They say a watched pot never boils, but boiling water over and over can feel like forever. An instant boiling water tap does the trick in a fraction of the time.
Stylish, high quality options exist from household names like Franke and InSinkerator and even smaller brands. A little pricey but a worthy investment if you’re looking to stay style relevant in the kitchen.
Easy to use
If you’re looking to spruce up your kitchen and bring it bang up to date, or if you just want the convenience of instantly boiled water for tea and other hot drinks then a boiling tap is an excellent choice. These taps replace your traditional tap and usually have a dedicated boiling only spout which is triggered by an additional rap of the lever (sometimes known as a kettle tap).
They work by connecting to a thermally-insulated tank of water underneath your sink, the size of which can vary between brands. The tanks are preheated and stored at a consistent temperature – when you turn on your tap, it draws water from the hot tank and instantly dispenses it through your kitchen tap. The spout is also insulated to prevent it from getting too hot to touch. Once the water is used it’s automatically replaced with fresh cool water.
They can be a little more expensive than a mixer tap but are often worth the extra cost for the convenience they offer. They’re also easy to maintain and don’t require any specialist plumbing, just plug straight into your mains water supply and a standard 13 amp switched socket. They’re also designed with safety in mind, with a child-safe spring catch that’s activated by pushing down, twisting and holding the tap, then released when you release your hand. Most taps also have a digital display that shows you the current water temperature.
Energy efficient
Instant boiling water taps use less energy than traditional kettles. This is mainly because they heat the water on demand only when it’s being used. This reduces energy consumption as well as water waste. It’s estimated that 67% of kettle owners overfill their kettles, resulting in a significant amount of wasted water, which equates to around 3,500 tonnes every year!
Boiling taps also maintain a constant temperature. This is a benefit for anyone who likes to steam vegetables, make hot chocolate and even sterilise baby bottles.
However, despite their benefits, boiling water taps do use some energy to keep the water at or near boiling temperatures. Depending on the model, this can be an issue for those looking to minimise their energy bills.
The main reason behind this is that, when water boils, it turns into steam. Then, when the steam condenses back into liquid form it does so in a percussive manner. This is what creates the sound you hear from a boiling water tap.
This percussive motion isn’t good for the pipes in your kitchen, and it can cause damage if it is allowed to continue. As a result, all boiler taps have some form of safety precaution to prevent this from happening. The CDA TH102CH 3-in-1, for example, has a child lock and spring loaded lever to ensure that the tap can’t be left running unattended.
Saves you time
Instant boiling water taps are a modern kitchen convenience that can save time and energy. They can replace both traditional taps and kettles and can dispense hot, cold and filtered drinking water.
They work by replacing the normal sink tap with an electric boiler and a tank heater installed underneath your sink. The cold water is drawn through the tap and into the base of the insulated tank where it is electrically heated, which then dispenses boiling hot water at the touch of a button.
Once the boiling water is used it is automatically replaced with fresh cool water. The taps also offer a safety feature where you have to push and hold down a button before the spout can be turned on, which prevents the potential of scalding accidents.
The taps have a built-in water filtration system that reduces cryptosporidium, giardia, lead and bad taste to provide pure, healthy drinking water. They are also easy to clean and can be fitted to any kitchen sink.
Using an instant boiling water tap can cut down on energy consumption in your home, as you only heat the amount of aqua that you need. Many homeowners tend to overfill their kettles which wastes energy heating and reboiling the same water over and over again. By only dispensing what you need, a boiling water tap can make a big difference to your energy consumption and help reduce carbon emissions.
Aesthetically pleasing
From a design point of view, boiling water taps are sleek and modern. Many are available in a range of finishes that can blend seamlessly into your kitchen.
Most models have a small thermally-insulated tank with a heater that keeps the water hot, reducing energy consumption compared to using a kettle. Additionally, because you only boil the amount of water you need, it’s less likely to waste energy through overfilling like with traditional kettles.
Boiling water taps also help reduce energy consumption in standby mode. They typically use zero electricity when not in use and can often save energy costs over time due to their efficiency and reduced standby usage compared to a kettle.
Some boiling water taps also have built-in filtration systems that provide pure, filtered drinking water at the touch of a button. This can eliminate the need to further boil your drinking water and can also remove giardia cysts, cryptosporidium, lead and other harmful bacteria.
These features make a boiling water tap an excellent choice for households with young children and those wanting to live a greener lifestyle. They also offer greater convenience compared to traditional taps and kettles, which can be a hassle when you’re busy cooking or making drinks. The instant access to boiling water can also reduce your plastic bottle use and help you save space on your worktops.