Do hot water bottles expire? [2 min read]

Here at The Hot Water Bottle Company we want to ensure that you are using your hot water bottle [hwb] safely and that the hwb you have is safe to use. 

Recently we have seen a lot of misinformation in the media about hwbs having an "expiry date" on them. This information is false, your hot water bottle DOES NOT come with an expiry date!

Hot water bottles SHOULD come with a date daisy if they comply with the British Standard 1970 [read "one-nine-seven-oh"] for hwbs. However, please be aware that compliance and testing to the British Standard [BS] is voluntary so just because a hot water bottle does bear a date daisy does not necessarily mean it complies. Please read our Guide To Shopping For Safe Hot Water Bottles.

The date daisy which can be found on your hot water bottle shows the date of manufacture: year | month | week . This mark is required by the BS, but the standard does not explicitly state what the mark is required for. It is used by manufacturers and suppliers for batch tracking i.e if a recurring problem became apparent the date daisy would help identify whether it is a problem with a particular production batch. [N.B the date daisy in our hwbs can be found in the funnel of the hwb so you do not have to remove the cover to read it]. 

Most hwbs are guaranteed for 2 years from the date of purchase and unless stated otherwise this guarantee is against manufacturing defects only. This is because individual filling, use and care which does not follow the BS instructions for use can lead to the premature degradation of the product.

THWBCo. has advised consumers for over 25 years to replace their hwbs at least every 2 years from the date of purchase, to ensure that the hwb being used is safe and fit for purpose.

So forget the date daisy and forget the guarantee and ALWAYS keep your receipt, so you know when you bought your hwb, and make sure you:

• 1) are filling, using and caring for your hwb properly: watch our safety video here 
• 2) regularly check your hwb for signs of wear and damage
• 3) replace your hwb at least every 2 years, from the date of purchase, or more regularly if you are unsure, or can see signs of degradation. 
• 4) are buying a safe hot water bottle. Read more about shopping for a safe hwbs here.

All our hot water bottles comply with the current BS 1970:2012 and in some instances exceed the requirements of the standard. Products are tested and certified to BS in independent product testing laboratories such as Eurofins and Intertek. In addition our factories carry out regular in-house testing to ensure products being produced are consistently complying with the BS and are ready for market.

For more information on this topic or to talk to us about hot water bottle safety please get in touch.