Westminster Hand Boilers (Colors May Vary)

Many, many MANY people have reviewed this item and complained about how fragile it is. This is a toy, yes, but it's not a softball or a stuffed monkey that goes in the toy box at the end of the day. It would not function properly if the glass were much thicker. The idea behind this is to show body heat- you hold the boiler in your hand and the thin glass allows for your body heat to warm the liquid so it rises to the top. I had one as a kid (about third grade) and managed to not break it- although my dog's tail was a bit more destructive.This is not something to buy for your toddler or your hyper-active kid who likes bouncing things and running- and definitely should be used with supervision if you are worried that your child might be a little too careless as of yet to play with glass or potentially-sharp things alone. This is GREAT and very interesting for little ones to learn from, so they can experience the unseen mysteries of the world, but it's not rubber, folks.Having had one as a kid, I couldn't resist buying one as an adult. It holds people's interest longer than one might expect, even adults. Nobody seems to be able to walk by these unique looking little glass sculptures without wanting to play with it. I really, really love this thing, and would HIGHLY RECOMMEND it to anyone who understands their purpose.

We got this handboiler for our 9 year old son on his birthday. He is very interested in science so we thought he'd get a kick out of this. You place the base of the boiler in the palm of your hand, wrap your fingers around it and seconds later the liquid travels up the tube and starts boiling in the top. It is a pretty cool trick that all his brothers wanted to try. It is something that is fun to do over and over again. The only downside is that it is thin glass and extremely fragile. Do not buy for very young children.

My review is little different than those that precede. The inappropriate container ("Love Thermometer") arrived in good condition (somewhat miraculously since it is so fragile). Because it has no secure stand or holder and because it is made of very thin glass, it is very prone to tipping over. When my four year old saw it, she was amazed by the "boiling" purple water (the color selection was just fine by me). After a few minutes, we put it down on a table. An hour later, an accident struck since it was so unobtrusive that someone didn't realize it was there (not my daughter, however). It fell to the floor and shattered. What prior reviews do not mention is that whatever the liquid contents were, they go right into wooden floors and instantly stain with a permanency that is unbelievable. We'll definitely have to resand the living room floor to get the stain removed. If anybody knows the contents and an "antidote" for my floor, I would appreciate a posting.

I have an 8 year old daughter who is starting to find quite a bit of enjoyment with experiments and whatnot. I thought this would be a fun novelty and it was! She really enjoys being able to watch the liquid flow up through the spiral (we received the red one). She has a lot of fun watching it go up and down. It also looks pretty neat sitting on a shelf.The problem I have with it is the thin glass, it is pretty fragile and I would not recommend it for the little ones as the thin glass could be potentially dangerous. This is not one of those toys your child will play with over and over again because the novelty wears off pretty fast. But, it is relatively inexpensive and her friends get a kick out of it too.

The hand boiler was really alot of fun for all ages - it was purchased as a Christmas gift for our 12 year old daughter, but we showed it to friends and family members of all ages, and everyone really enjoyed seeing how it worked. I only gave durability 3 stars, but the item is made of glass, so it has to be handled with a certain amount of care. It still works fine and it's a conversation piece for anyone who sees it. No one can resist holding it and watching it work. I highly recommend the hand boiler for the curious, both young and old.

These are beautiful and work well, but not for a classroom. These would work best with small groups of kids that understand the word "gentle". I have 6 "old school" hand boilers that are the boring shape with the reddish pink colored liquid inside. I ordered these fun and colorful ones and 3 broke in one day. Now, 1 breaking I could blame the student(s) and just write it off. 3 in one day. Broken. Done. I don't even put the other one out anymore because the glass is a pain to clean up when it shatters. You can feel how thin and delicate the glass is immediately, compared to the old school ones. Lesson learned. Won't order them for my classroom again.

This is such an amazing science lesson and project! I bought this for my kids to teach them about temperatures and science. This is such a fun way for them to learn and have a great hands on experience. Watching their excitement when the bubbles started to appear was unbelievable! Thank You!! Highly Recommend!