The Independent's journalism is supported by our readers. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn commission. Why trust us?

8 best hot water bottles for keeping you warm during cold winter nights

Whether it’s for easing period pain or soothing joints, find your perfect hottie bottie right here

Eva Waite-Taylor
Tuesday 09 January 2024 07:45 EST
From wrappable and wearable options to sheepskin designs, you’ll find all the best on test here
From wrappable and wearable options to sheepskin designs, you’ll find all the best on test here (iStock/The Independent)
Our Top Picks

With the cold weather upon us, and the cost of living remaining high, thinking of ways to keep warm without turning the heating on is essential. If there’s one homeware accessory to invest in, it’s a hot water bottle.

While other recommendations include electric blankets, draft excluders, blanket hoodies and winter duvets, in our opinion, the humble hot water bottle prevails.

Once a stoneware vessel reserved for warming beds, it has since evolved into stylish designs that come in all different shapes and sizes – with wrappable and wearable options proving particularly popular, thanks to the fact they provide hands-free warmth.

Choosing the best one for you comes down to personal preference, but we’d recommend opting for a fabric that you’ll enjoy cuddling up to. While these nifty designs help to ease aches and pains, from a safety perspective, it’s important to not fill your hot water bottle with boiling water and to replace it altogether every three years.

With all that being said, if you’re searching for the perfect vessel to keep you warm this winter, read on for the best hot water bottles on test.

How we tested

In order to make the cut, each hot water bottle had to comply with safety standards, but aside from this, we assessed the design, softness, ability to retain heat and size of each one, and also considered the cost. Follow our guide and prepare for cosy season by investing in one of these timeless options.

The best hot water bottles for 2024 are:

  • Best hot water bottle overall – Argos hot water bottle with chunky knit cover: £10.50, Argos.co.uk
  • Best budget hot water bottle – Warm At Heart knitted pom-pom hot water bottle: £4.99, Home.bargains
  • Best soft hot water bottle – The White Company super soft faux-fur hot water bottle: £24.50, Thewhitecompany.com
  • Best affordable long hot water bottle – Dunelm teddy bear cream long hot water bottle: £7, Dunelm.com
  • Best hands-free hot water bottle – Wuka wearable hot water bottle: £24.99, Wuka.co.uk

Argos hot water bottle with chunky knit cover

argos-hot-water-bottle-best-indybest.png
  • Best: Hot water bottle overall
  • Machine washable cover: Yes
  • Colours available: Cream
  • Size: Unspecified
  • Why we love it
    • Affordable
    • Chic design
    • Cover is machine-washable

Proving you don’t need to spend a fortune on a hot water bottle, this one from Argos was an instant hit. The chunky knit design means it looks more high-end than the price tag suggests, making it a nice stylish addition to your living room or bedroom. Looks aside, it gave off an instant hit of heat and it remained nice and toasty for five to six hours.

While you may be wary of the cream cover getting dirty, fear not, because it can be chucked into the washing machine – and we found it easy to remove the cover from the bottle to do so. For £10, this is a winter warmer you won’t regret investing in.

Back to top

The White Company super soft faux-fur hot water bottle

the-white-company-hot-water-bottle-indybest.png
  • Best: Soft hot water bottle
  • Machine washable cover: Yes
  • Colours available : Mink, cream, grey, white
  • Size: 39cm x 22cm
  • Why we love it
    • Exceptionally soft
    • Stays warm for a number of hours

Searching for a sumptuously soft hot water bottle? Look no further than The White Company’s faux-fur design. The cosy cover is removable and machine-washable, thanks to the concealed zip, which helps to keep it looking neat. But what we love most is the fact it’s made from recycled plastic bottles, which you wouldn’t know from touching it.

As for the warmth, the heat from the rubbed bottle permeated through nicely, and it stayed at a nice temperature for a number of hours. Depending on your preference, it’s available in four different neutral shades, including mink, dove and white, all of which look as luxurious as the water bottle feels.

Back to top

Dunelm teddy bear cream long hot water bottle

dunelm-long-hot-water-bottle-indybest.png
  • Best: Affordable long hot water bottle
  • Machine washable cover: Yes
  • Colours available: Cream, taupe
  • Size: 14cm x 77cm
  • Why we love it
    • One of the cheapest long hot water bottles
    • Can be wrapped around kneck
  • Take note
    • Doesn’t have straps to hold it in place

Sometimes only a long hot water bottle will do, and this fluffy teddy design from Dunelm is sure to be a crowd-pleaser. The shape lends itself well to wrapping around your neck or lower back, which is particularly beneficial for relieving any aches and pains – although we did find it was important not to overfill it, otherwise it became quite difficult to hold into the desired position. This would score even higher if it had straps to tie it into position. The cover is machine washable, so you can keep it looking as good as new, winter after winter.

  1.  £7 from Dunelm.com
Prices may vary
Back to top

Beurer heat pad

electric-hot-water-bottle-indybest
  • Best: Electric hot water bottle
  • Mashine washable: Yes
  • Colours available: Red
  • Size: 50cm x 30cm
  • Why we love it
    • Heats up very fast
    • Can be used as a seat pad
  • Take note
    • Lacks soft cuddliness that others have

OK, we know this is an oxymoron, but if you’re searching for an electric “hot water bottle”, Beurer has delivered. The heat pad has been designed so it is reminiscent of the real deal, but, of course, you plug it in, rather than fill it with water. Owing to its size, it’s a nice thing to have on your lap while working, or even as an alternative to an electric blanket. What it lacks in cuddliness it more than makes up for in heat – with three different temperature settings, it warms up quickly and automatically switches off after 90 minutes. It’s also a firm favourite among our pets, as you can see, our dog was a huge fan – and has been known to lie on it for hours on end – so if you opt for this one, a word of warning, you might need to fight your four-legged friends to use it.

Back to top

Wuka wearable hot water bottle

wuka-wearable-hot-water-bottle-indybest-review.png
  • Best: Hands-free hot water bottle
  • Machine washable cover: Yes
  • Colours available: Black
  • Size: 77cm
  • Why we love it
    • Wearable
    • Fleecy cover is soft
    • Features pockets for warming cold hands
  • Take note
    • Price

Sustainable period brand Wuka is a firm favourite here at IndyBest – in particular its period pants, but now its wearable hot water bottle might just have taken the crown. The hands-free hot water bottle design ties snugly around the waist, to help ease period aches and pains, as well as providing warmth. The soft fleece cover feels cosy against the skin, and it has a pocket that can warm up cold hands, or indeed hold your mobile phone.

  1.  £24 from Wuka.co.uk
Prices may vary
Back to top

Yuyu pure cotton waffle long hot water bottle

yuyu_bottle_waffle_white_edit_1.png
  • Best: Wearable hot water bottle
  • Machine washable cover: Yes
  • Colours available: White, grey, blue, pink, cornflower, yellow, clay
  • Size: 81cm x 11cm
  • Why we love it
    • Practical design
    • Keeps warm for long period of time
  • Take note
    • Expensive

When it comes to extra-long hot water bottles, Yuyu is the purveyor. It was the first brand to create the design that we know and love today. Founder Richard wanted to make a warming option that was not only longer and bigger but also more practical than the traditional size – and that’s exactly what he did.

Despite being 81cm in length, it requires the same amount of hot water as the traditional sizes, so you only need to boil the kettle once. Better still, the covers are well thought out and luxurious. During testing, the wearable design lent itself particularly well on the days when we didn’t want to turn the heating on but required some extra warmth. We were particularly impressed with how long it stayed hot. While it is a slightly more expensive option, we’ve barely parted ways with ours since it arrived, and consider it a complete game changer – so you certainly won’t regret investing in it.

Back to top

Catherine Colebrook Liberty initial hot water bottle

best-hot-water-bottle-indybest-review.png
  • Best: For gifting
  • Machine washable cover: Yes
  • Colours available: Floral, gingham, plain print
  • Size: W 22cm x L 37cm
  • Why we love it
    • Can be personalised
    • Fun prints available

When it comes to something different to your traditional hot water bottle, Catherine Colebrook’s designs are a firm favourite. While there’s the option of plain linen and gingham covers, it’s the Liberty print that is a total standout. The floral pattern adds a pop of colour to brighten up a dark winter’s evening and there is also the option to get it personalised with initials, making it a lovely gift. The perfect home accessory.

Back to top

The verdict: Hot water bottles

When it comes to something you’ll unlikely want to part ways with this winter, you really cannot go wrong with Yuyu’s wearable hot water bottle – it ties comfortably around the body and provides hands-free warmth – a total game changer. For something more pocket-friendly though, Argos’s hot water bottle is a standout favourite – coming in at just £10.50, the chic design impressed us and kept us plenty warm on a cold evening.

Looking for more ways to keep warm this winter? Read our review of the best blanket hoodies

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in