Rubber Hot Water Bladder (2 Liters, Red)

Review 2023: this is an update on my initial review. I loved my first purchase in 2020 so much that I bought a 2nd one which arrived today. Let me state that I know these age and that's why I was buying a 2nd one, and I saw this brand come across again so I snatched it up! In the 3 years I've owned my first Hometop hot water bottle I've been in love. I've had no issues at all. I love it. I primarily use it when I have cramps and I don't want to fall asleep with a heating pad on. It's also portable should I leave the house and want to take that comfort with me for a few hours. Here starts my review for my 2nd one. Quality is down, is the first thing I noticed when I unboxed it. Ugh. The plug is all plastic as was my last one but that one at least had a rubber end. Also what my new one screws into is all plastic. The first one was metal like a hose end, this is in the photos they show as well. I'm going to give it a whirl, I have holiday return to my advantage, but I don't think this one will have the longevity that my initial purchased hot water bottle from Hometop has. Upon receiving my new one I saw reviews that this was the case, I would never have though to look at them since I had a great experience with my 1st purchase. 2020 version was 5 stars, this one I'm rating 3 until it proves it can withstand like my 2020 version. Review 2020: I've always wanted a hot water bottle, there's something so old school about it that I LOVE. However I've always struggled when I read the reviews because I don't want to get that cruddy product that explodes, leaks, etc. Also I've seen the higher ended price tags and that has scared me away. Generally speaking a hot water bottle will likely need to be replaced every few years because they are made from rubber and with all the heat and what not they can degrade by cracking, etc. I didn't want to drop $25 and a few years from now do it all over again. I wanted something with a lower price tag or a longer life---both?! This HomeTop hot water bottle I hope is the ticket! It was on the affordable end, price being pretty right. The size, oh the size, I LOVE it. It's not too big or too small. It's larger in size than a traditional book or DVD case. The rubber is thick enough to be safe but not too thick that the warmth is barely there. I've only had it about a week now but have used it quite a few times as my warm compress for a clogged ear. I was tired of using a heating pad because those are not meant to be laid on but lay on you. Fires, burns...etc BAD BAD stuff. I tried homemade rice packs I had made which were nice but small but heat didn't last too long there. So in comes the hot water bottle! It arrived in a sealed plastic bag with care instructions on the outside. Did it smell? Not really but even if it did, HELLO it's rubber, brand new!!! Just like when you buy new tires for a car. The inside smelled more rubbery than anything but if that's a problem just don't smell the inside! I kind of listened to the directions. You're not to place boiling water IN the hot water bottle, which I get but that's the hottest water one could use to keep it warmer longer.... Our tap water is rather luke warm so I do use my stove top tea kettle to boil up water and I add cold/luke warm water to my hot water bottle before adding the boiling water which evens out to HOT. You burp the air out and screw in the top. I do think there could be issues with the top later because it's just plastic but if it was metal like the closure you screw in then there'd be risks for burns. So you fill (not boiling water!), you burp, you screw the top on and then you shake the bag upside down to check for leaks and get rid of any water that accumulated in the top from being poured in. Voila! From there you are able to enjoy your hot water bottle. This one doesn't come with a cover so I get to enjoy the nice purple, my favorite color. However I was actually disappointed I didn't have a cover when it arrived. I had viewed SO many bottles that I thought it came with one. My bad. Overall I'm no longer disappointed because with more use I've come to realize that a cover could hinder my use. Some fabrics are too thick and the heat takes too long to make it's way when I need it, so a thinner cover would be MY ticket. Though one could benefit from a cover if you're using this as a cuddle bug in bed to warm you or your feet. I read that ones with covers need to be in place before you fill the hot water bottle with water which makes sense, you just run the risk of spilling on them so that would suck. I can't wait to use this more and I will! I get killer cramps every month and require a heating pad for at least 2 days so this baby will surely come in handy! Also when my furbabies find this all warm I suspect I'll have to fight for it or purchase another as none of us are really fond of sharing. As winter creeps in I think a nice hot water bottle on my lap while reading outside would be a nice little treat to keep me and my hands warm. Possibilities are endless! :)