I've never owned a hot water bag before, so I wasn't sure what to expect. I simmered water in a pot for five minutes, let it cool for 30 seconds, then poured it in with a spoon. I know I could just pour it straight from the pot, but I didn't want to risk burning myself! The cloth cover is easy to slip off and on. The rubber bag began to heat up almost instantly. This bag is awesome! It felt like I was holding a warm animal or a baby in my lap. It got rid of stomach cramps easily. If you have stuff you need to do, don't use it! It's so comforting and will slowly lull you to sleep. I almost fell asleep sitting on my chair. I hugged this while going to bed. It's easy to fall asleep with, and the bag stayed warm until about 7AM, so it lasted about 8hrs with warmth. I also like using this to heat up my muscles before performing a self-massage. I noticed it helped ease soreness in the morning, compared to when I don't use it the night before. I'm using it every night and so far so good! There is no water leakage from the top, nor any ruptures in the bag. The size is ideal and there is no over-heating. Great for sleeping and warming up the body!

OTB Group