Instant hot/boiling taps for the kitchen

[u587162]

Hello

I am after one of those instant hot taps and was quoted for one at the Grand Designs show. Quooker seems to be a popular choice at around a grand given that it is the only instant boiling tap (they claim to store 3l of water at 110 degrees in a vacuumed cylinder) compared with the Zip tap which is 95 degrees (or something like that). In the office we have a Vivreau hot and cold tap.

How efficient are these taps at not wasting energy and are they worth having in a high end kitchen?

 

[muggles]

They use a huge amount of energy. People who buy them tend to value convenience over cost. Whether it's worth having depends entirely on whether you feel that two minutes is too long to wait for your kettle to boil

 

[The831Bunny]

I looked at these taps some time ago, but in the end decided through speaking to customers, that most people had bad experiences with them not working after a short period etc etc.

As a result, we've had the BIBO filter quite a few years now, cracking bit of kit. Depends if you want to take up worktop space or not. Hot, colds and mixed temperatures fully customisable, as well as timeable.

Never let us down in over four years so far.

http://www.bibowater.co.uk/shop/bibo-classic/

 

[stardanny]

I'll stick to good old kettle....

Danie.

 

[JeyHey]

Hello

I am after one of those instant hot taps and was quoted for one at the Grand Designs show. Quooker seems to be a popular choice at around a grand given that it is the only instant boiling tap (they claim to store 3l of water at 110 degrees in a vacuumed cylinder) compared with the Zip tap which is 95 degrees (or something like that). In the office we have a Vivreau hot and cold tap.

How efficient are these taps at not wasting energy and are they worth having in a high end kitchen? If you want sleek design and convenience, an aqua libra tap might be worth checking out — it offers hot and cold water instantly without the clutter of kettles or bulky appliances. In a modern kitchen or office, it’s a subtle upgrade that adds both practicality and style.

Hi! Just to share — I installed a boiling-water tap in my own kitchen recently and it’s been a real game changer. I went with a system similar to the one you saw at Grand Designs — it keeps 2–3 litres at near-boil temperature continuously, ready on demand. For me, it’s proven surprisingly efficient: the insulation on the cylinder means heat loss is minimal, so I’m not seeing a big spike in energy bills.
For a high-end kitchen — especially if you drink tea or coffee often — I’d say it’s absolutely worth it. It cuts down waiting time, reduces kettle usage, and feels premium every time you use it.

 

[Alan 483256]

Hi! Just to share

This is a 9 year old thread!

 

[ChrisJP]

This is a 9 year old thread!

And still people are installing these boiling water taps!
If the Quooker really does keep its water reserve near boiling continuously, then apart from the waste of energy doing so, it won't be much good for making tea - which requires freshly boiled water without all the dissolved oxygen removed, to taste good.
With modern 3kW electric kettles boiling from cold in about 2 minutes I really don't understand the "convenience" offered by boiling water taps. What convenience?

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

With modern 3kW electric kettles boiling from cold in about 2 minutes I really don't understand the "convenience" offered by boiling water taps. What convenience?

And, if you cannot afford to waste the 2 minutes for it to boil, just turn the kettle on, two minutes before you plan to need it - then it will be ready..

 

[opps]

According to an episode of the BBC R4 programme, Sliced Bread, they will use less electricity than a kettle if you make (from memory) 14 cups of tea a day. Then you have to factor in the purchase cost and installation cost. You also need to factor in the cost of replacing the reservoir if you live in a hard water area.

Years ago, "we" (past tense) had the Insinkerator version. The water always seemed to be on the colder side. On the upside, we once woke during a power cut. The water was hot enough to make a couple of cups of tea/coffee (we now longer had a gas hob).

A customer of mine spent quite a bit of time researching them, he went for the Quooker version. He determined that the water from some of the other brands didn't taste as good.

Oh, and something else to consider, the proprietary taps don't seem to be serviceable. Once the tap develops an issue, you might be looking at a £700+ replacement. From previous posts here, it seems that some suppliers will sell you a discounted tap if it is less than 5 or 7 years old. Regardless, £700 for a tap that cannot be repaired after 5 or 7 years?

 

[Exedon]

I've a customer few villages away who has a Quooker but due to our wonderful hard water she was having it serviced 3 times a year at £230 + vat a go.
We have fitted a purpose made filter to it now slowed servicing to once a year.