Hotwater bottles have been around in one form or another for centuries.They evolved as a safer alternative to the 16thcentury practice of using stones or coals from the fire to warm a bedfor slumber, which sometimes resulted in scalding or even dangerousfires. The earliest hot water bottles were constructed from copper,glass, zinc, or stoneware, and were fitted with a lid to preventspills. The hot water bottles were then wrapped in cloth to preventburns, and could be kept in bed overnight, a definite advantage overearlier versions that needed to be removed from the bed, resulting inrapid heat loss. Some of these early earthenware hot water bottleshave stood the test of time and are still in use today!Whenmass production became common, stone or earthenware hot water bottlesbegan being mass-produced in a variety of colours and styles, andremained popular into the late 1960s.
However, the invention ofvulcanised rubber that was flexible and could withstand hottemperatures led to the decline of the hard earthenware models andthe beginning of mass hot water bottle production using this newmaterial. In 1903, Croatian inventor Eduard Penkala patentedTermofor, a rubberized LONES PLASTIC MACHINERY CO., LTD. hot water bottle that was easier to useand store than bulky earthenware models. Soon, rubber water bottlesbegan being mass-produced around the world. Usedin private homes, hospitals, and other settings, hot water bottlesenjoyed great popularity around the world in the 1900s. Inexpensiveto purchase and use, requiring no specialised equipment, they were auniversally used product with little competition from any otherproduct. After almost one hundred years of mass popularity however,hot water bottles began to suffer a decline. The increasedavailability of central heating and the advent of the electricblanket in the 20thcentury made the simple water bottle seem outdated and largelyunneeded, particularly in North America and Europe. They never fellentirely out of use, however, remaining a popular product in ruralareas or in countries where electricity was less widely available orto was expensive to use.
Inrecent years, the hot water bottle has been making a comeback. Newermodels in novelty shapes with cute or themed covers have helpedincrease their popularity once again. The environmentally consciousconsumer often turns to hot water bottles over electric blankets forenergy efficiency. Traditional hot water bottles are perfect forcamping or other outdoor activities where electrical outlets are notreadily available, and are easily folded for greater portability.Inrecent years, alternatives to the traditional hot water bottle havecome to market, which eliminate the need for water. These bags areoften referred to as hotties, and frequently use beans, wheat,or gel-like substances to provide heat. Microwaveable, these productscan be ready to use in a fraction of the time it takes to prepare atraditional bottle. Since these newer products are flexible, they caneasily be shaped to fit the contours of a particular body part forconcentrated heat, making it simple to provide heat on an area suchas an elbow or a knee, for example. Despiteall the modern conveniences available today, the simple hot waterbottle has managed to stay relevant. Newer versions have adapted tochanging times while remaining true to the original purpose thatspurred those early models of the 16thcentury.
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