Rant: That fancy heated birdbath was a complete waste of $40

I picked up a heated birdbath from the hardware store last December, thought it would keep the birds happy through the cold snap. But it didn't even last two weeks before the heating element fizzled out. The water froze solid on day ten, and I had to chip ice out of it with a screwdriver. Now the plastic base is cracked from the freeze-thaw cycles, and it's sitting in my shed collecting dust. My old ceramic dish on a rock does the same job for free, and I just replace the ice with warm water each morning. Has anyone else had better luck with a different setup for winter water?

2 comments

2 Comments

jason3281mo ago

$40 for a birdbath that barely outlived a loaf of bread. Guess the birds won't be filing any complaints about the fancy heating element, just the plastic cracking like my patience.

theathomas1mo ago

Two winters ago I actually thought those heated birdbaths were a solid deal, figured the plastic was just extra insulation or something. Then mine cracked right down the middle after the first real freeze, same exact spot you're talking about, and I had to watch the water drain out overnight while the heating element kept buzzing away uselessly. I guess I figured the price meant they'd engineer it to last more than one season, but nope, it's just a fancy way to light money on fire. Now I just use a big ceramic dish and a cheap aquarium heater and the birds are just as happy, so you're not missing anything.

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