Boiling Water Taps.. yes or no?

[Anonymousbird]

Initially I dismissed having one of these, just seemed a bit excessive. But I am coming round to the idea of instant hot water for drinks and cooking and NO KETTLE cluttering up the place.

So three questions please,

1. If you've got one, are you pleased with it, or was it really a waste of money?
   

2.Are they as efficient as they are promoted as being

1. Which one? I've seen Quookers (£££££) and InSinkErator (£££). My kitchen supplier is recommending ISE at around £4-500.
   

Thanks

[emsyj]

We have one at work. I don't like it, the water isn't as hot as it is from the kettle so your drinks don't taste right.

This view is clearly shared by others in my office judging by the queue of people waiting to use the TWO kettles instead of using the boiling water tap!!!

(Sorry, others may be more positive about them...)

[walesblackbird]

For me a definite no - from the safety point of view. Have three young children and would be terrified they'd scald themselves.

[Fiddledee]

I've heard that there are good for a cup of tea but do not produce enough hot water to fill a pan to cook with. With small children I won't be having one in the new kitchen. I like wasting the time making a cup of tea .

[hardworkingandnice]

Had a brand new Quooker one installed 3 months ago.

To get runnning water, you have to push the lever in then twist backwards - It is so fool-proof I had to call hubby on mobile to get instructions!

Temperature is 110 degrees & I get 6 litres in one hit. Takes 15 minutes to heat up the next lot.

Very useful for quick pasta, veg, stock, gravy, getting hard old food off plates, I disinfect the cleaning cloths in a bowlful.

Wouldn't be without it.

[SingingSands]

We have one at work and everyone uses it (very hot, tea tastes fine unlike poster above), I like it a lot and would get one installed at home if I had the readies.

[Fiddledee]

oh dear some poor office boiling taps are giving the product a bad name.

hardworkingandnice - is it toddler proof the tap?

[KristinaM]

I have had a quooker for 3 years and I love it. It's the only gadget in my kitchen. One of the reasons I got it was safetly concerns as I have 3 young children and it's so much safer than a kettle.

[KristinaM]

Oh and I am a black tea drinker and it makes good tea as the water is boiling

[trixymalixy]

We've got one at work, it is good and the tea tastes fine. It feels wrong though, like something's missing from the ceremony of making a cup of tea, IYSWIM. Some of the break making a cup of tea gives you is missing. Plus it would take an age to fill a pan.

AFAIK it is safer for children than a kettle as the volume of water is much lower, if they do scald themselves it's likely to only be their hand rather than pulling a kettle full of water over their face and body, and if they do put their hand under it'll only be under for seconds as they would pull it out pretty damn quick!! Also I think they have locks for home use.

[bananafrosting]

Yes wouldn't be without it (ISE one). Re temperature - there is a dial and you can set how hot you want it. Plenty hot enough for tea! There is masses of hot water to fill pans etc, I never haven't had enough. When we go on holiday I get massively frustrated by having to boil a kettle, seems really clunky and old fashioned and inefficient. Honestly, do it, you won't look back!

[pinkcushion]

Temp is 110 degrees - that's water heated under pressure and sounds incredibly dangerous - surely you mean 100C - which is bioling point and the hottest water can get under normal conditions.

I'm currently putting a kitchen in and I have decided against one. I know they have safety features but some of the kids I've met can open any safety gate/ cupboard lock etc - I think they are just not worth the risk.

As for cluttering up the kitchen - I love the minimalist look but remove every sign of life and your kitchen is in danger of looking clinical and souless - I feel a couple of beautiful worktop appliances enhances a kitchen.

[IShallWearMidnight]

FIL has recently put one in - they love it, but I'm waiting to see what the tea tastes like once the mechanism has clogged up with our stupidly hard water. It's pretty toddler/child proof I'd say (FILs was DH proof when we first saw it ).

[KristinaM]

The water is aerated so although it s boiling it wounldnt scald the same way as a kettle. There is no lead which could be pulled. AFAIk most children are scalded by water when they pull a trailing flex or tip a kettle of water over them. And the flow rate is much slower , so if a child climbed up onto the worktop, worked out how to push and turn it and turned it on they woudl have to then bend down and stick their face under it to burn their face etc. Most small children would need two hands to exert enough pressure to turn it so that would-be quite difficult. It's noisy too which scares them

HTH

[amothersplaceisinthewrong]

We have one at work - excellent.

[herewegoloopyloo]

We have one (a Quooker) which has child-'lock' design as described by KristinaM above. I love it - it's more efficient (esp for me who was forever boiling the kettle then getting distracted by toddler then boiling it again 5 min later - and repeat...), it's safer (see Kristina's post), it looks good and saves worktop space and is perfect for everything from cups of tea to cooking to baby's bottles.
Is fab.

[herewegoloopyloo]

PS. had it nearly 4 years and no problems

[Anonymousbird]

Well, thank you everyone. It seems that most are in favour/like them. I really like the idea of doing away with the kettle, but can I justify the nearly £500?!? Hmm. Food for thought.

Cheers ladies

[warthog]

yes - a quooker.

phenomenal.

AND SAFER THAN A KETTLE!!!!

will not do without one again. no waiting around for kettle to boil, no running out of hot water. tis just marvellous.

[SauvignonBlanche]

I want one!

[androbbob]

Was going to post last night as we have one at work. Turns out it is a Quooker one and I dislike it. It burns your hand as you have to push it in and then turn and hold to get the water out. It is under fitted cupboards (wall cabinets) and you get a lovely facial just filling a mug. But I can see the attraction over a kettle...just

[warthog]

are you sure you have to hold the tap in place while it's on? mine you don't. and i wouldn't put one under fitted cabinets. there's a lot of steam.

[EdgarAleNPie]

what about running cost?

[Elibean]

Yes, quooker, didn't want it (dh's idea) was worried about safety etc, but now love it and wouldn't be without!

[EdgarAleNPie]

seriously, how can it run cheaply if it keeps water boiling all the time?

how much tea do you have to drink to make it worthwhile?

[Anonymousbird]

Edgar - am interested in the running cost thing, everything I read says very efficient. But I don't know/understand the mechanics yet!! Also very good for filling pans for cooking. Instantly hot, hob on much shorter time/not working so hard saves energy too......