Refillable Hakkin hand warmer: hotter than disposables for winter playground duty
Watching kids at the playground in winter is pure standing still—I was freezing even with disposable warmers. A refillable Hakkin (benzine-fueled catalytic hand warmer from Japan) runs hotter and longer. It stayed warm even after we got home, and you just refill it instead of trashing it.
Fuel and burn time
Fuel is light petroleum (benzine). Hardware stores and outdoor shops stock it; Amazon Japan carries it too. Zippo lighter fluid works, but the Hakkin-branded fuel smells less and seems gentler on the catalyst.
Hakkin sells three sizes (large/medium/small). Mine is the common medium, Hakkin Standard:
- 1 included measuring cup = ~12 hours
- 2 cups = ~24 hours
One bottle gives ~40 refills, so cost is close to a box of disposable warmers but with more heat and runtime.
It gets scorching bare—use the pouch
Each warmer ships with a pouch. Without it the case gets hot enough to burn skin, so keep it inside a sleeve. Zippo-branded catalytic warmers exist too; those look rugged but a bit macho for my wife’s taste.
The warmer is about smartphone-sized (think iPhone SE). Soft camera pouches or felt gadget sleeves from 100-yen shops fit well.
How to light without ruining the catalyst?
- Fill using the little cup; hold it steady so you don’t splash.
- Pop off the cap and gently warm the catalyst mesh with a lighter—don’t torch it.
- Wait a moment; it should start reacting without a visible flame. Then re-cap.
Video (just over a minute) shows the steps: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TwknUGh3K8
A 1923 design that’s still around
The official site says Hakkin launched in 1923—nearly a century of use. No wonder my parents recognized it immediately when I bragged about my “new” warmer.
Why I keep it around
- Warmer and longer than disposables for park duty, fishing, or hiking.
- Refillable; catalyst lasts multiple seasons if you avoid flaming it.
- Pouch tames the heat to a comfy hand-warmer level.
More photos and history on the official site (all in Showa-era illustration style):
