I simply have no idea what I would do without this. The Heart Warmer has so many uses both sexual and not. I bought this item as a substitute for a very similar product I have from REI used to keep hands warm during winter camping and sports. It was a gift and I'm sure it was much more expensive than the one you see here. The other one I have would be just as nice if it wasn't in a pokey plastic outer shell. The outer shell is made of PVC and reminds me of a pool toy, only velvety. It glides over bare skin very nicely.

The Heart Warmer comes in a small cardboard box. The box is fairly discreet but it does give the name of the maker, which is Pipedreams, and gives their website. If you are giving this as a gift to someone who does not approve of the sex toy industry this might not be a good idea since they could research the company. There is nothing sexual on the box and it has instructions for use on the back. Inside you will find the heart warmer inside a flimsy plastic bag. Once it's out of that you're ready to go. The box is rigid enough that it shouldn't become activated during shipping. The box is also good for storage so you don't have to worry about it getting punctured.

To activate your Heart Warmer locate the silver circle inside the liquid. It snaps in a similar way to a metal juice cap. I use two hands to snap it and hold each side between my thumb and first finger. One snap should do it but it might take two. Snapping the disk too much may cause it to wear out. After that you will see crystals start to form around the disk and spread throughout the heart. It's really cool to watch. It'll be flexible at first but it will slowly start to become more rigid. If you're wanting to hold it against a specific body part it will mold to it while the heart is pliable and stay that way once it's harder. I find that mine stays hot for about an hour which is more than enough time to give someone a warm massage.

I've used this to soothe cramps and lower back aches time and time again. It's also a great addition to a back massage. According to EF, PVC is safe to use with water and silicone based lubricants so massage oil might not be the best idea with this. If you find that it has too much drag you could wrap it in a thin piece of cotton or use it over a t-shirt or other clothing. It does get really hot and you should still be able to feel it. You could also use this to warm up toys that are safe for temperature play.

To reset the heart warmer you put it in boiling water for about 10 minutes. Make sure it doesn't come in direct contact with the pot. I wrap mine in a cloth napkin or hand towel. Keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn't get out. I've found that it doesn't always take 10 full minutes. You'll know it's done when all the crystals have dissolved and it's clear again. Remove the pot from the burner before you try to get it out. Sometimes I let mine sit for a couple minutes to let the water cool a bit. I use tongs and a spoon to fold the cloth away and gently lift the heart out of the water and on to another dry towel to cool. Be careful not to drop it, it'll be slippery! You should let your Heart Warmer get back to room temperature before activating it. I've sped this process up by gradually lowering its temperature with water. Now you can enjoy it again!

I wish I had 10 of these. They're that nice. I'm not sure if they have a limited number of uses but they'd make just as good of a cold pack for bumps and bruises if it stops heating up. They're a perfect Valentine's Day gift as well. Overall I am more than pleased with this!

Be careful where you leave it! Once when it was cooling on the counter my cat stepped on it and somehow activated it.

I have quite a few of these now and they never fail to soothe menstrual cramps or ease a backache.