Boiling water taps offer instant 98°C hot water, eliminating the need to boil a kettle. They also filter your water for better tasting, healthier, hygienic drinking water.

They’re plumbed in and require an electrical connection, just like a traditional tap, but they fit through your worktops. So why do you need one?

Looks a treat

With brands such as Blanco’s NeoTank offering models that look pure class on your kitchen worktop, it’s no wonder boiling water taps are becoming more popular than ever. Yes, they’re not cheap, and require professional installation, sometimes have water tanks and some need filters too – but they’re an excellent alternative to a kettle and save you money in the long run.

These clever taps usually dispense near boiling water (between 75-98C) which can be dispensed as frequently as you need it. They’re not as hot as a kettle and, unlike filtered tap water which is colder and can contain harmful pathogens, only boils when you use the handle on the tap.

This makes them quicker and easier to use than a kettle, which you have to fill up and then wait for to boil. It also means you can make a cup of tea, brew a mug of coffee or heat up some milk for instant hot chocolate quicker and with less energy.

However, be careful not to dispense boiling water down your toilet as this can melt the wax ring in your toilet and cause a smelly leak. It’s a good idea to check your plumber’s advice on this. They will be able to tell you if your toilet is suitable for boiling water taps and advise on how to install and maintain them safely.

Convenience

Boiling water taps are the next level in kitchen convenience. They replace both your traditional tap and kettle, delivering boiling hot water on demand. They’re popular with people wanting to upgrade their kitchen and create a more efficient workspace.

The taps are plumbed directly into the mains, which means you won’t need a separate hot water tank in the garage or back yard. They have a small, thermally-insulated tank with a heater, which keeps the water at about 98 degrees. It is pumped out of the tap when you press the additional lever, which can be found underneath or on top of your existing tap spout.

It’s worth noting that the boiling water tap does not actually dispense boiling point (100oC) water, so it may only appear to be boiling at lower pressure than your regular tap. This shouldn’t impact its functionality and a good guide is QETTLE’s handy video showing how water pressure impacts the appearance of boiling water.

Once you get used to having a boiling water tap, it really does make it much easier to do things like cook, clean and wash. The taps are also designed with safety in mind and have child locks – it’s important to use them with care as the water will be at a very high temperature, so be careful not to splash or burn yourself! Many manufacturers offer service plans which ensure that a qualified technician visits your home at regular intervals to carry out maintenance tasks.

Safety

As with any tap, children should be supervised near boiling water. The tap has a child-safe spring lock that shuts off the flow of hot water when the tap is turned off, reducing the risk of accidental scalding. The spout is also thermally insulated so it doesn’t get hot to the touch. Hanstrom’s boiling water taps are also engineered with a pressure sensor to ensure the cylinder isn’t running empty or overheating.

Boiling water taps store the cylinder at just under 100°C, so it takes less than a minute to reheat to full capacity after being turned off. The tank monitors the system’s temperature and can detect when a filter needs replacing, ensuring you always have clean, boiling water ready to go.

Some models have a built-in filtered hot water function, meaning you can choose whether or not to boil water in your kitchen. Zip HydroTaps are a good example of this. They have a built-in filtration system that is certified to reduce cryptosporidium and giardia cysts as well as lead by up to 98.9%, providing you with safe and filtered water to drink at the touch of a button.

Alternatively, BRITA’s ThermalGateTM technology heats the tap to disinfect against germs and prevent limescale build-up. They’re perfect for hospitality environments, replacing bulky water urns in hotels or restaurants. They can even be installed on manufacturing sites to help keep a busy workforce hydrated without taking up valuable space.

Maintenance

A well-maintained boiling water tap is a long-lasting and functional appliance. It will not only save you space, help reduce your reliance on single-use plastic and be a sleek and stylish addition to your kitchen, but it will also cut down on your energy bills too. With this in mind, it is important that you take the time to maintain your tap.

A lot of the maintenance that a boiling water tap requires is simple, but it can be easy to overlook. One of the most important things that you need to do is to ensure that the tap is turned off when it’s not in use. This prevents the tap from constantly heating water and causing your energy bill to skyrocket.

The way in which a 3-in-1 tap is switched off will differ between models, but most of them will feature some sort of child-safe locking mechanism. For example, the CDA TH102CH model has a safety button which is spring loaded so that it’s impossible to leave the tap on accidentally.

It is a good idea to clean your tap on a weekly basis using a damp cloth and a mild detergent solution. This will keep your tap looking good and smelling fresh. Alternatively, on a bi-weekly basis you could spray your tap with diluted lemon juice to return its natural vigour and shine. instant boiling water tap

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