Stylish hot water bottles to curl up with
As the temperature drops and darkness arrives at 3:30pm in the afternoon, you'd be forgiven for wanting to stay home, tucked away under a blanket – or better yet, the duvet. We’re looking for ways to avoid having the central heating on all day or throughout cold winter nights, and the best way to do this is to snuggle up with one of the best hot water bottles available for extra warmth. We've compiled a list of our favourite traditional hot water bottles, from The White Company's Super Sof Faux Fur bottle that's made from recycled plastic bottles, to an Etsy offering in the form of a handmade knitted hot water bottle adorned with cute sheep, which has the biggest capacity we've seen, which also make perfect Christmas gifts.
Which is the best hot water bottle?
The answer to this question depends on what purpose your hot water bottle will have. Yes, they all have the same function at the end of the day but there are important nuances to note regardless. For pain relief from back pain, or a hot water bottle that targets period pain, opt for something with a cosy jacket in cashmere or faux fur, as you'll want to protect your skin from the prolonged heat exposure. We'd recommend the Cash CA, Cashmere Cover Hot Water Bottle or Loaf's Hottie bottle with its comforting cosy knitted cover. If you want something for occasional use, or to double as a pretty decoration on top of your bed, choose one of The Vampire's Wife bottles – deliciously indulgent and they'll take the edge off any chilly room. For frequent or daily use, any bottle with a high quality cover will work. In this instance we'd opt for Johnstons of Elgin cashmere delight, a toasty option to cuddle up to.
During the cold weather, and the run up to Christmas gifting, many brands have unexpectedly sold out of hot water bottles, so if you've got you're eye on one, act quickly. All of the hot water bottle covers featured include the actual traditional natural rubber bottle and stopper too, unless we've explained otherwise. So all you need to do, is carefully add the boiling water. To make things even easier, most covers are also machine washable as well, unless made with delicate fabrics such as Merino wool or cashmere and need to be hand washed.
Best hot water bottles to buy
1/14Shrimps Marina Hot Water Bottle, £75 from Shrimps.
It's cable knitted, embroidered with flowers, features contrasting colours and couldn't be more signature Shrimps if it tried. This one has been hand knitted too, using a Merino wool-blend, making it extra special, and comes in a classic Shrimps colourway of light blue and red.
2/14Liberty Queen Hera Hot Water Bottle, £48 from Liberty.
From running gear to nightwear, there really are no realms that the iconic Liberty prints have not reached. Made from soft cotton, this Liberty print is inspired by the Greek goddess, Hera, whose sacred animal was a peacock. It features contrasting velvet trim and a pretty bow on the neck.
3/14Elizabeth Scarlett x Amara Butterfly Velvet Hot Water Bottle, £18, from Amara.
While most other Elizabeth Scarlett hot water bottles have sold out, not only on its own website, but at lots of retailers, Amara's collaboration with the brand is still available. Featuring the brand's classic designs with velvet and embroidered animals, we love the pretty fluttering of these butterflies against the black velvet.
4/14Handmade Flock of Sheep Hot Water Bottle, £41.95 from Pachamama Woollies on Etsy.
Made by hand, this 100% wool large hot water bottle comes from a range of lovely pieces made by Pachamama on Etsy, which also includes similar designs with foxes, puffins and cows. It also has an enormous two litre capacity, so at £41.95 this is really reasonably priced.
5/14Piglet in Bed Deep Teal Hot Water Bottle Cover, £45 from Piglet in Bed.
New for this year, as part of Piglet in Bed's extended range are these charming hot water bottles. Made in collaboration with British textile designer, Beatrice Larkin, these limited edition covers are just as luxurious as you'd expect. Featuring a geometric pattern the twill is made from a mixture of 70% Italian merino lambswool and 30% cotton, which are woven in Lancashire, and washed and finished in Yorkshire and are super soft.
6/14Anya Hindmarch, Ouch Intarsia Wool-Blend Hot Water Bottle Cover, off-white, £175 from Net-A-Porter.
Stylish whilst erring on the side of playful. For anyone using this hot water bottle to remedy pain, the ‘ouch' plaster is sure to provide some cheering respite. The hot water bottle is not included.
7/14Hottie, oatmeal, £40 from Loaf.
When this collection of hot water bottles was released, they sold out almost instantaneously. They're cute and cosy looking with a classic ribbed neck style. There are six coloured borders to choose from, including a ‘rusted pink’, ‘ochre’ and ‘teal’, so you're sure to find the perfect ‘hottie’ for you.
8/14Green Ditsy Hot Water Bottle Cover, £19.50 from Sarah K Linen.
Sarah K has long been one of our favourite places to buy bedding but it was her foray into hot water bottle covers that caught our eye recently. Block printed by hand, this cover could easily be left on the sofa and mistaken for a cushion, which is rather lovely.
9/14The Vampire's Wife, Sequin-Embellished Velvet Hot Water Bottle Cover, £109 from Matches Fashion.
This hot water bottle from The Vampire's Wife must be the most luxurious possible cover we've seen. It fastens at the back with a bow which is a rather elegant touch on an already beautiful velvet and silk ruffled edge cover, that's covered in a pretty star and moon design of sequins. But best of all, it's now less than half price.
10/14The White Company Super Soft Faux-Fur Hot Water Bottle: £35 from The White Company.
When something is this soft, you'll absolutely want to use it every day. Made from recycled plastic bottles, this faux fur hot water bottle cover has a lovely silky feeling which will no doubt keep your hands warm too as you stroke it all day, and really helps to keep the cold at bay.
11/14Cash CA, Cashmere Cover Hot Water Bottle, white, £95 from Liberty London.
Made by modern knitwear brand, Cash CA, this luxurious hot water bottle is covered in a thick cream cashmere cover, making it easy to snuggle up with, whether that's on the sofa, in bed or working from home.
12/14Hot Water Bottle, ivory, £30 from The Newt in Somerset Shop.
Sourced from The Newt's sister hotel, Babylonstoren in South Africa, this hot water bottle cover is printed with a Delft design dating from the eighteenth century. The button closure is a particularly sweet detail.
13/14Johnstons of Elgin, Cable-Knit Cashmere Hot Water Bottle and Case, £119 from Johnstons of Elgin.
Loved for their excellent cashmere bed socks, Johnston of Elign does much more than just socks, though. Made in Scotland from 100% cashmere, this pretty cover features a cable-knit pattern and a sweet bottom tuck at the back to secure the bottle. It's certainly on the more expensive side but pure cashmere can't be beaten on touch.
14/14Lia Faux Sheepskin Hot Bottle Cover, £40 from Domestic Science Home.
This buttermilk coloured hot water bottle feels as cosy as it looks and, at £40, is priced very reasonably. We love faux sheepskin for its wonderfully tactile texture that means we'll want to use it all day long.
