Insinkerator taps? Are they worth it?

[NameyMcNameName]

Getting my new kitchen fitted and have been toying with the idea of a boiling water tap to free up work top space.

my builder says they take up loads of space underneath and I’ve seen top up cartridges are needed for other boiling taps like this.

are they worth the hassle? Are they energy efficient?

We love ours. However, we went for the Qettle brand and it has already needed to be fixed twice, so don’t go for that brand!

I thought you meant an insinkerator waste disposal. We also have one of those and it is so so brilliant.

We have a Quooker boiling water tap. It doesn’t take much space out of the cupboard at all. It does what it’s meant to and saves space and energy, we love ours.

We looked into this when we redid our kitchen and had the same worries about space and running costs. From what I’ve seen, it really comes down to the system rather than the idea itself. Some are bulky, some are surprisingly compact. We’ve got a billi quadra setup at work and it’s been rock solid, doesn’t feel like it’s hogging loads of space underneath either. Once you get used to instant boiling (and chilled) water, it’s hard to go back, especially if you’re trying to keep the worktop clutter-free. I’d say worth it if you pick the right one and don’t cheap out.

Food waste disposal units - macerators - are really bad for the sewage system and contribute to blockages, fatbergs, etc...

We had a Franke boiling water tap installed when we did our kitchen and it only lasted about 3 years and takes up a lot of under sink room. I keep meaning to get a new one as it was very convenient but probably wouldn’t go for a Franke one again

We originally had an Insinkerator hot water tap which was a separate small tap to the side of the sink. This was fitted in 2013 and at 2 years we had the classic tank leak. It was just inside the warranty so it was replaced and again the new tank leaked but took a lot longer that time. There are lots of videos on YouTube about this. This issue may have been fixed now though.

In 2020 we fitted a Quooker ourselves, their video installation is very helpful. We do not have a filter on it but it probably needs a service thing this year. You can buy a replacement thing and do it yourself which we will do. It is still working perfectly well.

The best thing about the Quooker is as it is the main tap we can run the cold water and turn on the boiling tap at the same time to mix them together. Depending on when I add the boiling water bit I can fill the small sink with cold, and whilst that is still running add the boiling water to have it hot enough to wash my hands, or if I turn the boiling part on right after the cold it is incredibly hot and I can wash up say a single pan. Yes you can just use them separately, cold and boiling but I find the boiling water tap a bit splashy if you are adding it to a sink or pan of water. The addition of the cold water makes it a solid stream of water. There are plenty of taps set up in kitchen showrooms so you can see the aeration makes it not a constant stream.

There is no danger of accidentally using the boiling part either. I love mine and would not be without it. The only thing under our sink is the tank which is tucked to one side and my sink cupboard is only a 60cm.