FAQ

For anyone with an allergy to rubber (latex allergy) PVC is the ideal options. The latest PVC hot water bottle is also phthalate free (a must for children), odourless and can be steam sterilised and recyclable. Rubber is the traditional type and has been around since 1903 and still going strong with many customers preferring a traditional type over the newer PVC, TPU, Silicone and now Eco bio.

The short answer is no, as with most things in life you get what you pay for. A budget bottle is manufactured with lower rubber content than a good quality one. Hard to spot the difference since they all look identical, but a budget product will have chalk and chemical fillers added to bulk up, look for a white powdery feel and chemical smell. With fillers taking the place of natural rubber these will wear out much quicker and need replacing more often and in the long run cost more. Another cheap option is using recycled rubber, these have a heavy perfumed smell to mask the odour of a recycling plant. Unlike natural new rubber the smell of recycled rubber never goes away. This is the main reason why we only supply good quality new rubber within our hot water bottle ranges. Worth also remembering that rubber is a good insulator and why budget one's struggle to match heat retention.

The standard size is called 2.0 litre and is a category size rather than an exact size. Remember to never fill to the top, always leave an air gap, expel the excess air before putting the stopper on, finger tight, overtightening the stopper will cause damage. A brand-new unused bottle is delivered flat, over time and with use it will balloon out around the belly. When new the fill is approx. 1.8 litre, this is the correct size to fit a standard cover. There is an extra-large jumbo 3.0 litre bottle and we have smaller sizes right down to pocket size 0.3 litre size.

Standard 2.0 litre size is 32cm by 20cm when new, an old used bottle may be slightly different having been expanded and handled over the years. The size and fill is listed under specifications on each product page, just open the product page, click specifications and you'll see the full specs for that bottle, each page can be different, it's worth checking each one if you are looking for a specific size. With so many different sizes, shapes and types available there is plenty of choice in finding something that will suit.

All are manufactured to British Standard BS1970 approval and carry a minimum 2 or 3 year warranty against manufacturing defect, most are also independently tested by TUV certified to ISO 9001. We do not stock budget generic products as the low rubber content produces a very ineffective bottle with added leakage problems. For total peace of mind and a good night's sleep it's worth investing in a well-made hot water bottle that is up to the job. Always read the instructions supplied with every order and if you would like more information please read hot water bottle safety page.

We get asked this a lot, just how hot is all down to the person that fills the bottle. The correct way is to boil a kettle and allow the kettle to cool down. Never use hot water from a domestic boiler system as they can have impurities which damages compound and will shorten the life of the bottle. Also if in a hard water area it can lead to a build-up of calcium which again is not good. When the kettle has cooled sufficiently pour the hot water carefully into the bottle, it can help using a towel or tea cloth to avoid any splashes. The trick is to get the right temperature and this will come down to good old fashioned common sense, we all know what boiling water is, this is to be avoided so allowing the water to cool down you will over time find the right temperature for you. If it is too cool, next time shortening the cooling time, or if it is too hot lengthen the cooling time. In the summer a hot water bottle can be filled with iced water to help keep cool in the heat.

The bottle will stay warmer longer inside a cosy bed, generally a good quality standard 2.0 litre bottle manufactured to genuine British Standard will still be warm in the morning. Using it outside a warm bed will mean it will cool quicker, using outdoors and on a cold day will shorten the time even more. Standard 2 litre size bottle is an ideal shape and size to provide heat and warmth that will last, the smaller size one litre and a mini hot water bottle will lose heat quicker than a standard size. There is now a jumbo size 3.0 litre hot water bottle that provides even longer running time for those that want to max out on heat and warmth.

Speedy order despatch, just order before 3.30pm for same day despatch Monday to Friday, orders are processed quickly. Standard Royal Mail to UK postal addresses is just £1.99 no matter how many items are ordered. Stock items are dispatched same weekday, any items temporarily out of stock will be dispatched when new stock arrives at no extra cost. Within the UK the majority of orders are delivered within 1 to 2 working days (excludes weekends) and shipped tracked. For next day and express delivery please select either Royal Mail Express at £4.99 or next day (Monday to Friday) premium courier service at £9.25 to UK mainland address. Deadline for courier booking is also 3.30pm weekdays (excludes Sat/Sun). For International delivery please see our delivery page for details on how to buy.

We understand sometimes the item might be the wrong colour or size and not quite right. As long as it's unused, returned in good condition in its original packaging within 30days you can simply post it back for an exchange using our FREEPOST label, just email for details. Full details can be found on return policy page.

For those on our mailing list with a coupon code please add your items to the shopping basket and simply sign in the normal way. The coupon code will activate once signed in, if using express check-out the code will not work. For new customers please go to new customer to sign in to activate your code.

Our lines change all the time, if you have seen a product and now it's vanished the chances are it's been replaced with a new product. Ranges change with new colours, styles, shapes and textures before the new season (around September) and smaller changes as the season progresses. If you have an old favourite and want to replace on a 'like for like', the item may be out of production. Hopefully we can find something better, if you need help please give us a call or email.

Just tick the box for gift receipt and your order will be sent without any values or totals. The invoice will show goods but not the cost or shipping. Hot water bottle gift wrap is not currently available but some products are in gift boxes, just look for the gift box label on the bottle.