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Water heater for bottles - is there such a thing?

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  • 18-01-2014 2:04am
    #1
    Registered Users Posts: 856 ✭✭✭


    Hi Folks,

    I am wondering if there is such a thing as a water boiler that will maintain water temperature at 70 degrees for making bottles?

    I know there are various machines that will boil the water and then cool it quickly and measure the formula so that you make bottles in 2 mins, but that is not what I am after. I have twins, and although I am combined feeding (well trying to!) I still make quite a lot of bottles each day. Those machines wouldn't really be great for me, as by the time I made 8 or ten bottles, it would take 20 or more mins anyway, which is the almost as long as boiling the kettle and letting it cool!

    My biggest pain in the neck is that after the kettle is boiled, so many times something has distracted me and 30 mins comes and goes without me remembering to fill the bottles. Keeping track of that 30 mins has become the bain of my life! I have lost track of the number of kettles I have boiled only to remember them 45 mins later and then have to start all over again! I have a kitchen timer, which somewhat helps, but loads of times the timer goes off, I say right, I'll go make my bottles and then one of the babies crys, 10 mins goes past and then I realise its 40 mins since the kettle boiled and then I am afraid to use the water because the PHN was adament that it CANNOT cool for more than 30 mins!

    So I was thinking, if there was an invention that boiled the water and then cooled it to 70 degrees quickly, or maintained the water at that temp until you are ready for it it would be a godsend.

    Does anyone know of such a miraculous thing? If not, I am off to Dragons Den with my idea!


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Comments

  • Closed Accounts Posts: 18,268 ✭✭✭✭uck51js9zml2yt


    I dint think 10 minutes is a deal breaker for bottles. the question I'd ask is does the phn have kids. if she had she'd know the reality of having kids and move out of her armchair.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 12,898 ✭✭✭✭Ken.




  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,948 ✭✭✭Sligo1


    What time are you preparing the bottles? Could you possibly do it in the evening when you initially put your little ones down and everything is a bit more settled? (If there is such a thing as settled with twins!).

    My OH has always prepared the bottles at night for 24 hours as I absolutely detested doing them! I had to show him a couple times tho... If you have a partner perhaps he could do them for you? Would be a great help to you as you're breast feeding aswell.

    Ps... I'm sure an extra 5-10 min of cooling the water isn't going matter too much...


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,948 ✭✭✭Sligo1


    I had a quick look at links posted by others and these just appear to be bottle warmers as opposed to actual devices that you could place multiple bottles in that would keep the water at 70 degrees for you whilst you prepare them.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,948 ✭✭✭Sligo1


    O, I just thought of this which might help?!

    http://www.clevamama.com/index.php/products/feeding

    Will help you make the bottles so much quicker as you're only using one pre set scoop set to a specific amount rather than 1,2,3,4,5 etc scoops per bottle!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 23,862 ✭✭✭✭January


    It's not something like a Burco you want, is it?

    http://www.brennancateringsupplies.ie/burco-hot-water-dispenser-4314.html

    Obviously not that one, but something that holds the water at a certain temperature?


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,251 ✭✭✭cyning




  • Registered Users Posts: 2,510 ✭✭✭nikpmup


    Sligo1 wrote: »
    O, I just thought of this which might help?!

    http://www.clevamama.com/index.php/products/feeding

    Will help you make the bottles so much quicker as you're only using one pre set scoop set to a specific amount rather than 1,2,3,4,5 etc scoops per bottle!

    I bought that and it's useless, don't bother :)

    I use a kitchen timer, and make the bottles at night when he's down. I wash & sterilise them in the morning though - so today's 4 bottles are in the sink, ready to be washed in the morning, tomorrows bottles are being prepared now. I also set the timer for 25 mins rather than 30, so if I do get distracted I have a few mins grace.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,948 ✭✭✭Sligo1


    nikpmup wrote: »
    I bought that and it's useless, don't bother :)

    Really? Whys that? I don't have one but was gonna buy one for my next baby in case breast feeding doesn't work out.... It looks so handy! Did it not work?


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  • Registered Users Posts: 2,510 ✭✭✭nikpmup


    Sligo1 wrote: »
    Really? Whys that? I don't have one but was gonna buy one for my next baby in case breast feeding doesn't work out.... It looks so handy! Did it not work?

    I thought it would be handy too, but it's really not. Scooping such a large amount of formula into it results in clumps of excess formula all over the edges of the thing, air pockets in the formula so it's not measured accurately, trying to tip six or seven scoops of formula into a bottle just ends up with it everywhere (the little funnel thingy that comes with it is more useless than the thing itself!) and because the 70degrees water is steaming, the formula sticks to bloody everything. Big mess. And just in case it was just me making an unholy haimes of it, I got my OH to try it, as well as my sister and my friend (veterans of two and three kids respectively!) and they made just as much of a mess as me!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 23,862 ✭✭✭✭January


    nikpmup wrote: »
    I thought it would be handy too, but it's really not. Scooping such a large amount of formula into it results in clumps of excess formula all over the edges of the thing, air pockets in the formula so it's not measured accurately, trying to tip six or seven scoops of formula into a bottle just ends up with it everywhere (the little funnel thingy that comes with it is more useless than the thing itself!) and because the 70degrees water is steaming, the formula sticks to bloody everything. Big mess. And just in case it was just me making an unholy haimes of it, I got my OH to try it, as well as my sister and my friend (veterans of two and three kids respectively!) and they made just as much of a mess as me!

    I was going to buy one for my sis! Thanks for review!


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,510 ✭✭✭nikpmup


    January wrote: »
    I was going to buy one for my sis! Thanks for review!

    It's a great idea in theory but it just doesn't work


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,948 ✭✭✭Sligo1


    nikpmup wrote: »
    It's a great idea in theory but it just doesn't work

    Yea it totally makes sense what you're saying... I'm actually now picturing it being a big mess! As you say good in theory tho. I won't be buying one so :)


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,510 ✭✭✭nikpmup


    What I do these days is sterilise an extra bottle, measure the scoops of formula into the bottles before the hot water, then use the spare bottle to measure out the water and pour it in on top of the formula, then shake to mix. Steam makes formula so messy, it sticks to everything! Putting the formula into empty bottles is so much handier.


  • Registered Users Posts: 11,264 ✭✭✭✭jester77


    For keeping water warm we use a normal thermo flask. For cooling boiling water quickly we use the cool twister, best thing ever.

    http://www.amazon.de/gp/aw/d/B000NAZZSE/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1390120714&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX110_SY165_QL70


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 12,449 ✭✭✭✭pwurple


    nikpmup wrote: »
    What I do these days is sterilise an extra bottle, measure the scoops of formula into the bottles before the hot water, then use the spare bottle to measure out the water and pour it in on top of the formula, then shake to mix. Steam makes formula so messy, it sticks to everything! Putting the formula into empty bottles is so much handier.

    That's what I did too!

    On the 70 degree thing, there are (very expensive) taps you can get for kitchens that dispense water at your given temperature. They have them in restaurants, like burco boilers, for making lots of cups of tea instantly. Some coffee machines can be set to a temp as well. Maybe you could borrow one... Know anyone into coffee?

    It's probably that you have to boil kettle several times to get a 24 hour batch done is it? Maybe something simple like a bigger capacity kettle? Water will cool slower in a bigger qty too.

    Found a 2 litre kettle on amazon.
    http://www.amazon.co.uk/Burco-Commercial-Kettle-2-Litre/dp/B000BNDGCU


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,510 ✭✭✭nikpmup


    My sister also bought a spare kettle, cheap plastic one, for bottles only, as it would drive her doolally if anyone used the kettle to make tea while she was waiting for it to cool!


  • Registered Users Posts: 856 ✭✭✭Hello Lady!


    Thanks for the replies folks but it's not a bottle warmer I am after. As another poster mentioned its almost like a burko boiler type thing I was wondering about. At the moment my milk is still coming in enough for full feeds for two hungry babies. So I am making bottles for all feeds and adding breast milk to them. I actually just don't have time to put them on the breast for every feed - I can get a bottle into them in about 20 mins but a breast feed takes at least 45 mins to over an hour. It means it is taking my milk longer to build up, but I am mainly expressing milk and giving one or two breast feeds a day but even these need to have some supplementation with a bottle.

    To give you an idea I make 14-16 bottles each night which last me through the night and for most of the day (feeding every 2-3 hours). If they are cluster feeding I will need a few more than this as they could look for a feed every hour.

    Sometimes I make the bottles, sometimes hubby does. Add in the extra complication of colic and I need to always have bottles on hand because the colief drops need to be added to the bottles 4 hours in advance of needing them so you can't let the supply run down to zero which means I make bottles at least twice a day.

    It honestly seems like every time I go into the kitchen I am either washing bottles, sterilising them or making them up!

    My life would be so much easier if I had a boiler where I could boil the water, it gets cooled to 70° and then gets maintained at that temp until I am ready to make the bottles.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,948 ✭✭✭Sligo1


    Off to Dragons Den with you! I'd buy one... And I'll only be making bottles for one baby....


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  • Registered Users Posts: 2,510 ✭✭✭nikpmup


    I feel for you HL, I've only one babóg and it feels like I'm forever washing the bloody bottles! I'm using Dr browns bottles which have about six parts each! I'm gonna try to move him back onto normal bottles, I've given him a couple of those ready made SMA bottles with the pre sterilised teats and he seemed to tolerate them okay, not too many problems with wind so he might be ready for the Tommee Tippee ones now.......

    Occasionally, if I want to treat myself over a weekend (or when I just can't be dealing with bottles & formula making, like the day we were broken into) I buy a two day supply of ready made bottles and you can buy disposable, pre sterilised bottles in packs of five in boots. It's like a little holiday from the bottle making :)


  • Hosted Moderators Posts: 13,425 ✭✭✭✭Ginny


    http://www.babybrezza.com/ something like this, but it says room temp only...dunno how the rules for formal are so different in the US.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 12,449 ✭✭✭✭pwurple


    I found another burco boiler , 4 litre with a keep warm feature. Maybe emails them and ask what temp that is at?

    http://www.amazon.co.uk/Burco-Commercial-Kettle-77008/dp/B000MLPJGC/ref=sr_1_17?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1390122465&sr=1-17&keywords=Burco


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,510 ✭✭✭nikpmup


    Those boilers would have to get the water to 100 degrees first so that the water is sterile, not sure if they do?


  • Registered Users Posts: 856 ✭✭✭Hello Lady!


    Ginny wrote: »
    http://www.babybrezza.com/ something like this, but it says room temp only...dunno how the rules for formal are so different in the US.
    That's pretty much the same thing like the Tommee Tippee machine, but at least the Tommee Tippee one heats it enough to sterilise the formula. This one doesn't seem to. I wonder if formula powder is sterile in the US?


    pwurple wrote: »
    I found another burco boiler , 4 litre with a keep warm feature. Maybe emails them and ask what temp that is at?

    http://www.amazon.co.uk/Burco-Commercial-Kettle-77008/dp/B000MLPJGC/ref=sr_1_17?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1390122465&sr=1-17&keywords=Burco

    Description says it keeps the water at 90°

    gctest50 wrote: »
    This might work. I would have to wait for the kettle to boil and then turn it to 70° but it's the closest thing to what I'm looking for. Thanks for that, might look into getting that.


  • Registered Users Posts: 856 ✭✭✭Hello Lady!


    Ginny wrote: »
    http://www.babybrezza.com/ something like this, but it says room temp only...dunno how the rules for formal are so different in the US.
    That's pretty much the same thing like the Tommee Tippee machine, but at least the Tommee Tippee one heats it enough to sterilise the formula. This one doesn't seem to. I wonder if formula powder is sterile in the US?


    pwurple wrote: »
    I found another burco boiler , 4 litre with a keep warm feature. Maybe emails them and ask what temp that is at?

    http://www.amazon.co.uk/Burco-Commercial-Kettle-77008/dp/B000MLPJGC/ref=sr_1_17?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1390122465&sr=1-17&keywords=Burco

    Description says it keeps the water at 90°

    gctest50 wrote: »
    This might work. I would have to wait for the kettle to boil and then turn it to 70° but it's the closest thing to what I'm looking for. Thanks for that, might look into getting that.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,641 ✭✭✭sillysocks


    Just as an aside relating to washing bottles, I have the Dr Browns and used to do my head in washing them. Then I found dishwasher baskets that Dr Broqns make (and I'm guessing other manufacturers do too) which have special slots for all the pieces of the bottles. So on my second baby I used to just put the bottles into the dishwasher every day and sterilise them after (well once he reached about 6 months I gave up on sterilising as dishwasher gets so hot anyway).

    Saved my sanity for sure! Those bottles are a curse to wash.


  • Registered Users Posts: 398 ✭✭SupaDupaFly


    Could this be what you are looking for?


    http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B004XJ9IN4


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,948 ✭✭✭Sligo1


    Hello lady! This was posted in the newborns and toddlers thread http://m.ebay.ie/itm?itemId=161193334352

    I'd say would be so handy for you. It won't keep the water heated etc but will let you make one big batch of milk in one go to keep in fridge and you won't be spending ages making individual bottles while your 70 degree water gets cold. Could be an idea....


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