In our house we have dubbed the hot water bottle, Reggie! Reggie is as essential to us as the snow shovel here in Buffalo. The grandchildren are mesmerize by its rubbery warmth and curative powers. Its funny appearance and the delightful sound it makes when patted just adds to the uniqueness. Whenever anyone is under the weather the first question is always, "Where's Reggie?"
2
Yes, I recall enjoying a hot water bottle tucked in beds at small B&B's I stayed in while visiting New Zealand years ago; it was very nice! Also nice is reading an article today that is about a simple pleasure, as opposed to all the moaning, groaning and end-of the-worlding over events here in America. Thank you for a comfort.
6
Doesn't everyone have a hottie? I grew up in London and everyone I knew had a hot water bottle stored in an airing cupboard or under the sink in the bathroom. You needed a hottie on those cold winter nights with no central heating or when you had a tummy ache that put you to bed.
My children have left home and taken their hotties with them teddy bear covers and all! You can find a hottie in my linen closet just waiting to make you feel better.
My children have left home and taken their hotties with them teddy bear covers and all! You can find a hottie in my linen closet just waiting to make you feel better.
8
I enjoyed your writing style and agree with nearly everything but want to add 2 things: There is a different quality about warmth from a hot watter bottle and an elctric pad. The warmth is much more pleasant for some reason. Second, don't just buy a rubber bottle, buy one with a textile pouch. In Germany the latter one are now much more common than the former one. It is such a wonderful feeling to have this soft heat instead of biting heat and it can last til the next morning if it's a good setup. My brand is a "hugo". I just looked up the link and I don't have any commercial interest in that company (there're also many more other brands that are probably as good as this one, it's just an example):http://hugo-frosch.de/english/index.html
4
Got one on my lap as I type. After burning myself multiple times filling the tiny hole in the rubber kind, and once memorably having to dry out a futon on which one had split, I now use the silicone ones (Fashy brand), identical in most ways except they are made of silicone, not rubber. They have a wider neck so are safer to fill and don't rot (for some reason the stopper is also more secure than the old version). My only complaint is that they go cold more quickly than the rubber ones.
2
Just loved this article as it reminded me of my childhood in 1950s-1960s Massachusetts and my mother's trusty hot water bottle, safely tucked between the triple folded towels in the linen closet. A healing ritual for childhood ills.
6
I rediscovered the wonder of a hot water bottle on an autumn trip to London, when the hotel we stayed at prepared the bed each evening with a hot water bottle tucked under the down comforter. After an overnight, sleepless flight and a day of museum hopping, the surprise of finding such a simple pleasure was quite fabulous. I returned home having purchased a few of the same hot water bottles at a local pharmacy, and the hotel was kind enough to gift me the quilted black cozy that holds the water bottle. One of my all-time favorite travel souvenirs!
7
I grew up in Vermont in the 60's. Winter was cold and our upstairs bedrooms were barely heated so we took HWBs to bed to warm up icey toes. We boiled the water so that they were scalding hot and lasted as long as possible.
3
The plastic ones sold in drug stores have such a low temperature limit that they are "lukewarm" bottles. Useless.
1
Wonderful Subject and Good Letter!
A couple of minor cautions for those new to this delight, however:
First, the typr of bottle that the author describes will almost certainly have a plastic screw top and a plastic or metal thread for its top. These features make it very unwise the try to heat or re-heat in any microwave. I did it once without thinking ahead and it melted the plastic to the point of rendering the bottle good only for the re-cycle bin.
Secondly - and I apologize if this seems too obvious to mention - but if, as indicated in the letter, you decide to empty-out the bottle into any container housing living plants (or creatures - like fish-tank) DO make sure the water is cold or, at least, no more than tepid!
A couple of minor cautions for those new to this delight, however:
First, the typr of bottle that the author describes will almost certainly have a plastic screw top and a plastic or metal thread for its top. These features make it very unwise the try to heat or re-heat in any microwave. I did it once without thinking ahead and it melted the plastic to the point of rendering the bottle good only for the re-cycle bin.
Secondly - and I apologize if this seems too obvious to mention - but if, as indicated in the letter, you decide to empty-out the bottle into any container housing living plants (or creatures - like fish-tank) DO make sure the water is cold or, at least, no more than tepid!
1
Nicely written, Chantel!
1
Love the article! I feel this way about a microwave heating pad that I have. I will try my hot water bottle now and see how it compares. Thank you for a delightful article.
1
I totally agree with every word Ms. Tattoli wrote. My parents had it and I kept it for years after they died. But then it leaked and I had to throw it away. Suddenly I had to live without it. But, progress came to my rescue and now you can get the bottle-shaped thing, with an outer layer of soft fleece, the inside has silicon that has to be heated for 2 minutes in the microwave. I admit it is not as heavy as the water bottle but it does the job. Did I betray my parental legacy? Perhaps, but it still is very comforting. Could not survive without it in dire times.
1
And you don't have to wait for them to heat as you do with electric blankets. There is nothing more comforting than a hotty on your feet when you are staying in a damp scottish pile.
3
Let's not forget the companion to these rubber bottles: the hose and tips. When used correctly, douches and enemas can cure ills and assist one's hygiene. My mother taught me about this too.
5
Lol! I'm glad I'm not the only one using this useful therapy. Migraines, chills, or just a comforting and soothing warmth in the small of the back. Definitely the all-rubber model.
9
Frosty feet made nice and toasty warm by a hot water bottle when I was a kid. A great memory from childhood. Thank you for a charming article.
1
I take no issue with using a hot water bottle as long as it is not used by idiots who force it on a patient dying of cancer as the ONLY source of palliative care without providing adequate and clearly needed pain medication. When you get THAT attached to your mother's way of soothing you, and you force it on your wife of 45 years instead of suggesting a hospice that she is BEGGING for to get some pain relief (AND you've got seven million dollars sitting in your bank account so money is not an object!) then you should be locked up for elder abuse!
My mother got a hot water bottle for my oldest daughter with a cover that looked like a lamb. We named 'her' Chrystal and we still have her. I bought two more bottles for myself and my other daughter and made chenille covers because before that, we fought over who got Chrystal. Love the heat!
My whole family uses a hot water bottle to warm up and feel cosy. Actually It is the best remedy for monthly cramps when applied to the low back. I don't know how it works but as soon as I put it there the pain level drops.
I love my cashemere covered one from RH... and it's also great when the weather is cold and you want to keep your feet warm in bed.
1
The winters have become so mild in Sydney that I no longer have a use for my hot water bottle, but I still keep it in the linen cupboard. I made a fuzzy coat for it too so it is like having a hypoallergenic cat.
I prefer hot water bottles to wheatbags, as the risks are much less. If you take a wheatbag to bed you could end up with a bed fire. At sure, there's a risk of scalding from hot water bottles but i'd rather be wet than on fire.
I prefer hot water bottles to wheatbags, as the risks are much less. If you take a wheatbag to bed you could end up with a bed fire. At sure, there's a risk of scalding from hot water bottles but i'd rather be wet than on fire.
Hot water bottles are a lovely therapy. However, your piece does not include the critical instruction that one should never, never place one directly against the skin. Never. That would invite a burn. Insert it in a flannel pillowcase and apply where needed. (And the rule applies to application of ice caps or ice packs: never directly against the skin.)
If you travel in Southern Africa, you'll often find hot-water bottles used in swank camps to keep you warm at night. Even if it's been 90 during the day, it can be 30 or 40 at night. The hwb keeps you cozy with no need for electricity in your tent or cabin.
This is one of those many articles I read in the Times that makes me wonder why I bothered.
So you are above being comforted?
9
I have spent the last 20 years in the UK -- home of drafty homes with poor insulation and wouldn't be without a hot water bottle.
My only quibble with this article is that is forgets the most important step, which is to make sure there is no air in the hot water bottle before putting the stopper in. You lean the bottle against a hard surface and gently bend it until the water is at the top. Only then do you stop it up. This seems to keep it warm longer and avoids uneven patches.
My only quibble with this article is that is forgets the most important step, which is to make sure there is no air in the hot water bottle before putting the stopper in. You lean the bottle against a hard surface and gently bend it until the water is at the top. Only then do you stop it up. This seems to keep it warm longer and avoids uneven patches.
13
Although being a German I didn't know who is the manufacturer of the real deal. Thank you for telling, I just ordered two Sänger Wärmflaschen online, less than 7.- € each, an affordable pleasure.
1
Ode to the Hot Water Bottle! I grew up in a desert climate in the Middle East where hot water bottles were unknown. But Inhad read a little children's book called Phoebe and the Hot Water Bottles about a little girl who collected all kinds. This inspired a lifelong obsession to own a hot water bottle! I was properly introduced to a HWB on a trip to the English countryside where my hostess sent me off to bed with my own little toasty friend. Water was heated on a big steel auger oven, poured halfway up and then trickled up to the top, while ensuring all air was pushed out of the bottle. Heavenly! I returned to NY, ordered one with a rainbow colored knit sleeve from Amazon and it has been a constant friend. Thanks for the article!
They are still in full use in the U.K.! Every home has several...
1
A hot water bottle has its place and I'm glad to have one, but give me an electric mattress pad for full body warmth that lasts for about ten hours before the device cuts off.
1
I am a fan!
I have 3 hot water bottles.
My mother made me a wonderful cover for the large one in the shape of a sheep! Very soft and cozy.
I have a small purple fish shaped hot water bottle,
AND a baby hot water bottle with a cozy cover.
They have provided much comfort and relieved pain.
I had trouble with labs drawing blood at one point and realized that
bringing the baby hot water bottle with me and holding it on my arm allowed a successful blood draw without multiple pricks.
I have 3 hot water bottles.
My mother made me a wonderful cover for the large one in the shape of a sheep! Very soft and cozy.
I have a small purple fish shaped hot water bottle,
AND a baby hot water bottle with a cozy cover.
They have provided much comfort and relieved pain.
I had trouble with labs drawing blood at one point and realized that
bringing the baby hot water bottle with me and holding it on my arm allowed a successful blood draw without multiple pricks.
1
The hot water bottle in our family was metal--aluminum, I think--and encased in a home-sewn bag made from an old wool blanket. My grandmother would never say the words "I love you" but the water bottle's appearance said it for her.
1
The American hot-water bottle has landed... I smile because I well remember it's popularity on damp winter days in my hometown in Israel before steamed heat and American winters! Yes we had the beach for a good 8-9 months; but winter meant we all waited for our turn for the famous rubber bottle... 2 minutes minutes of it under our woolen blankets and we were sure to fall asleep huddled in warmth till brrr mornings and school... so hey it's back to basics and a bit of the past shaking up reality. And folks! It works!
3
There's something about the damp heat of a hot water bottle that soothes right to the bone. My mum used to slip a hot water bottle into our beds as kids while we were out at night during the winter. What a treat it was to get into a warmed bed. Thanks for the memories.
5
What about the most wonderful use, warming your feet on a cold night instead of heating the entire (forced air-fed) house! And if they have little furry animal covers, so much the better. Warm, snuggly, and comforting.
2
We have 3, including one "sheep" I've had for over 35 years, since I was a college freshman. I've convinced my children that, combined with flannel sheets and a great down duvet, there's no better way to settle in for winter. I agree that emptying the water the next morning into the plants is usually the best way to go, although when I had radiators, I'd pour the water into the pans resting on top. I've one of the bottles in my lap as I type, actually, and will slide it to my feet when I crawl into bed.
1
I didn't think anyone else remembered these comforting old familiars from the not too distant past! The last one I had (I think it was pink, although I do remember them from my childhood as being kind of reddish color) just kind of disintegrated. Rubber has a tendency to do that after a while. I'm going to go online and try to order a couple of them today. Many thanks to the author for reviving this memory.
On this somber and ominous day, this silly piece feels like a hot water bottle on my soul. Yes, life is going on. I'm relieved to see I can still smile. Thank you.
6
Thank you, Chantel, for such a lovely piece. Reading this article was recomforting! I too remember the hot-water bottles of my childhood, which my mother (educated in France) had around the house. They have been unfortunately replaced by those electric pads that don't have the weight or feel, as well as the qualities, you describe so well. You have inspired me to buy one again, perhaps the German brand you recommend.
By the way, there are hot-water bottles in Spanish-speaking countries. In Spanish it is called: "bolsa de agua caliente."
By the way, there are hot-water bottles in Spanish-speaking countries. In Spanish it is called: "bolsa de agua caliente."
2
Ordering one now to abate inaugural misery.
25
I learned about them from my husband, who grew up in Egypt, as a cure for my icy feet. In the winter, whether night time or nap time, the soothing warmth of my fabric covered hwb's are the secret for instant sleep.
1
Ms. Tattoli, you just made my day. Not only was your piece a joy to read, but has helped me solve a tummy problem from work issues I can't control. Bless you. I look forward to reading more of your work.
2
I had no idea what a hot water bottle was until we visited my grandparents in Ireland one January in the late 70's, where you would find one in the bottom of the bed every night, placed there lovingly by my grandmother so our feet wouldn't get cold. We brought it home, and I would fill it with hot water and lie on it while watching cartoons, reading books, sleeping, etc.... I don't know what happened to it over the years, but this might inspire me to get a new one!
I'm getting one for my sinus headaches! Gotta be better than a hot towel that cools down guickly.
On a cold winter night when you start to get ready for bed, fill up your hot water bottle and tuck it into the foot of your bed. You'll have wonderfully toasty warm toes and fall asleep quickly. I am a believer!
2
Just recently an animal lover and I were discussing the cure for a kitten lonely for its mother: a hot water bottle and a ticking clock to emulate the mother's heartbeat. In my youth, they were both readily available but I hadn't seen either in decades. Speaking of the word in Afrikaans, I'm now living in South Africa where I always complain about the old fashioned remedies. I might find a good old fashioned hot water bottle.
1