Review: Skele-Gro Water Bottle from Oliver’s Brighton

We recently reported on some of the new additions to the Harry Potter official merchandise. One of the new items is the cool Skele-Gro Water Bottle. Luckily, we didn’t have to pay a visit to Rubens Winikus to get one. Thanks to the lovely Oliver’s Brighton shop, our Standards & Procedures Assistant, Lorena Wildering,  got the chance to try one out!

Harry Potter fans will, no doubt, remember this particular brew. This water bottle is a faithful replica of the skeletal bottle Madam Pomfrey gives to Harry to grow the bones in his arm back in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets after that little… er… incident with Professor Lockhart.

Even though it gets far less attention than some of its more famous counterparts, such as Polyjuice Potion, Amortentia, or Felix Felicis, and while it only gets a few seconds of screen time in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, the bone-regrowing potion is one of the most recognizable objects in the wizarding world.

It’s a shame how little attention it got throughout the series. Let’s face it – a potion that can regrow bones? That sounds way more impressive than causing ephemeral luck or infatuation.

But while it is a terrible-tasting potion on screen, it’s a great piece of merch to carry around at all times. First and foremost, it helps the environment. For the past few years, I’ve been trying my best to live a more eco-friendly lifestyle. I’ve been eating less meat; I tend to buy more clothes from thrift stores; and, of course, I always carry a couple of tote bags for groceries, as well as a reusable water bottle to quench my thirst on these hot summer days.

The Skele-Gro Water Bottle is the perfect companion on hot summer days.

In fact, I couldn’t have received this bottle at a better time, what with this week-long heatwave in sunny Lisbon, Portugal. While it’s not exactly the same as wearing a violet cloak in the middle of the street, like what happened with Mr. Dursley, I certainly got a few glances from a handful of Muggles while drinking from it.

A Hufflepuff staying hydrated with the Skele-Gro Water Bottle

I took it everywhere with me this week, and it kept me hydrated while getting some work done at a coffee shop and on a trip to the beach. I really liked the fact that it’s so light, but on the other hand, because it’s made of plastic, it meant the cold water soon turned lukewarm. The skull is actually a screw cap, and while it looks cool, it’s not the most practical option for a quick sip.

The Skele-Gro bottle holds 330 mL/11 oz. of water – or pumpkin juice! – and it’s not microwavable or, sadly, dishwasher safe. These reusable bottles tend to get a bit of a funky smell, so it’s very important to rinse them at the end of every day and leave them open to dry. I tend to do a more thorough scrub every week or so with hot water and soap.

To recap, some high points for this water bottle: It’s eco-friendly, light, and it will make any fan nod their head in approval. As for the low points: It won’t keep your chosen beverage cold for very long, and the screw top doesn’t make it very practical.

Regrowing bones may be a nasty business, but taking this water bottle with you certainly isn’t. It’s a great companion, especially while visiting one of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme parks! While it probably won’t grow your bones back in case they magically go missing, you could still make use of it as Dobby did… although we wouldn’t recommend that.

The next time you are in the United Kingdom, be sure to visit Oliver’s Brighton – Brighton’s Award-Winning Wizarding Shop – for an abundance of magical items. Oliver’s Brighton is not affiliated with the “Harry Potter” franchise, J.K. Rowling or Warner Bros.

The Skele-Gro Water Bottle was provided by Oliver’s Brighton in exchange for an honest review. All opinions belong to the reviewer.