Common Hot Water Bottle Questions

The life of your hot water bottle starts when you use it for the first time.

A hot water bottle does not have a sell or use by date, same as car tyres which are also date stamped for manufacture.
The ‘date daisy’ on a hot water bottle manufactured according to British Standard shows the date of manufacture.
The inner number is the year of manufacture and the outer ring denotes the month.
This is to help trace back the exact production time of a product, in the unlikely case of a product fault.
For information direct from the manufacture please read hot water bottle daisy wheel.

A hot water bottle purchased years ago and stored correctly could be safe to use, just check before filling and using.
However, if stored poorly such as in damp conditions or in direct sunlight, the hot water bottle could perish.
A bottle in poor condition could have weak spots that may prove dangerous if filled with hot water.
British Standard recommend checking the hot water bottle before using to stay safe, same as the professional advice on car tyres, check before use is the only way to stay safe.

Rubber is not a perishable product if it’s stored and kept in recommended form.
Once the bottle is being used, the ageing process starts.
We recommend replacing your hot water bottle every 2 years from when you start using it.

Probably the most asked question is just how hot should a hot water bottle be.
Always use a kettle, boil the water and allow to cool before filling your hot water bottle.
With regular use it becomes easier to judge the right temperature for you.
Leaving the kettle a long time to cool may not give enough heat, not leaving long enough and the bottle will be too hot.
A hot water bottle will be as hot or as cold as the water put in.
An old hot water bottle may also feel hotter as they wear out from the inside out, the belly of an old rubber bottle can get very thin, near breaking point so inevitably this will feel very hot to the touch.
A new hot water bottle manufactured to British Standards will conform to prescribed thickness and tolerance for safety and prevent spillages.

The leading expert and hot water bottle manufacturer Fashy recommend a maximum temperature of 80º Celsius on their thermoplastic hot water bottle.
Sänger, manufacturer and expert on rubber hot water bottle recommend 50º Celsius.

The life of your hot water bottle will depend on how often it’s used and how well it’s been looked after.
A good quality hot water bottle with normal usage will last 2 to 3 years.
Much less if misused, stored poorly or boiled regularly by pouring boiling water in - never ever use boiling water in a hot water bottle.
We recommend not waiting until your bottle leaks before buying a new one.
Before a bottle leaks there are tell-tale signs.
Look for thinning around the belly of the bottle, check for cracks and creases, and take a minute to recall how long you’ve been using the bottle.

There have been and always will be different grades and price points for all budgets on all sort of household goods.
Higher quality items are better designed, finished and manufactured using higher grade components to last longer so will cost slightly more than budget items.
A budget bottle is often manufactured to hit a price point, not necessarily made to last but appeal to the budget market.

If your current bottle is a budget one, you may need to replace it sooner.
Look for a hot water bottle that meets British Standard.
All the bottles we sell are manufactured to exceed British Standard.

Although the standard size is universally called a 2.0 litre hot water bottle it is in fact a category size, exact fill size in litres vary across different manufacturers.
The world leading brand in latex allergy free 2.0 litre hot water bottle holds 1.5 litre of water, the biggest selling is 2.0 litre Fashy hot water bottle.
The majority of manufactures share the same dimensions of 32cm by 20cm and would mirror the fill size of 1.5 litres.
There are a very few that manufacture a 2.0 litre hot water bottle in larger dimensions, Sänger manufacture both the standard 32cm by 20cm and heavy duty in 36cm by 20cm, this larger frame will accept 2.0 litres, they manufacture only a limited range in this size.
An example of the larger heavy duty is Sänger 2.0 litre hot water bottle.
The reason for a uniform category size is most hot water bottle covers are 32cm by 20cm so the larger hot water bottle would need the cover stretched tight to fit.
Always read and follow the instructions and never fill your bottle to the top, two thirds is the correct fill level, lay the bottle on a flat level surface and expel any air before replacing the stopper.

Hot water bottles have long been used as an aid to sleep, due to the warmth and comfort they provide.
Many of our customers tell us that they don’t get a good night’s sleep unless their hot water bottle is tucked in with them.
If you’re worried you might accidentally roll onto the bottle, try moving it to the very edge of the bed so if you roll it will slip down harmlessly away.
Cold feet at night leads to poor sleep, many find using a hot water bottle just below their feet keeps that area toasty warm helping them get a good nights sleep.
It's not recommended leaving a hot water bottle in the bed for vulnerable people and very young, supervision is needed, best practise is to warm the bed and take the bottle out once the bed has warmed up nicely

We have heard that a hot water bottle has been used to help alleviate pain as Dr. Brian King presented to the Physiological Society. Reporting that the pain of colic, cystitis and menstrual period pain is caused by a temporary reduction in blood flow to organs, causing local tissue damage and activating pain receptors. The heat doesn't just provide comfort and have a placebo effect it actually deactivates the pain at a molecular level in much the same way as pharmaceutical painkillers work. We have discovered how this molecular process works menstrual pain is one of the most common gynaecological complaints in women of reproductive age.

This is easy, choose the one that suits your needs, simple as that.
If you have a latex allergy or not keen on the smell of rubber buy a PVC thermoplastic hot water bottle. 
If you want to knit a cover or keep your old favourite cover buy the right size and chose a colour that matches.
If you want a hot water bottle for camping buy a mini hot water bottle, want one to cover a large area buy a giant one, or want to wrap yourself inside one buy the long hot water bottle long hot water bottle.
As for the make avoid generic and cheap budget ones, go for a quality branded one and buy from a hot water bottle specialist one that has been around for over 20 years and will still be around next year and the years after.

The latest and up to date hot water bottle is designed with safety in mind.
Stoppers are an integral part of the bottle and they only need to be finger tight.
If you overtighten, or force the stopper, the neck of the bottle will stretch.
The continued pressure will, over time, cause the stopper to fail or bottle to tear.
If the stopper gets stuck in the neck of the bottle and it's not been overtighten its most likely due to boiling water, this will draw the stopper inwards and can stick fast.
If used correctly there is no need for pliers and the hot water bottle will last much longer.

No. The hot water bottle could explode, burn and scald when taking it out.
Burns are a very serious risk when handling hot water, follow the instructions given.
They are printed to help avoid any dangers and allow safe use of a hot water bottle.
We have seen the result after it's been in a microwave and the outer layer peels away leaving a very thin layer between your skin and hot water.
If a burn does occur run under luke warm water for several minutes, seeks professional medical help if the burn is serious or does not show signs of healing.

For a single bed the best place is right in the centre to warm the centre of the mattress area.
Best to place it about 15 minutes before going to bed and tuck the covers over.
When you go to bed either take the bottle out if you’re warm enough, or move it to the bottom of the bed to keep your feet cosy and warm.
However, if it's for vulnerable people or children remove the hot water bottle from the bed to keep them safe.
If you like your bottle close to you for the warmth, keep it next to you but don’t lie on it or roll over onto it, placing it at the edge of the bed will keep the area warm.
For a double, king or queen size bed you may need a bigger bottle, we suggest a jumbo 3.0 litre hot water bottle or a long hot water bottle.
Sharing a bed does not mean you have to share a bottle, many of our customers have one each.
So if you like to keep warm all night but your partner only likes to have toasty toes, you’re both covered.
So, get a bottle each and put it in the bed on your side and make sure it's not too far over the other side as your sleeping partner may not appreciate the extra warmth.

Yes, but be sensible about it.
Never put the water back into the kettle or use for any human or animal consumption.
Tip the water (when cooled) into a pot plant or garden plants.
Avoid ericaceous plants, these need rainwater rather than tap water.
You can even pour down the toilet for a quick flush, a great way to save on water.

The short answer is no.
A rubber or thermoplastic hot water bottle would become brittle from the freezing process changing the structure of the bottle with a certainty to leak or tear.
They can be used to keep cool, the best way is to fill the bottle with cold water and keeping it chill by putting into a fridge but not the freezer part.
It is a great way to keep cool, we have heard of a customer using his hot water bottle filled with cold water on his lap as the computer used for playing memory hungry games omitted so much heat he needed something to keep him cool.

This might seem a good way to keep it going and reduce waste but it's the way a hot water bottle will wear that will scupper this method.
On an old rubber hot water bottle the rubber will start to perish and come away in layers from inside the bottle.
Patching outside will not cover all the wear, there could still be weak areas.
We'd also not recommend the use of repair kits, fine on a bike but with hot water there is a significant risk of burns and scolding should it burst.
To be green and reduce waste just send your old bottle away for recycling, they make great floor mats, cables and electrical insulators as a second life.
A new hot water bottle will give you peace of mind and for a few pounds worth the investment.

We suggest starting with the material, either rubber or thermoplastic.
If you’re allergic to latex or you don’t like the smell of rubber, choose a thermoplastic hot water bottle.
For a traditional look and feel choose rubber hot water bottle. 

Next, decide which size will best suit your needs. Our bottles range from 3.0 litre to 0.3 litre, with many sizes in between.
You can view the entire range on our hot water bottle page.

With or without a hot water bottle cover?
If you already have a cover that you love then you can select a bottle by itself. Or take a look at our wide range of  hot water bottle covers .
It is recommended to have some protection when using a hot water bottle, a cover helps prevent injury from burns.
If using without a cover never hold the hot water bottle next to skin for long periods of time.
Choose a good quality one that is right for you and up to the job, it will be with you for a few good years and is very personal to you as you share your bed with it.

There are a few alternatives, one option is an electric blanket, another is heat packs either wheat filled or gel filled and of course just turn the heating on and crank it up.
Wear extra layers in bed, lots of options, the trick is knowing what you want and what to expect from all the options out there.
Unlike a hot water bottle turning on the heating is not economical or very ecological for warming a small area.
Heat packs are a smart option if you don't want to use hot water, just avoid the gel type heat packs, these cool very quickly compared to wheat packs.
Throw an extra blanket on is OK however it's not instant heat.
Electric blankets need to be plugged in, first check if your electric blanket is compatible with your bedding, many are not, read the label before using an electric blanket and check bedding to be safe.
Also never be used an electric blanket with a hot water bottle, either use one or the other.