A QETTLE boiling water tap provides four flows of water from one single spout. 100°C boiling water, filtered drinking water, as well as normal hot and cold water. The unique design of a QETTLE tap means that each flow has its own waterway inside the tap. QETTLE taps are mechanical and do not rely on any electronic components.

To access boiling water, you remove the safety clip and press down the button on the handle whilst turning the handle in a clockwise direction. For filtered water, you turn the handle in an anti clockwise direction.

The compact boiler tank and filter system sit beneath your sink. The boiler stores water at 100°C, and once boiling water is dispensed from the tap, the tank immediately replenishes it. The filtered drinking water is produced by normal cold water diverting through the filter system. This removes chlorine, chemicals and any sediment from the water.

QETTLE’s Alexandra Rowe says “Well-designed boiling water taps should offer integrated safety features. If you’ve got vulnerable adults or children, choose a boiling water tap that offers a ‘belt and braces’ approach to safety. Ideally, a safety clip, which when in place, ensures that boiling water cannot be accessed, but also a handle lock.”

If you compare the safety features of a standard kettle to a boiling water tap, you’ll find that a boiling water tap is safer to use. A boiling water tap is in a fixed position, whereas a kettle could potentially be knocked over, spilling its entire contents. Unlike a kettle, a boiling water tap doesn’t have a cable which could be caught or pulled. There are lots of different designs to choose from, but if you opt for the right boiling water tap, it can be much safer and easier to use than a kettle.

Whether you’re designing a new kitchen or preparing to update your existing one, adding a boiling water tap is a great idea. A QETTLE tap shouldn’t be complicated or time consuming to install. QETTLE taps are designed for ‘plug and play’ installation and this should be a quick and straightforward job for any plumber.

You’ll need a power supply under your sink and to check your water pressure. A QETTLE boiling water tap requires a minimum of 1.5 bar of pressure on both hot and cold flows. If your water pressure exceeds 5 bar, you’ll need a pressure reducing valve. The good news is this is a simple piece of kit and an easy fix.

An important thing to consider is the space beneath your sink. You’ll need to have enough room to store the boiling water tank and filter system. A QETTLE boiler is compact, so you should still have plenty of room for cleaning materials and other household essentials.

Once you have owned a boiling water tap, it is very unlikely you’ll want to return to a standard kettle. But aren’t boiling water taps expensive?

“A boiling water tap used to be thought of as a luxury,” says Alexandra Rowe from QETTLE. “But that’s not the case anymore. In fact, thanks to new design and technology, it’s now possible to buy a 4 in 1, true boiling water tap for just over £500.00 –  without compromising on features and functionality.”

So getting a boiling water tap without breaking the bank is a realistic option.

According to QETTLE as of March 2023, the daily running cost of a QETTLE with a 4L tank is around 23p. QETTLE have made an energy calculator so you can enter your electricity tariff to get an accurate personalised running cost.

You can add a chiller unit to your QETTLE tap. These can also be retrofitted easily. The QETTLE chiller is roughly the same size as a 4L tank and it cools the filtered drinking water to between 3-6°C.

The QETTLE filter cartridge tackles both unpleasant contaminants as well as hard water. The cartridge removes chlorine, chemicals and any sediment from the water. The cartridge also helps to maintain the heating element inside the boiler tank. It is worth noting that the filter cartridge won’t soften the water from your tap. If you prefer soft water for washing up, then it would be recommended to install a water softener.