An $89 Kmart chair just changed millions of Aussie parents' lives

Daily Mail​

2 days ago

Aussie parents who regularly spend their weekends shivering on the sidelines at their children's winter sports have been snapping up a game-changing item from Kmart Australia.
The budget retailer has recently released an item that's essentially a hybrid between a classic collapsible outdoor camping chair and an electric blanket.
The Kmart Heatpack Chair, $89, offers the comfort and convenience of a portable folding chair, but with the added warmth of in-built heating technology.
The popular buy sold out a few times and remains hard to find in-store. It is currently listed as 'out of stock' or 'low stock' at a number of Sydney Kmart stores.
Perth mum Marika Harvison is among the lucky ones who managed to get hold of the heated Kmart chair, praising it as a game-changer for parents of kids who play outdoor winter sports.
'All these mothers and fathers out there that watch their kids play sport... in the cold, Kmart have just released a Heatpack Chair,' Marika said in her TikTok video.
The WA mum posted a 58-second clip that showcased the chair set up and ready to use.
The only catch? As Marika noted, you need to supply your own power bank in order to use the chair's heating function. (Although she noted that a lot of people already 'have one laying around the house'.)
To heat the chair, the mum explained, you simply plug a charged portable power bank into the cord affixed to the chair. It can then be neatly stored in a pocket attached to the side of the chair.
'Press the button [on the side of the chair] for three seconds, and away she goes. Heats up,' Marika explained.
According to the online product description, the chair is 'heated with three-speed intelligent temperature control'.
Even without the heating functionality, the parent noted that the chair itself had a number of quality features.
'The chair is quite padded [and] it's got a cup holder,' Marika said.
The foldable chair weighs approximately 5kg and comes with a drawstring storage bag to carry it in.
This means it can be easily slung and carried hands-free over the shoulder - a necessity for parents who are likely to be juggling a ball, muddy boots and a sausage sizzle sandwich.
'[I]t's so easy to pop back in the bag,' Marika added.
The chair comes in a Charcoal colour, and its dimensions are 86.5cm height, 100cm width and 65.5cm diameter.
It has a maximum weight capacity of 130kg.
The outdoor item is made from a mix of oxford fabric with polyethylene (PE) coating, iron, polyethylene (PE), polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and graphene heating cloth.
The video shared to the @marikaharvison8 account amassed over 384,000 views in just one day. It also attracted hundreds of excited replies from fellow sideline parents.
One asked Marika how long the chair stayed heated while using the power bank, to which she replied that it easily lasted for a 'full footy game'.
When another person asked 'how warm' it was to sit in, Marika confirmed it was 'so good'.
One commenter who had managed to get hold of the Kmart heated chair confirmed earlier in the sports season also said it had 'been amazing'.
'I use it at footy every Saturday,' they wrote.
Others lamented that they only wish they'd known about the heated outdoor chair earlier on for the winter 2025 sports season.
'I froze my butt off every Friday night for 11 weeks. Would have loved this,' read one reply.
The heated chair hasn't just caught the eye of parents, but also outdoorsy types who regularly go camping.
'I was looking for a new camp chair,' read one camper's excited reply.
Even without the heating function, another reply added that this was a great camping furniture find.
'Finding a comfy camp chair with a max weight rating over 100kg for under $100 is a win for me alone,' a woman replied.
However, a few commenters expressed concern over the safety of the portable chair's in-built heating feature.
'I love the idea but it does NOT sound safe at all,' read one response.
The Kmart website product listing for the chair contains a 'caution' message about using the chair.
'Do not use the heating function when the chair is wet or damaged,' the message reads. 'Follow usage instructions carefully.'