Boiling water taps/Quookers - had one? I need advice please.

[CakeandRoses]

We're in the planning stages of our new kitchen. We're thinking about getting a boiling water tap so I'm keen to hear if you've had/have one and what you think about them.

We'll mostly use ours for making tea and for cooking. It's probably hard to justify the cost however you look at it but we're not splashing out on any other gadgets so thought it's be nice to get one of these - we've been lusting after one after seeing them on Grand Designs yonks ago!)

From the reasearch I've done so far, the Quooker sounds like it might be the best bet - they're expensive at £800ish but are actually boiling so are hot enough for tea, unlike many of the other brands.

It sound like they're miles safer than kettles and Quooker say they have had no accident reports at all, but please do let me know if you had any mishaps with yours.

The energy-savings sound a bit debatable so I'm also keen to hear how you found them from an energy perspective too please.

Many thanks!

No it's not true. I have one, and a filter, still have room for loads of crap underneath - including an 8.45kg box of Bold!

Oh good. That's one to add to the redecorating and kitchen wish list.

Do you have to get a filter if you live in a hard water area? We are talking about getting a water softening system sometime in the next two years.

The price is already eye watering because I want the double tap version.

I had a quooker installed in my new kitchen last year. 18 months on I love it and would really miss it now. I deliberated about it for some time but so glad I went for it.

I know this is a zombie thread but have to say we have a 3 in1 franke tap and love it.

what I would add is anyone thinking of it from a money saving or environmental point of view is way off the mark, it's a luxury item and the only benefits are convenience and worktop space! My electric bills haven't gone up but you do have to buy filters which aren't cheap.

Still wouldn't be without it!

The man that installed ours bought the franchise over here if I remember correctly. He said that they automatically install filters with Quookers, as were having problems with them before. Come once a year to change the filter, and the tap is guaranteed for life. Our water softener doesn't feed into the kitchen sink, but have no limescale anywhere.

Whats the 3 in 1 Franke like? All the 3 in 1s that I have seen don't look particularly nice....am looking at a Grohe Veris for normal hot and cold and then the basic quooker on the corner of the sink.

Storage - it doesn't take up much space at all - imagine a 2litre coke bottle, bit of wiring and a couple of boxes at the back of cupboard under your sink - which if anything like mine is just full of cr*p anyway!

Re. soft water....we have a salt soft water system already for the rest of the house - the kitchen tap is the only tap which is still hard water for drinking, and my only main concern is how hardness will affect it.

I'm not kidding myself that it will make any major energy savings but it will be safer than a kettle and great for pasta, skinning tomatoes, sterilising dish cloths etc
If money is no object then its a no brainer!

He must be one very hot man .......

We have one of these installed at work, and it's great. Didn't cost us a fortune either, made by Insinkerator. Can't really fault it - it manages to keep up with a busy staff room.

We have to change the filters a lot because of the use it gets, but one will normally last us a couple of months. I think they say 500 litres.

I have a decent understanding of how it works, so if anyone has any questions please fire away.

We have these at work in 3 different kitchen areas. Two of them needed parts replacing after five years and I would be surprised if they get anywhere near as much use as domestic ones - most of the tea drinkers still prefer to boil a kettle and we have a massive coffee machine.

I'm left handed and I find the positioning of the one in the kitchen nearest to my desk really awkward and have been splashed with boiling water more times than I care to mention. I have developed an anti-splash technique of using it over time. People are impressed by them, but I find the coffee machine more useful and the quookers a bit of a gimmick.