You can get hot water – almost boiling – instantly with a tap that attaches to a small tank underneath your sink. This makes tea, cooking, cleaning and washing up a breeze.
The tanks are insulated and hidden out of sight so curious children or forgetful adults won’t get burnt. Read on to find out how these amazing gadgets work, and what you should consider before buying one.
Convenience
One of the main benefits of having an instant tap is that it can save time. Boiling a kettle can take quite some time, especially if you need to boil multiple cups of water at once.
Instant taps also reduce the amount of energy used as well as saving water. Heating an entire kettle for a cup of tea or using the microwave to heat water for cleaning often results in people filling the vessel up with more water than they need, which then ends up being wasted – but with a hot water tap this is not a problem. A tap that only dispenses the exact amount of water needed can be a huge resource and money saver as well as making your refreshment area look more professional and modern.
The tap is connected to a small tank under the sink that stores hot water until it is required. This tank is insulated to keep the water at a safe temperature so that pets and less-mindful family members don’t risk burns or injury. The water is heated when you turn on the tap, but unlike a traditional kettle it does not build pressure so there is no chance of accidental scalding.
A sprung safety handle which requires a double push and twist to activate the flow of hot water means that it is not easy to accidentally dispense boiling water. A flashing ring of light also warns that the water is hot, helping to prevent accidental activation.
Saves Water
Having instant hot water taps installed can help you save money on your energy bills. They help you to avoid running gallons of water down the drain while you wait for your water to heat up. Thousands of gallons of water are run down the drain every year while people wait for their hot showers to start.
With a hot water tap, your water is heated up in the tank under your sink based on a thermostat. It isn’t heated to boiling point, as this would turn it into steam. However, it is at a temperature that is perfect for cooking and making tea and coffee.
When you use a kettle, it can be difficult to keep up with demand. It’s common for people to overfill kettles, which can result in a lot of wasted water. Instant hot water taps, on the other hand, can be much more responsive to demand and are designed to only dispense the amount of water that is needed.
A hot water tap can also help to declutter your kitchen workspace as it eliminates the need for a kettle, which can free up space on your worktops. However, the best way to decide if an instant hot water tap is right for you is by checking out the different models available from Borg & Overstrom and finding one that matches your requirements.
Saves Money
Unlike kettles, which require you to fill them up, boiling water taps only dispense the amount of water that is needed. This helps to save on energy bills, as it is less likely you will overfill and have to re-boil the water. In fact, the average person overfills their kettle by over 100 litres each time they use it, which equates to 3500 tonnes of wasted energy each day.
Instant boiling water taps can also help you to save on electricity costs as they are more efficient than kettles. It will cost around 5.27p per day to run a boiling water tap, and if you are using it several times a day, then it can be cheaper than the average electric kettle.
Many of the best boiling water taps come fitted with a filter, which helps to reduce limescale and impurities from your drinking water, which can affect the taste. This can help to make your tea and coffee tasting better, as well as helping with cleaning and sterilising items such as baby bottles, animal food bowls and more.
There are a number of different brands of boiling water taps available, some like the Quooker use a pressurised system and others such as Mokka and Zip use a non-pressurised, vented, system. Each will have its own benefits, but it is important to choose a tap that suits your needs, and has a price that fits in with your budget.
Safety
Unlike traditional hot water heaters, instant hot water taps have a built-in boiler tank that heats water on demand, only when the button is pressed. This eliminates the risk of storing hot water over time and reduces energy consumption. It also avoids the risks of scalding and overheating that are associated with conventional taps and kettles.
As such, instant boiling water taps are a great alternative to the humble kettle, especially for households with young children. These appliances are fitted with safety mechanisms that make them child-proof and easy to use. In addition to child locks, instant boiling water taps are designed with insulated spouts that keep the hot water at safe drinking temperature. In addition, many of the models in our Showroom Collection come with a safety switch that needs to be activated and held down in order for the system to dispense boiling water. This prevents kids and pets from accidentally turning the tap on and releasing boiling water into your sink or cup.
In addition, some models also include a filtration system that allows you to add filtered water to your boiling water. This can help to reduce particulates, chlorine taste and odor, and heavy metals in your kitchen water. This can improve your health and the quality of the beverages you prepare. So, if you are looking for an easy way to access piping hot water in your home, consider an instant boiling water tap from a trusted brand like Zip or Insinkerator.