Buyer’s Guide to Instant Boiling Water Taps

 

How Do Boiling Water Taps Work? 

Boiling water taps are fed from a small boiler tank underneath your sink. This tank is plugged into the mains and your water supply. After heating the water it stores safely at the optimum temperature which means as soon as you turn your tap in you'll have immediate hot water.  These tanks are super insulated and known for their energy efficiency and sustainability (the Billi brand is particularly famous for its Green credentials) and long term can provide great money-saving* especially with current energy costs. Tanks vary in their functionality with some of the more sophisticated offering extra functionality, such as electronic displays like the InSinkErator 4N1, with extra controls such as pan-filling modes, personalised temperature range settings, and filter change warning systems.

Installation

Boiling water tap installation is relatively simple, some brands requiring little or no special equipment like the Franke Boiling Water Tap range which can be fitted within 20 minutes and comes with colour-coded connectors for easy set up.

These taps can be fitted in the same way as a regular kitchen tap, with the addition of the tank. Whilst there's no need for an electrician, for safety, we always recommend a professional plumber to install your boiling water tap depending upon experience. Why not use our handy 'find your local plumber' link to get a fast, reliable quote by rated and recommended plumbers in your area.   Our premium brands, such as Zip Water & Billi also offer their own expert engineers who will come to you for install. You can purchase this installation service alongside your tap on our site - please feel free to contact our team if you require further information. Before install you'll need to ensure there's adequate space for the tank, which is normally fitted underneath your sink.  Most brands offer super compact tanks which fit under the standard kitchen countertop, (the Ellsi Boiling Water Tap tank is particularly space-saving). Another essential is that you'll require a standard plug socket relatively close by.  

Instant water taps are available across a range of price points to suit your budget.  Whilst, usually more expensive than a comparable standard hot & cold tap, long term they provide greater cost efficiency.   For example, if you're a regular kettle or stove water boiler, making several drinks and for food preparation across the day, you'll start to see savings. For example, the average kettle costs 13.5p to boil but with a boiling water tap, you only use the exact amount you need.  *You can read more on this subject in our Boiling Tap 10 Most Common Questions article. 

For budgets £500 & Under the Ellsi, Prima, and Reginox ranges are particularly cost-effective, however the more premium tap options offer greater functionality like Boiling Water Taps with Pull Out Hose Spout , specially engineered materials like Super Steel, or specific benefits like the patented Grohe Starlight finish on the Grohe Red range, which provides scratch-free, long-lasting durability.

The name itself can be a little misleading, since, whilst they are best known for boiling water, the majority of these taps actually store the water at slightly lower temperature, on average, the water is dispersed at up to 98°C. Whilst many brands will claim they can reach temperatures of 100°C (including our stocked brands:  Franke and Carron Phoenix), in most domestic use this is not a necessity. Furthermore, true connoisseurs of tea & coffee advise against using water at one hundred degrees celsius, since this can negatively impact flavours.

Types Of Boiling Water Tap

These taps tend to fall within 3 key category types -

Boiling Water Only Taps

These are the original standard form faucet, they only dispense boiling water, like Zip Water's Classic Plus Boiling HydroTap and are often installed as a secondary, supplementary tap. In the kitchen these are often positioned in areas dedicated to meal preparation and or tea and coffee making, such as a kitchen island. 3 In 1 Taps Alongside boiling water, 3 way kitchen taps dispense standard hot and cold water supply. Since these can be a simple replacement for a standard tap, as they're often selected for their convenience. 4 In 1 Taps As well as dispensing boiling water, plus standard hot & cold, 4 way kitchen taps also offer filtered water as a forth option like the Reginox Aquadzi or InSinkErator 4N1.  Their extra filters provide great tasting purified water in an instant.  5 In 1 Taps As well as dispensing boiling water, plus standard hot & cold, 5 way kitchen taps also offer filtered water, chilled and sparkling as a forth and fifth options like the Zip HydroTap All-In-One.  This ultimate water solution for the home or office covers you for any and every instant water requirement, and is the ultimate space-saver. Side Taps Alternatively, you may wish to consider these smaller 'partner' taps. Designed to sit neatly alongside your main kitchen mixer tap or by a separate sink, our dedicated hot (and or hot and cold) side taps dispense instant steaming hot water. We stock the premium tap range from InSinkErator as well as their great value Moderno range

Safety 

The main concern most have around boiling water is to ensure no one suffers a scald. The good news is that modern boiling water taps are designed with multiple features in place to ensure a high safety standard, ensuring there's no risk of accidental operation. Child safety is paramount and fitted as standard across all our Boiling Water Taps. The safety sprung handle is perhaps the best known of all safety features. Boiling water is only dispersed after first pushing the button, then secondly, a twist of the handle, the button must be held down in position until dispensing has finished This prevents a constant stream of boiling water flowing, and prevents children especially, from any danger. Certain brands have their own bespoke Safety functionality, for example Grohe's Cool-Touch technology which ensures the outside surface of the tap remains cool at all times thanks to its innovative insulation engineering. Another safety factor with these types of taps, is that they have a much lower water pressure flow than a normal tap preventing any splashes.  

Swapping your regular kettle for a boiling water tap, can help reduce energy usage in the home.  It’s been estimated that 67% of people overfill their kettle each time they use it, which is equal to 3500 tonnes of wasted CO2 daily. With a boiling water tap, you only use the exact amount of water you need, which means less energy wastage.  Did you know we also offer carbon neutral delivery on all our orders? read our blog post here to discover how!

If you live in a hard water area, you’ve probably looked inside your kettle to be greeted by the sight of limescale. Luckily, the majority of boiling water taps include a filter which helps to reduce limescale. These filters purify and remove the hardness from the water before it can reach the boiler tank, which will help the tank stay limescale free.

Like any filter, those on your boiling water tap will need to be changed to help keep your tank limescale free. Manufacturers will recommend you change the filter on your boiling water tap every 6 months, but this number will vary depending on your usage. We stock a range of replacement and spare Carbon Water Filter Cartridges and Accessories across the Abode, Grohe, Ellsi, HotSpot Titanium, InSinkErator, Zip Water ranges.  

Other Boiling Water Tap Considerations

Water Pressure

When you purchase any tap, you need to make sure the water pressure in your home is suitable.  At The Tap Specialist, we sell Boiling water taps which operate at pressures as low as 0.5 bars. Most our taps require a minimum 1 bar water pressure as standard, meaning they should work for the majority of homes. Not sure about your home water pressure? read our expert guide.

WRAS Approval

Products approved with this certification are proven to comply with the standard UK water regulations and by-laws. Look out for WRAS approval across our individual product pages for more details. InSinkErator in particular are one of our brands that carry the highest number of third-party certifications in the market.  

Boiling Water Tap Styles

You’ll find a wide range of taps and on our site in an array of finishes and designs to suit your individual kitchen renovation or project. (We also sell their matching kitchen sinks and accessories such as carbon water filters).

As a modern product, boiling water taps are available in a range of contemporary finishes. Modern colour ways include matt black, nickel, gun metal, which can make a real design statement, whilst brass, copper, and gold finishes can add a vintage look and feel, or add warmth to a dark or all white kitchen decor. If you’re looking for something more understated, a sleek chrome or steel finish provides a more traditional style and works really well alongside modern kitchen appliances.