A pretty nippy winter is coming, and long hot water bottles are here to keep us toasty. Of course, regular hot water bottles are a comforting chilly-weather essential which have been around since the 1900s (most commonly made of rubber or PVC and covered in anything from faux fur to fleece).
But they’re small. Mighty, sure – and great for tummy cramps when you’re on your period, but they don’t cover a particularly large portion of your body, meaning you have to constantly move them to redistribute warmth. Not ideal.
Enter: extra long hot water bottles – the classic water bottle’s more versatile counterpart which will help keep you cosier than ever. Needed, amidst the cost-of-living crisis.
Cast your minds back to 2010. Heat therapy brand YuYu had just dropped long hot water bottles for the first time: an innovation designed to give you a full body hug. Long hot water bottles can lie across the length of your body, warm a much larger portion of your bed when popped under the duvet pre-shut-eye, or be wrapped around you when you’re cuddled up on the sofa. They can even be used as foot warmers, placed along the bottom of your mattress at night. Divine.
Fast-forward to today, and luxe homeware brands like The White Company – through to high street interior heroes like Dunelm – are adding long hot water bottles with faux fur covers to their cosy essentials roster. And the entirety of the GLAMOUR office have popped one on their Christmas wishlist.
Of course, there are countless benefits of the long hot water bottle past its ability to keep you toasty. Yep: their flexibility and elongated shape means they’re great for pain relief, too. Listen up, anyone suffering from chronic pain, conditions like endometriosis or a WFH-induced sore back. Heat therapy can improve circulation and blood flow, reducing muscle spasm and relaxing painful joints. Essentially, you need in.
We’ve been busy (ahem) trying the self-proclaimed best long hot water bottles on the market in the name of a more comfortable winter. Here are the designs worth knowing.
Scroll for our full edit of the best long hot water bottles to add to your checkout.
1. Best YuYu hot water bottle
Long Faux-Fur Hot-Water Bottle
Why we love it: Crafted in collaboration with the leaders of the long hot water bottle pack, YuYu, this silky-soft hot water bottle is designed to lie across the length of your body or bed. The inner has been made by YuYu, while the cover has been crafted by The White Company in the dreamiest faux fur to inject a little luxury. It takes less than a kettle of water to be filled up, and has an elasticated neck at the top for a snug fit.
Dimensions: W11cm x L80cm.
Cover fabric: 100% polyester faux fur.
2. Best long hot water bottle Dunelm
Teddy Bear Charcoal Long Hot Water Bottle
Why we love it: In-keeping with Dunelm’s bestselling line of teddy bear bedding, this charcoal grey long hot water bottle is guaranteed to keep you toasty all winter. A great gift for teenage girls, is super soft against the skin and machine washable.
