50 years ago, hot water bottles were made with rubber, thus making them soft and flexible. They had metal sleeves/flanges in the filler opening, thus making them durable. They had rubber washers on the stopper to seal against the metal sleeve in the filler opening, thus making them water-tight and leak-proof.
Last year, I tried to find such a water bottle in a store - any store - and failed. I ended up with a "latex-free" plasticky thing that was ALL plastic, no rubber, no metal, and no washer to seal. It was "okay" for a while, until the all-plastic fill spout cracked (like cheap plastic often does) and water leaked past the washerless stopper. That was enough! No more chain-store water bottles for me.
So I broadened my search to anything I could find on Amazon dot com. I was fortunate to stumble across this bottle! It is everything I'd hoped for, and more! I had three "musts" and got three more "plusses" in the deal.
Point by point expectations met:
(1) This water bottle actually feels like soft, flexible rubber. It's friendly, not plasticky. Sure, there's a bit of rubber smell to it, but I'm not using it as a face mask - and I expect it will fade with time.
(2) It actually has a metal sleeve in the filler - just like my 50-year-old water bottle, so I don't expect it will ever crack like one made just of plastic.
(3) It has a real rubber washer on the stopper to seal against the metal fill-spout flange/sleeve. And it does seal, exactly as they did 50 years ago.
The unexpected blessings:
(1) This bottle wasn't exactly as pictured. It was better. Each of the two flat sides is completely covered with a soft ribbing pattern. Not only does it feel softer that way, but I realized (as I never had before) that the ribbing creates a little air-gap between the hot rubber surface and my skin - so that the heat from the water is less likely to overpower my skin - and I'm less likely to stick to the surface as well.
(2) It was priced below the inferior bottle I'd gotten locally. Yes, I expected that when I placed the order because I could see the price - but I hadn't expected to find a better bottle at a lower price when I first started my search!
(3) It came very quickly - on the short side of the delivery promise, not the long - and that was with free shipping!
I was tempted to order about a thousand of these and open a hot-water bottle outlet store here in town. Nobody would buy anywhere else! But then it occurred to me that there may not be a universal demand for hot water bottles. So, I'll just stay happy with my new little red-rubber friend, and share the good news with anyone else who remembers "the good ole days" when you were confident that what you bought at the local general store was going to be just what you needed.
It smells heavily of rubber right out of the package, but I still love this product. I warm up water in a small pot and add maybe a tablespoon of vinegar with the idea that the vinegar should discourage bacteria and mold growth if the water is ever allowed to sit inside the bottle for a while. Then I remove the pot of vinegar water from the heat right before it reaches a boil. I go to the sink with the water bottle, the small pot of hot water, and an inexpensive funnel I bought on Amazon. The rubber lip of the bottle makes a good grip for the end of the funnel. I carefully pour the hot water into the mouth of the funnel to fill the bottle. I then screw on the bottle cap, and tuck it under my covers at the foot of the bed. I like to place it on top of my sheet, but under the comforter. That way the hot bottle is never directly against my skin so I don't accidentally burn myself overnight. I like having it under the comforter because I feel like it traps the heat better than just placing it on top of all the covers. I love this thing, and I've used it every night since I bought it! I can't fall asleep when I'm cold, so I normally use a space heater. This hot water bottle is far more cost effective than running the space heater. I just tuck my toes under it, and have no trouble falling asleep. Maybe when it gets really cold, I'll consider buying a second one to really heat me up.
This is an amazingly good hot water bottle. I was keeping my expectations low due to the small price, but I'm happy to report that I was beyond satisfied with this product! This water bottle is sturdy. It is made of real rubber. It's the perfect size. It has ribbing to help distribute the heat. This is "the ideal" hot water bottle! This thing stays by my side during sickness, cramps, and is perfect for warming the bed before lying baby down. You won't be disappointed with this hot water bottle.
I bought this several years ago, and realized that I neglected to write a review! Considering this is one of my favorite surprise buys, that's unforgivable. I bought this my senior year of college - my dorm was climate controlled, and no matter how much we complained, the temperature was stuck on frigid. It wasn't terrible during the spring or autumn - I went to school in Texas, so air-conditioning was a necessity - but during the winter, we were all shivering and wearing long-johns.
Anyway, I dealt with this for several years, but my solutions - more blankets, wool socks, long johns, an electric heating pad - well, none of them could solve the problem of our freezing beds during the winter season. It was an issue for me, since it was preventing me from sleeping! That final year, I ended up with bronchitis, and it was especially important to stay warm and get a lot of sleep. Through a convoluted series of internet links, I discovered the old-style water bottle were still being sold online, so I picked one up in the hopes it would help.
It didn't just help: it was AMAZING! Filling the bag up with hot water and putting in my bed half an hour before sleep did wonders for warming me up, and the insulated rubber kept the water hot all night long. Solved my cold-induced insomnia problem in one go! I still use it today in the winter - even I have access to the climate control of my own home, it's still a nice touch for my bed...and it helps with cold feet, always a perennial problem for me.
If you suffer from collectively cold feet, or just live in a straight-out cold place, this is definitely a good investment: it's well made and does exactly what it's supposed to do. Definitely pick one up, and get a lovely night's sleep today!
looks well constructed. Size is great. It's much larger than the Carex bottle I purchased and more flexible. The only complaint I have is the opening is so small, you have to use a funnel with a very small neck or it will take an eternity to fill. The medium sized kitchen funnel was just a hair too large to fit the opening. However, I still think this was a good buy, because it is a single mold bottle that is larger than most other hot water bottles. Mom was really happy with it. Also was a good price. very economical, but looks like it is built to last.
Feature Product
- Soothe your body with warm heat in chilly temperatures
- Use heat to relieve sore muscles, back pain, arthritis, stress, sports injuries and other pains
- Features easy to fill lip with secure screw topper
Description
Relief Pak Hot Water Bottle, 2 quart Capacity
I’m an old school hot water bottle type of girl and bought 2 of these perfectly fine hot water bottles. My sister asked where I got them and promptly bought 2 for herself. For whatever reason, the newer style hot water bottles I find in the shops are now plastic and not rubber, they crack and break down easily and are waaaaaaaaaaaaay more expensive than they should be.
I’ve also filled these with water and put them in the freezer for another purpose and they still have not cracked or split and have never leaked.
I’ve have them for well over a year, probably more like 2 years even, and if they ever wear out, I’ll promptly buy another set.
This water bottle is a good one. So far it has been durable and has functioned perfectly. My one complaint is that it's stinks to high heaven. It says that it's made out of natural rubber, but I have never smelled natural rubber this pungent. I have washed it about four times in my kitchen sink and the smell has gone down, but when I pour hot water into it and it still has an overpowering smell of rubber. I'm hoping this will fade with time as it's quite a nice size and looks like it can withstand regular use for a few years.
It has a light rubber smell when I put in hot water. It's easy to fill up. I would not use it in bed though. One time I found it leaked a little from the top. I wish the screw-in top is made of metal instead of plastic.
Why I got this: My pregnant wife had back ache.
Pros: Worked wonders!! Put some hot water in it, and then put it between her back and the bed, and she felt a lot of relief. Still uses it daily. No leakage and it stayed warm for quite some time.
Cons: None.
We have had several neonatal pup's and kitty's that just needed a heat boost. I choose these bottles because I could easily sanitize after a quick use.
I love rice bags but can't properly sanitize them to prevent cross contamination so this is just what I needed.
Have used multiple times and have had no leakage.
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