Fast and long heat

Like most heated vests out there, this one is powered by a rechargeable battery that you plug into the wall. This one, however, is particularly fast, much faster a charge, in fact, than most models on the market right now. Thanks to its 7.4V CE-certified battery. And not only is it fast, but it has an 8 hour minimum lifespan for its charge.

Good for all occasions

This vest, like most others of its kind, provides you with not only warmth to get through those cold winter days, but a design that molds to your torso, and no sleeves to give you full arm movement. So, you can take this vest with you to walk your dog, for a morning jog, and even worn underneath your usual winter jacket. Perfect for the person whose routine does not alter just because things get a little nippy outside.

Cost and Value

Like most heated vests out there, this one's a bit pricey. But as we’ve demonstrated throughout this segment, this vest is more than worth the price. Which is, of course, what got it to #1.

5 Pads, 5 temperature controls

You probably think the quality of the heated vests comes from how much heat they put out, but we believe the real measure of a vest’s worth is how many heating pads it has in its system. Which is why we love ARRIS’ heated vest, for its set of 5 heated pads, which in turn come with 5 heat options.

Great for pain

The great thing about heat is how it benefits those with sore muscles and joint. Which is what makes a heated vest so excellent as well. Thanks to the strategic placing of its heating pads, it helps to promote blood circulation, and relieves muscle and joint pain. And doing so, all while being one of the comfiest vests on the market.

Cost and Value

This vest costs a little bit more than the previous entry, but not by much, and still well within the borders of the average price of such a vest. So, if you got the money on you, and you have this pain that’s been giving you trouble, then you’re looking at the right vest for you.

Specially designed

When making a heated vest, the devil is in where you put the heating pads. It’s essential to put them where you believe they will most efficiently spread throughout the rest of the body once activated. In the case of outcool’s entry, this vest is designed with heating pads specifically placed to provide the most heat possible to your body’s three core areas. This puts the most heat into your body and helps it circulate the fastest.

Complete temperature control

One of the pet peeves surrounding heated vests is that there’s little temperature control. Most heated vests are controlled by a set of preset temperatures that you set it to. But this vest is completely adjustable in its heat output, making it much more desirable in the process.

Cost and Value

The best part about this vest is the price. It’s a very modest price, as far as high quality heated vests go, but when you also take into account all the different features and innovations that this vest offers you, it becomes a much better deal as a result.

Smartphone charger

Not only is this a great light vest for those mildly nippy winter days, but it’s also a great portable charger. Sure, it drains away the battery used to heat up your vest, but if you need an Uber or a taxi, then you likely need all the battery life you can get. It’s a tradeoff, to be sure, but one that most people will be more than happy to make under the right circumstances.

Water safe

It probably doesn’t need to be said that heated vests were not always the best with water. In fact, a majority of the time, they short-circuited the minute anything substantial so much as splashed on them. Fortunately, that’s turning itself around these days, as seen with this vest here, which is one of the most waterproofed vests on the entire list, and elsewhere at that.

Cost and Value

The price of this vest is a good deal above the previous three, well into a pricy territory. But like those other entries, it more than earns its price tag through sheer quality of performance.

Efficient design

When designing a heated vest, efficiency is the main thing you want to shoot for, above all else, and that’s something that this product achieved with flying colors. Armed with three heat settings, either low medium or high, and designed in such a way that allows this vest to warm up rapidly when exposed to cold weather, this is about the most efficient heated jacket you’re likely to find out there right now.

Cell phone pocket

This vest also comes with a convenient pocket for your cell phone located on the upper front left side of the vest. In it, you can not only store your smartphone or android, but you can also charge it, thanks to a convenient charging cable located inside of it. Perfect for the person on the go who needs to charge up their phone on their way to work.

Cost and Value

This is easily the cheapest entry so far. While there are cheaper ones out there, to be sure, this vest is still incredibly affordable when you consider what you’re getting out of it.

Great insulation

Like we said, this vest is great with or without the heat functions. And part of that is because it’s by far the best insulated vest on this list. This vest is made from 80 grams of lightweight, thermally efficient polyester fiber, which makes up the insulation. A lot of big words to essentially mean that once you turn on the heat, it’s never getting out.

3 zone heating

There are three core areas on the body where heat can best be circulated throughout the entire body and are essential to bundle up in order to survive the cold. Which is why this vest prioritizes the bundling up of those three core zones, and focuses the majority of that heat on those areas. Meaning that this vest heats you up fast and, thanks to the insulation, keeps you there.

Cost and Value

Unlike other entries on this list, this vest comes in a variety of different sizes. And with those other sizes comes different, higher and lower prices. However, don’t go thinking you’ve lucked out, because high or low, this vest is nothing short of pricey.

Adjustable heat level

While you can’t specify the kind of heat you want to put out with this vest, you do have more options than your average heated vest on the market. This option gives you five heat levels to play around with instead of the industry standard 3. So now you have more specific heat levels to play with, instead of having to work with the 3 heat levels and hope it’s enough.

Quick and smooth electric warmth

With a heated vest, what you want to look for is quick and smooth warmth that gives you what you need, when you need it, without any slowness, and definitely without any threat of radiation poisoning. We can all likely agree that the latter of those two is definitely one instance that no one wants to happen. Which is why this heated vest smoothly gives you maximum warmth in as little as 3 seconds.

Cost and Value

While not quite as cheap as the previous entry, this is still one of the cheapest entries on this entire list, giving you a professional level of heat and warmth at a very reasonable price.

Interchangeable battery

With other heated vests, the battery you buy with the vest is the one you’re stuck with. The thing is usually rechargeable and is permanently wired directly into the vest regardless. However, the battery of this vest can be swapped out for another, if the battery has gotten damage beyond repair. Sure, it can only use one other type of battery from the one you bought with it, but it’s a lot more than what the other entries on this list offer you.

Great for charging electronics

The great thing about this charger, unlike other chargers in other vests on this list and elsewhere, is the fact that the charger and the battery for the heat are completely independent of each other. There’s no drain on either for using the other function, so if you need a warm vest and a charged up smartphone, then this is the vest for you.

Cost and Value

The problem here is the price. From reasonable prices, we slingshot right back to extremely expensive price ranges with this item. In fact, this may be one of the priciest entries on the entire list.

4 level microprocessor controller

Of course, it wouldn’t be much of a heated vest if there was no way to actually access the heating controls. This is where the controller comes into play. The controller of a heated vest is usually sewn right into the fabric of the vest, for maximum convenience. In this case, the controller in question is a highly advanced, 4 level microprocessor controller that helps you select the desired heat output quickly and conveniently.

Great heat output

Though we doubt you would ever want to go this high, this vest has a maximum heat output of 150 degrees Fahrenheit. This maximum output, it can run continuously for up to 2 or so hours. And at more moderate temperatures, this vest can run up to ten or more hours. So, you’ll rarely have to worry about this thing giving up the ghost on you in the middle of the coldest day of December.

Cost and Value

While this vest does have a price range, it’s one of the most inconsequential price ranges we’ve ever covered on one of these lists. With barely even a single dollar between the highest and lowest sizes, if you can afford one, you can definitely afford the other. Which we do think is a good thing, despite our snark.

4 panel heat system

Like we said earlier, there are three core zones which are best for redistributing heat throughout the body. So most heated vests try to shoot for those areas in order to properly hit the right amount of heat distribution. But that doesn’t mean that a heated vest should avoid those other areas as well. In fact, this vest is equipped with four heating pads, which hit the three vital areas, and one more for good measure.

Wind resistant

It probably doesn’t sound like a whole lot, but a stiff enough breeze in cold enough weather can cut right through even the thickest coat and chill you right down to the bone. Which is why this coat, as thin as it may appear, is actually one of the most wind resistant vests you can find.

Cost and Value

The big problem here is the price, which is what got this otherwise excellent vest on the bottom rung of this list. It’s not even the most expensive price range on the list, it’s just that neither end of this price spectrum is worth the money for an otherwise pretty average coat.