Toasti Review
What do you Jack Frost, Elsa from Frozen, and gamers all have in common? Ice in their veins...possibly, but most likely it's that they commonly suffer from cold hands.
Whether we are at our desks working or gaming, many of us suffer from this issue. Luckily a challenger has entered the arena to save the masses, and their name is Toasti.
A few weeks ago, Toasti sent me their heated mouse pad to try out and review. I was excited to test this out since my office tends to be around 60 degrees regularly. My body temperature throughout the day is typically on the warmer side, but my hands will sometimes get cold as my typing or gaming session progresses (as I'm sure this is the case for most of you).
Initially, I was concerned that the heat from the pad may cause some residual fluid build up in the tissues of the hand/wrist, causing carpal tunnel-like symptoms. Throughout my time reviewing the product, I had no such occurrence.
My other concern was the heat effect on more advanced mice with programmable settings and RGB lighting. Once again, I found no issues with my three mice even on the highest setting for 1-2 hours. Long-term, I don't know if this would decrease the mouse's longevity, but that will come with time.
After using the Toasti mouse pad for three weeks, I've concluded that this is a must-buy for my fellow gamers/deskers who suffer from cold hands.
Here is my analysis:
Setup and Unboxing
Before I even opened the box, I was excited, as the Toasti box looked like the classiest pizza I've ever order. To my dismay, it wasn't pizza, but it was, in fact, the Toasti. Inside the box included the mouse pad, instruction card, and the power cord.
The card was simple and explained the settings, safety issues, cleaning, and how to contact the company. The information format was laid out in black and white (pun intended) with a grid orientation to increase clarity.
Setting up the actual pad is plug ‘n play, with the outlet end going in the outlet (makes sense) and the other inserted into the pad next to the power button. After that, it was time to take it out for a test drive. I've broken down the rest of the article into the pros and cons with an explanation of my verdict at the end.
Toasti Heating up the Game: Pros
Mousepad surface
For the Toasti to appeal to gamers, it has to perform in-game while also providing the wanted heat. The surface here is high quality; there's no doubt. The Toasti beats out my Steelseries pad when it comes to smoothness, but my HyperX pad edges out both.
Power/setting button
I'm not going to lie; the power button is damn satisfying to push. The color settings for high, medium, and low are intuitive and brightly displayed. The color settings also appeal to my RGB PC inner-nerd.
The setting button and power port were out of the way throughout my time using it. I never ran into an issue with my mouse smacking into them during a crucial play in-game.
Heating Time
The Toasti also heats up reasonably quickly from off to high (2 min 30 sec), medium (2 min), and low (1 min 30 sec). Before I would begin writing or gaming, I would turn on the pad and proceed to some hand warm-ups or full-body stretches. By the time I was done with my stretches, the pad was hot and ready to roll.
Pad's Bottom
The bottom of the pad has a non-slide surface to prevent the mouse pad from moving as you move. I tried the pad on a few different desk surfaces with no issue of the pad moving whatsoever.
The stitching on the edges of the pad is high quality, and you can tell that the craftsmanship/effort is there from the company.
The Heating Component
As for the actual experience of using the heated mousepad, I can say that I'm a fan of the Toasti. Like most gamers, I notice as a significant lag in my mechanics as my hands become cold. Even though I'm always warm and even sweating as I game, I would still feel my hands lag as the sessions would progress or if the room wasn't optimal temperature.
With the Toasti's settings, I could vary the amount of heat I needed at the time. Sometimes I would need it cranked to high and other times; I would have it completely off. The varied temperature settings are on point when it comes to user experience.
Lastly, the biggest pro for the Toasti is that it's made right here in Cleveland, aka The 'Land, aka the Miracle on the Lake.
Flickering Flame- The Cons
Initial Use
The first couple of days of use, I noticed a rubbery smell as the pad heated up. The smell wasn't overpowering, but it was noticeable. After two days, the smell dissipated, and I haven't had an issue since. When you buy Toasti, don't be alarmed by the smell for the first two days as it's a normal occurrence.
Pad Size
The size of the mousepad was sufficient for me most of the time, whether I was playing League of Legends or working. If I were a mouse and keyboard FPS player, the size would need to be a bit bigger. I'd love for the pad to be 1.5x-2x bigger.
Cord and Power Supply
My only major issue with the Toasti was the power cord length or lack thereof. I believe the cord should be a couple of feet longer to reach the awkward angles I commonly see in offices. For gamers, cord management is a big deal and badge of honor in some cases, hence the need for a longer cord here.
The adapter is directly in the middle of the cord. I'm not an electrician or tech guru, but ideally, I'd love the adapter box to be shifted closer to the power outlet. This would allow more of the cord to be managed and hidden.
The Verdict
The Toasti provides much-needed relief for gamers and desker from cold hands that reduce performance and cause discomfort. From previous posts I've done, we know that pain affects mental performance and impedes our decision-making ability.
The varied warming settings, high-quality construction, and ease of use make this product a must-have for my fellow desker/gamers.
My initial concerns about carpal tunnel-like symptoms and mouse interference have so far been nonexistent in my testing. And, I'm not the only one impressed. Below I've also included some testimonials from some collegiate varsity players that have tested the Toasti.
Should you get a Toasti Mouse Pad ….yes, and here's where you can.
Thanks for reading,
Dr. Drew
Testimonials
I am Nicklaus Walsh, and I am a part of The University of Akron eSports Varsity program. My game, CSGO, I typically play the AWP role nowadays I play for fun now and I am the manager of the team. While I was a player, however, my hands were always cold, but only while playing. Since my hands were always so cold, I felt stiff and clunky while I played, and I fully believe that it impacted my ability to play by a large margin.
Since using this mouse pad, I have not had cold hands very often while playing anything really. The mouse pad is the same thickness as the full desk mat, I usually use so there is not really a noticeable difference between the two when I swapped. This product did help a lot and I am glad to have been part of the development process of the testing model after model. I’ll be using this mouse pad for a long time.
My name is Lucas Ratcliff, I have been playing video games my whole life and now I'm currently competing in ESports at the collegiate level for Ashland University. I mainly play Fortnite and would like to say I compete at a high level and hold myself to high gaming standards.
I have always had a problem with cold hands. When I'm playing I feel as if cold hands are my worst enemy. I've tried everything from disposable/rechargeable hand warmers to sitting on my hands and doing stretches. When my hands are cold I definitely am at a disadvantage, I feel as if I play slower and I can't focus correctly. When I use the Toasti Mousepad these problems just vanish! Warm Hands come as I play so I don't have to do anything to warm them up before I play. This mouse pad has 3 great settings to use depending on how much warming I need. I would say this mouse pad is definitely the next step forward for gaming peripherals.
What did you particularly like about Toasti? - Toasti is easy to set up, feels great, and keeps my hands warm.