Boiling water taps dish out filtered boiling, hot and cold bottled drinking water at the twist of a tap. WHICH reviews* show these stylish appliances can reduce energy consumption, save time and cut your carbon footprint.
A boiling water tap is connected to a boiler tank underneath your sink that keeps water at a close-to-boiling temperature. It’s a convenient kitchen appliance that can speed up tasks like brewing tea or cooking pasta.
1. Energy Efficiency
When you turn the tap on, water is instantly heated to near boiling temperature in a small tank beneath the sink. The hot water is dispensed at the push of a button, saving time and energy compared to waiting for a kettle to boil. This energy efficiency is due to the fact that you only heat the exact amount of water required; as opposed to traditional heaters that heat and dispense all of their tank’s water whether you need ten litres or twenty.
Additionally, many models of instant boiling water taps feature adjustable temperature settings that can be regulated using dials or digital touch-screen thermostat controls. This allows you to dispense water within a precise temperature range, helping to ensure a safer user experience and minimise energy consumption.
As well as reducing your energy bills, an instant boiling water tap can also help to declutter your kitchen space by replacing the need for a kettle and freeing up space on your worktops. These versatile appliances can be used to make tea & coffee, steam vegetables, cook pasta and even sterilise baby bottles. They are also popular in office kitchens, as they offer a convenient and sustainable alternative to heating and dispensing boiling water from a traditional kettle.
2. Saves Time
Instant hot water taps have a built-in heating element that raises the temperature of the water to just below boiling, or 92-100°C. This is a much shorter wait time than it would be to fill up a kettle and boil it, and you can get your drink ready in half the time.
It also saves time cleaning the kitchen sink, as you don’t need to take a pot of hot water out and back in again. Plus, you can clean the tap with a soft cloth or sponge, rather than scouring it with harsh chemicals.
Another benefit of a hot water tap is that you can use it to heat up food, making a homemade dye, or whipping up pasta and rice. Using a tap to do these tasks also costs less than using a kettle to do the same job, as it uses less energy.
Finally, you can also use your instant tap to dispense filtered water. This removes the need for water filter jugs, saving you space on your kitchen bench and clearing the clutter. Plus, Zip and Billi hot taps are designed with safety in mind, with a double push and twist to activate and a flashing red light that warns you of the steaming hot water that’s about to be released. The aerated water flow also reduces the chance of scalding your hands.
3. Saves Money
Unlike an electric kettle, which may take minutes to reach boiling point, hot water taps heat the water in advance and store it in an insulated tank until you need it. This eliminates the waste associated with repeatedly heating and cooling fresh, cold or tepid water to get to the temperature you require – a significant amount of energy that is often tacked onto your utility bills, literally going down the drain.
As you can pour precisely the amount of water required for each task, hot water taps are also more energy-efficient than a kettle. It’s not uncommon to overfill a kettle when making a cup of tea or coffee, which results in excess energy usage and potentially higher energy bills for your household. The same goes for rinsing dishes ahead of placing them in the dishwasher – with instant boiling water, you can rinse and wash utensils more effectively using less energy.
Additionally, many of the leading instant hot water tap brands such as Zip Hydrotap and Billi Eco have advanced technology designed to conserve energy when the tap is not in use. With features like a sensor activated ‘sleep when it’s dark’ and 2-hour standby modes, these taps will help you save energy on your home’s electricity bills. The average household consumes several cups of boiling water each day, so this can add up to a significant savings over the course of a year.
4. Reduces Waste
Hot water use accounts for 12 percent of the average household’s energy expenses. Instant hot water taps help to reduce that amount by heating water on demand and by speeding up the delivery of your desired temperature.
The energy-saving benefits of an instant boiling water tap extend to reducing wasted water as well. While waiting for your hot water to travel from the heater and up to your faucet, a great deal of cooled-off water sits in the pipes until it’s finally needed. In a single instance, this can add up to more than three gallons of water going down the drain—not to mention all of the extra money you’re paying for your energy bill.
Instant boiling water taps are also more efficient than kettles at dispensing only the amount of water you need. This means you don’t have to overfill your kettle, which can save you time and money on energy bills as well as reducing the risk of accidents and fire hazards.
Lastly, an instant hot water tap is easier to keep clean than a kettle, which can leave a build-up of mineral deposits on the insides of the kettle and in the water. This can lead to inefficient performance and a reduced lifespan for your appliance. In addition, most instant hot water taps come fitted with a filter for the boiling water to cut down on limescale and provide access to cleaner, purer water. instant hot water tap
