat: only the knit changes. See our No. 1, £89 with batteries »
Is there a women's version?
Yes. Our No. 1 comes in a women's style with a pink trim and pink diamond pattern, made to be worn with everyday clothes as well as walking boots. It has the same four heat levels and the same two 5000 mAh batteries as the men's pair. Most heated socks only come in one dark, technical design.
Can heated socks burn you?
Used properly, no: on max, the published temperature is 51 to 55 °C, like a hot water bottle. Switch off if the skin goes red or stings. If you have diabetes or reduced feeling in your feet, ask your doctor before using any heated sock: you might not feel heat that is too strong.
Can you sleep in them?
To warm your feet before sleep, on low, yes. Don't sleep with the high setting on all night, and switch them off if the skin goes red.
How are they different from Therm-ic or Lenz?
They're excellent ski socks, sold without a battery in their cheapest version: once the battery is added, the set costs about £183 to £275. Our No. 1 includes two 5000 mAh batteries for £89. For several days of skiing in hard cold, the ski brands keep an edge on finish and sizing. See our No. 1, £89 with batteries »
Can I take them on a plane?
Lithium batteries travel in the cabin, not in the hold: that's the rule for all batteries of this type. Put them in your hand luggage, the socks can go in your suitcase.
What's the catch with the 30 days to return?
There isn't one, but read the condition: the pair must be returned unworn, within 30 days of delivery. You also have 14 days to cancel under UK law. Delivery is free; if you simply change your mind, the return postage is yours.
What if a battery stops working?
Contact the seller: that's why service is one of our five criteria. Your rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 cover a battery that is faulty or stops holding a charge when it shouldn't.
Our verdict
If you have diabetes, reduced feeling in your feet, or toes that change colour in the cold: none of this applies to you. See your GP first.
If your feet simply freeze when you stand still, on the touchline, on the riverbank, on site or at a cold desk, then six weeks of work come down to this:
Above £90 a pair, away from the slopes, you stop paying for heat and start paying for the battery and the brand. Everything above that is finish, shelf space and a name. Real things, worth something, but none of them is worth £100 or more to most of the people we spoke to.
Look at the price with batteries. Look at the runtime on high. And if they're for her: our No. 1 comes in a women's style with a pink trim, while most of the others only come in a dark technical look. Then decide with the number in front of you rather than a salesperson beside you.
Whatever you choose, do it before the first hard frost rather than at the end of winter: UK searches for heated socks peak in November.
One owner, three winters after buying: “These socks are spot on, below −10° they're brilliant, and even from −5° if you feel the cold”.
How we make money. CompareThem is free to read. Some links on this site go to sellers we have a commercial relationship with, and we may earn money when you buy through them. That never changes the facts, prices or specifications we publish. The criteria used to rank the nine options (ready-to-heat price, published runtime, care, thinness, service) were set before the test and are based on what each brand or seller publishes, which you can check yourself.
See all sources and the method
Prices. All prices were checked on the date shown at the top of this article and may change without notice. “Sock only” or “no battery” prices are those shown by the seller and are not the price of a pair ready to heat. Euro prices are converted at the rate of the day (€1 = £0.834). Always confirm the price on the seller's page before buying.
Health. This article compares consumer products. It is not medical advice. Heated socks do not treat, cure or prevent any condition. If you have diabetes, circulation problems, reduced feeling or toes that change colour, see a doctor.
References
Lenz Heat Sock 5.1 Toe Cap: £58.90 Slim Fit (Snowleader UK), £79.99–£80.49 (Amazon UK); set with rcB 1200 batteries: €219.95 (lenzproducts.com).
Heat Performance THIN, ULTRA THIN, POWER, PRO: £79.95–£129.95; THIN set: 2 × 7.4 V 2600 mAh batteries, 2.5–3.5 h on the highest setting; spare battery pair: £59.95 (heatperformance.co.uk).
WellaHeat heated socks: about £69 a pair on the brand's UK checkout (get-wellaheat.com, 8 November 2026); six AA batteries required, three heat levels up to 50 °C (idealshopping.net comparison page and get-wellaheat.com).
Unbranded rechargeable heated socks: about £26–£40 (Amazon UK search results).
Therm-ic Heat Flat heated insoles with C-Pack 1300: £124.49 (healthandcare.co.uk), £139.99 for the Bluetooth version (shoeinsoles.co.uk).
HotHands toe warmers: £3.49 for 5 pairs; Heat Holders Men's Original thermal socks: from £10.99 (Decathlon UK), £11.99 (Superdrug).
“Self-heating” tourmaline socks: sold on UK marketplaces and high-street sites.
Kräuchi K. et al. — “Warm feet promote the rapid onset of sleep”, Nature 401, 36–37 (1999).
Buyer quotes (translated from French): Skipass forum, thread “Chaussettes et gants chauffants”, 7 December 2017, skipass.com/forums/sports/ski/sujet-139938.html; “nossam74”, Skipass test of the Therm-ic Powersocks Set Heat (product received free), 7 April 2019; LORENTZ, Journal du Geek, February 2023.
