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Instant Hot Water Taps v. Kettles
When designing a new kitchen, often, people select the types of large appliances they want and design the layout of their space first. Choosing smaller appliances often comes later.
However, one decision that needs to be made early on is whether you’re going to swap out your old kettle for an instant boiling water tap.
Hot water taps are convenient and easy to use, but how do they compare to kettles?
In this guide, we will explore the pros and cons of both, answer some commonly asked questions about instant hot water taps and help you decide which option is best for you and your home.
Contents
About Appliance City
We’ve been selling excellent appliances to households for more than 35 years. We’re proud to be one of the largest appliance retailers in the UK, but we focus our help and advice on each individual we meet, helping you find the best product for you and your household.
We strive to be as competitive as possible when it comes to our prices and do everything we can to make your experience with us as straightforward and enjoyable as possible. Whether that’s helping you choose between our instant hot taps, an old-school kettle for that retro vibe or a modern kettle, or something else like recycling your old appliance on your behalf, you can count on us.
Before we jump into the boiling water tap vs kettle comparison, here’s a little information about the benefits of boiling your tap water before use:
Is Boiling Tap Water Good for You?
Boiling tap water is good for you as it kills any bacteria that may be lurking within it. Bacteria found in water cannot survive if boiled to 100 degrees Celcius. If boiled to 71 degrees Celcius bacteria can survive but for no longer than 30 minutes. So, boiling tap water is definitely good for you.
Does Boiling Tap Water Make it Distilled?
Boiling tap water does not make it distilled. To distil your water, you must:
- Boil it in a pan.
- Capture the water vapour or steam.
- Then chill the vapour until it becomes a liquid again.
Simply boiling your water will only remove some bacteria, it won’t distil it.
Will Boiling Tap Water Purify It?
If you haven’t got access to clean and treated water, boiling tap water in a pan will purify it and make it safe to drink. You must ensure that the water has reached boiling point though, this is around 100 degrees Celcius.
How Do Instant Boiling Taps Work?
A boiling water tap is essentially a heavily insulated tank of water that is connected to a tap that sits on your kitchen counter.
The water is brought to a boiling point within the tank and held there for a continuous supply of hot water. The tank for a boiling tap has approximately 25 cups per hour of hot water.
Are There Different Types of Hot Water Taps?
While we will refer to these as boiling water taps and hot water taps interchangeably within this post, it’s important to note that there is a slight difference in temperature.
Some taps will provide boiling hot water only whereas other models will offer boiling, and hot water taps.
Do Boiling Water Taps Save Money?
Although the price of the appliance, and the installation can be fairly costly, your monthly energy bills should be reduced if you opt for an instant boiling water tap as part of your new kitchen design.
This is because most people will pour more water into the kettle than is needed. This results in a kettle using more energy to heat all of the water. As more water has been boiled than needed, the leftover water will usually get poured down the sink or reheated again later on in the day.
The difference will be more significant if you live with other people and are boiling the kettle multiple times a day on separate occasions.
Boiling water taps work great if you have multiple people working or studying remotely, for example.
How Hot Are Boiling Water Taps?
Hot water tap temperatures will differ depending on the manufacturer and the model you opt for. In general, the highest temperature for most boiling water taps is 100 degrees Celcius.
How Safe Are Boiling Water Taps?
Boiling water taps aren’t dangerous when compared to some other household items. And they’re arguably safer than a kettle.
Kettles require you to pick up the appliance and tilt it to pour the water. A hot water tap eliminates most of this contact.
Boiling water taps have a lower pressure than ordinary taps. This reduced pressure prevents the boiling water from splashing or spitting at you when you’re making a brew or filling up a pan.
If you have young children or older relatives living with you and are concerned for their safety, you can purchase an instant hot water tap that has a safety lock for added peace of mind.
Will Boiling Tap Water Make It Taste Better?
Boiling tap water is known to make water taste better. This is because you’re boiling away any chemicals that may be surviving in your water.
However, in this country, our water is clean and safe to drink, so boiling it for the taste will be a personal preference.
Can You Make Tea With an Instant Hot Water Tap?
Whether you prefer hot chocolate, tea or coffee, all can be made using an instant boiling tap. Both a traditional kettle and instant hot water taps boil water to 100 degrees Celcius.
There are some smart kettles that will alter the temperature they heat to depending on whether you’re making a cup of tea or coffee.
Is an Instant Hot Water Tap Cheaper Than a Kettle?
If you’re planning on keeping the appliance for years to come, they’re a great investment. Boiling water taps are mainly installed and used for style and convenience but they also boast great energy efficiency.
While the upfront installation costs of instant hot water taps vs kettles are higher, over the years you’ll find that you make that money back and more. That’s because there is less wasted energy with a boiling water tap, meaning you save on your energy bills.
If you’re interested in an energy-efficient kitchen, a boiling water tap is a must.
The Pros and Cons of Boiling Water Taps
An instant hot water kitchen tap is incredibly easy to use, looks chic and stylish, blends into its surroundings easily, and provides instant boiling water. What’s not to love?
If boiling hot water taps have caught your fancy, let’s take a look at some of the pros and cons to see whether investing in and installing a boiling water tap is the right move for you and your household:
Pros
- Boiling water taps provide boiling water instantly at the push of a button. There’s no need to wait for the water to heat up.
- Some boiling water taps come with a flexi-hose to make filling up pans easier.
- Purchasing a hot water tap with a safety lock or child lock is considered to be safer than using a kettle.
- 4-in-1 taps provide hot, cold, boiling and filtered water. Removing the need for an additional kitchen mixer tap.
- If you or someone in your household has mobility issues, an instant hot water tap may be preferred as the need to lift to pour is eliminated.
- Boiling water taps remove nasty chemicals from your drinking water.
- There is a wide range of boiling water taps to choose from, so there will be something to suit your new kitchen design.
- An instant boiling water tap is a great space-saver if you’re keen on a minimalist kitchen – freeing up some worktop space.
Cons
- Instant boiling taps need to be fitted by a professional.
- A boiling water tap often has higher upfront costs than a kettle.
- Neither a limescale control unit nor filters are included in the cost and purchase of boiling water taps. So these need to be considered as an additional cost.
- Cupboard space will be lost due to the hot water tank – although they do provide additional worktop space.
The Pros and Cons of Kettles
There’s something to be said about the elegant simplicity of a traditional kettle. There are myriad styles to choose from, and you can even opt for a smart kettle if you want your water heated to a very specific temperature.
Let’s take a look at the advantages and disadvantages of a standard kettle:
Pros
- A regular kettle is inexpensive and vastly cheaper than a boiling water tap. When your average kettle breaks, most people tend to throw it away and buy a new one rather than invest in repairing it.
- Most traditional and modern kettles have an auto-shutoff when the maximum temperature has been reached.
- A kettle is portable. If you need to take a kettle out and about with you, it’s easy to do so. It’s also easy to pack away if you’re moving house.
- The process of pouring out any old water, refilling the kettle, waiting for the kettle to boil and then pouring it into your cup or pan may be long-winded, but kettles are incredibly easy to use.
Cons
- The process of making a hot drink or filling pans for cooking is long-winded when compared to a boiling water tap.
- A conventional kettle takes up room on your countertop.
- Traditional kettles use a lot of energy as you have to boil them multiple times throughout the day.
- The majority of kettles are made from plastic and so are flammable.
- Just as with instant boiling water taps, limescale control doesn’t usually come with a kettle. This will be an additional purchase. If not maintained, a new kettle will eventually need to be purchased.
- Kettles have a much shorter lifespan than an instant boiling water tap.
Which is right for you?
Ultimately, when it comes to a boiling water tap vs a kettle, the choice depends on your personal preference and budget.
A boiling tap is a great option for those who are looking for a modern, minimalist style, aren’t a fan of appliances taking up worktop space or for people looking to conserve energy.
Conversely, a regular kettle is a great choice for anyone who wants to use their appliances to stand out, who doesn’t use kettles much on a day-to-day basis and wants to keep costs down as much as possible.
What works for you won’t work for someone else so the choice is ultimately yours.
