After weeks of beautiful autumn weather, Melbourne suddenly delivered an early taste of winter. Fortunately, we had two clever cold-weather gadgets ready to go – the Stoov Kokoon XL heated scarf and the Stoov Stoons infrared hand warmers.
DRN has reviewed Stoov products before, including the Big Hug and the Ploov heated cushion, both of which impressed us with their cordless infrared heating technology.
Last winter, little Miss Arraiya hugged the Ploov on the way to school to keep herself warm. It has been fantastic and convenient.
This winter, Stoov expands its wearable range with products designed to keep you warm without bulky layers.
The Kokoon XL offers heated wearable comfort for cold mornings, outdoor sports and winter commutes, while the compact Stoons aim to keep your hands warm for hours at a time.
Stoov Kokoon XL Review
Strictly speaking, the Kokoon is not Stoov’s first wearable product. But it is their first truly fashion-oriented wearable accessory.
It is an oversized heated scarf – drapes over your shoulders and down your front. The dimensions are 190 x 35cm, so generous enough to cover your body even if you are quite tall.
The heating element is across the back of your neck and upper shoulders. With the rest of the fabric carrying some warmth further down.
Like all Stoov products, the control tab gives you three warmth levels:
- High 50-58°C
- Medium 40-50°C
- Low 35-40°C
The Australian website is a little vague on this, but the Kokoon XL comes with a “Base” battery rated at 24 Wh.
There is a “Flex” battery at 33 Wh but it does not seem to be available locally. And there is the top of the range “Pro” rated at 50 Wh, giving heating duration of 6 hours (high), 8 hour (medium) and 10 hours (low) respectively.
So does it work?
Yes it absolutely does. Our Kokoon XL is used by my daughter on the cold mornings. It’s a bit huge on her but since we only need it for a short car ride, it works just fine.
And then on her dance school days, my partner gets to use it whilst waiting in the cold outside the studio. It keep the chill off nicely without the bulk of the Huge Hug blanket.
Imagine sitting at the footy. Typical Melbourne winter, it’s cold, and you are watching the game in relative comfort. That’s what the Kokoon gives you, and you can wear it under your team’s scarf the entire journey to the game and home.
And oh, it has pockets so you can stick your hands in.
Kokoon XL Battery and Power Bank Features
The Battery Pro is rechargeable via USB-C, and it can act as a battery bank to recharge your devices.
Whilst Stoov doesn’t publish the exact mAh rating for their batteries, a little math magic works it out to be:
- Base 24Wh ≈ ~2200mAh
- Flex 33Wh ≈ ~3000mAh
- Pro 50Wh ≈ ~4600mAh
If you are needing a bit of duration on the heating, then you won’t get a lot out of the power bank equation.
What Could Be Better with the Kokoon XL
The internal connection from the Kokoon XL controls to the battery is a DC barrel.
I get why Stoov made that design choice, I just don’t like it. It means I am locked into their ecosystem for power, and for the Kokoon XL, that tops out at 50Wh. Once the power drains, I can’t just swap in another power bank to keep me going.
The Fashion Queen with the Stoov Kokoon XL (her edit and pose)
Stoov Stoons Review
This is the one that Miss Arraiya really loves – infrared hand warmers.
The Stoons are two “pebbles” shaped so that your palm curls over the heating surface. Yes dear Arraiya, it only keep your palm warm, not the outside of your hands.
I was a little surprised at the presentation. All the other Stoov products have came in …. well, cardboard colour and minimalist. The Stoons though, came in a rust red and orange cube that is rather eye catching.
Inside the box, the Stoons are in a sand coloured storage bag, but the colourway of the units themselves matches the packaging.
The two halves are magnetically attached to each other, there are two pins to facilitate that. The magnets are not particularly strong, but they do enough to hold the two pieces together.
There is an USB-C port on one side only – those pins that hold the two halves together? They also serves to wirelessly charge the second unit. It takes about 5.5 hours to fully charge the 5000 mAh battery, with a maximum run time of 10 hours based on the lowest heat setting.
Just like the Kokoon XL, the same three levels of heat settings is available. The button to control it is on the wrist strap end of the unit – one per side.
The 34 Wh battery is rated for 5 hours (high), 7 hours (medium) and 10 hours (low).
Honestly the Stoons are the bees knees for keeping your hands warm. Each side comes with a wrist strap so they can be secured. You could still forget and leave them behind, but if they are attached to your wrist then your chances of losing them due to forgetfulness decreases.
If you use them in combination with the Kokoon XL, you can stay pretty toasty for hours.
Shared Features and Charging Performance
Stoov recommends a USB-C PD 30W charger for recharging both items. There is an official charger that is available for purchase separately.
Whilst both the Kokoon XL battery and the Stoons can act as power banks, don’t expect fast charging from them. Extrapolating from the published specs, discharge via the USB-C port would likely be in the 10-15W range.
Final Verdict: Are the Stoov Kokoon XL and Stoons Worth It?
If you are someone who are outdoors a lot during cooler weather – kids sports, going to the footy, sitting outside at a cafe even, Stoov has something to keep you warm this winter.
We are enjoying the perks of having the Kokoon XL and the Stoons, Arraiya and her mum are thankful for the warmth without having bulky layers of clothes.
The Kokoon XL has a RRP A$ 249 and has a choice of moss green, soft beige and earth red. The last one is red on the flip side, with a beige front.
If the Kokoon XL is too big, there is a smaller (140 x 20cm) Kokoon that retails for A$199.
The Stoon has RRP A$109.
The Pro Battery A$139, at time of publishing discounted to $105.
And the USB-C PD 30W Adapter $45, at time of publishing discounted to A$34.
All are available directly from their website, so don’t just freeze through this winter because utility prices are crazy.
DRN would like to thank Stoov for providing the review units.
