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82 of 85 found the following review helpful:
Keeps feet warm like nothing else can for 1 cent a hourJan 22, 2003
I must say I have been pleased with the overall performance of this product. I had contemplated getting this about a year ago after seeing mention of it in an old issue of the Lawrence Berkely National Labratory newsletter "Currents". The administration had suggested it as a energy efficient solution to many of its staff who found the cooler 68 degree settings at the lab to leave their feet cold. Previous to that individual staff members were bringing in their own 1500 watt space heaters and really driving up the electricity bills.
Anyway, I was finding that even if I had the temperature in my house up to 68-70 degrees that my feet would still get cold, especially at the computer desk. Seemed silly and very expensive to crank up the furnace even higher just to get two cold feet warmer. The rest of my body was OK but the feet just got cold and stayed cold. So after waiting another winter I finally bought one. Now with this foot warmer I find that in as little as 10 minutes I can begin to warm my feet. Sometimes I begin with only my socks on for that direct heat but that in a few more minutes it is really cranking and will heat your feet directly through your shoes.
The cost to run this mat is as close to zero as you can get. In California with our very high energy costs and a local tax it still only costs 1.2 cents per hour to operate. In most other states I imagine the cost will be only about 1 cent per hour. I have also gotten a optional Hi-Lo switch to operate it a little lower and now it only costs me about .6 cents per hour. That means I can run it for 8 hours for a nickel. It would cost me a hundred times that amount to operate the central gas heating to a level that would keep my feet equally warm.
So on a economic level it is a no brainer.Now for some practical operational considerations. I have had mine a few months. When I first got it, like any new rubber product, it had a new rubber smell....much like you smell with any new rubber product, tires, tennis shoes, etc. This is made more evident because you are heating it to about 135 degrees. As I have used it more and more this has greatly diminished and I expect it to all but go away as the months go on. I suppose if you really wanted to speed up that process, you could turn it on and stick it out in the garage for a hundred hours. Remember, that would only cost about one dollar to power it that long. I have used it in my home office and find it quite acceptable. Oh, I suppose I can still detect the new rubber smell, but as low as it is, its an acceptable trade off to have warm feet and I imagine by the end of this winter it will be all but gone. Another consideration is that since this unit gives off such a good amount of heat, some people with diabetes and some elderly folks should use it with great care since their feet can be ultra sensitive to any heat over 95-100 degrees. From what I can understand this will give off as much as 135 degrees and with only thin socks on it can get quite hot for some people. As it heats up, I find it more comfortable to use with shoes on or I switch it down to a low heat level with the optional Hi-Lo switch I got. So all in all, I am pleased with the product. It sure beats trying to heat my toes up with a blow dryer or by running a 1,500 watt space heater right next to my desk for hours. Oh, one last thing. Given the amount of heat this puts out, and since I have it on a hardwood floor, I took the precaution as instructed in the directions to place a cardboard template I cut out from the box, under it, since I was uncertain if years of use in the same spot might affect the hardwood floor finish. I'd buy the product again and suggest it to anyone who like me was long suffering from cold feet.
174 of 191 found the following review helpful:
 Will our office ever stop stinking?!!Oct 18, 2005
By Leeese
"leeese"
I bought this last winter (2004), despite the many reviews warning about the odor emitted, and boy, do I regret it! I thought I could tough it out; most people said the horrible skunk smell would GO AWAY after some time, and, to me, warm feet would be worth a temporary annoyance. As some have suggested, I plugged this in the garage first, to try to burn off much of the odor before bringing it inside. I left it plugged in a large part of the day for about two weeks. The smell was definitely horrible, but I guess because our garage is very large, and far from airtight, the full extent of the noxious odor was not obvious, until I moved it into the office. In just a few minutes, the entire HOUSE smelled like a charred skunk. But it was more than a smell, it was a TASTE as well, and we coughed quite a bit if we tried to stay in the office with it, and I got a horrible headace. I turned it off and decided to give it another week in the garage, this time I left it plugged in all the time. The second try in the office was JUST as bad as the first, and at this point the mat had been "burning off" its smell for over 3 weeks! I stubbornly left the mat in the office for a week, forcing myself to use it, trying to adjust to or ignore the skunk that was attacking my nose with every breath. After all, it REALLY DID keep my feet nice and toasty warm. Finally I'd had it, I couldn't take it anymore. The headaches and permeating odor were simply not worth it. I took the thing and threw it in the garage, unplugged, where it remains to this day. I only wish I had been realistic and sent the thing back when I had the chance. It is an absolute nightmare. By the way, the reason I thought to write this review today is because when I sat down at my desk I was reminded of this mat , as I am every day, because I smelled the lingering, embedded stink of burning SKUNK that it left behind. And this is October 2005, nearly a year later and several carpet cleanings and after it briefly occupied this space. Does it warm your feet? Definitely. But you've been warned, it isn't worth it!
82 of 92 found the following review helpful:
 Good lord - the smell!!!Apr 12, 2005
By Johnny K
"amazon3168"
Have you ever seen that Seinfeld where Jerry's car is attacked by BO that doesn't go away, and lingers on anything that crosses its path? This has the same disease. Plus, it was clearly a used item - the packaging was repacked and the foot warmer was dirty. Gross, but it's a foot warmer so I thought I'd give it a chance regardless. In its defense, it *does* work - my terminally cold wife liked the warm footsy feel; unfortunately she has a sense of smell. The room we had it in is still stinky! Get this thing outta our house!!! :)
24 of 24 found the following review helpful:
 Review of Cozy Foot WarmerSep 29, 2005
By Mark E. Wheatley
This product must be "baked" outside in the sun, plugged in, for about one week. The reason is that the rubber compound emits an obnoxious odor for the first few days of use. I would not recommend it for a foot warmer inside a confined area. My intended use is as a boot drier in the garage. Do not purchase this product if you are sensitive to chemical odors from plasticizers and rubber.
22 of 22 found the following review helpful:
 No Smell, get the Hi - Lo switch too!Jul 20, 2010
By TLuke
No smells. The company changed the material and the mat does not emit any odors at all.
I use this mat daily with the accessory Hi - Lo switch on Lo. It's on all day long and has been a great product.
I hope that the older reviews won't scare new customers away.
Update Sept. 28, 2011: I have had this mat for over a year now, no smells, and it works great. No smells!!!!!
Update Oct. 3, 2011: just bought a second mat for a co-worker. Be sure to buy the high - low switch if you want to use the mat barefoot or in socks, because high is hot, but low is just right for socks.
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based on 173 reviews