# Those boiling water taps - any experience/thoughts?



## Fab Foodie (26 Nov 2021)

Like this kinda thing….

https://www.quooker.co.uk/458-taps/223-flex/flex-flex.html

Yes, stupid price but….
We are in the process of buying a new build house and it’s an option. We’ll have solar so daytime leccy not an issue. We drink a lot of tea and could use the hot water for washing-up rather than using the combi-boiler to heat occasional water. My SIL uses the kettle to boil water for washing-up!
A big up-front cost, but struggling to justify on payback at the mo.

So thoughts, pro’s/cons etc.


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## dan_bo (26 Nov 2021)

I wouldn't have one if I had kids in the house. 

In fact, no, I wouldn't have one I the house. Handyish in the workplace.


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## dan_bo (26 Nov 2021)

And a right arse to replace if it goes wrong. Which it most likely will.


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## ebikeerwidnes (26 Nov 2021)

I have trouble believing that the water that comes out of it is fully boiling

My wife insists that her green tea is made with full boiling - i.e. bubbling - water. Can these taps do that??

I also doubt that they are safe and there is no chance of accidentally getting boiling when not expecting it - but then I have never used one so views from people who have used one would be welcome


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## T4tomo (26 Nov 2021)

I don't have one, a friend does, I'm not convince they make good tea as water is not quite boiling, although they are getting better. The last workplace one I used was acceptably close to boiling, and the "idiot" lock easy to use.

re the safety point, they have 2 action process to get boiling water, so a child / cat cant accidently scald themselves.


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## fossyant (26 Nov 2021)

We've got them at work. Wouldn't bother at home as boiling a kettle with just enough water is quick. The one at work constantly needs the filter changing.


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## MichaelW2 (26 Nov 2021)

ebikeerwidnes said:


> My wife insists that her green tea is made with full boiling - i.e. bubbling - water.



And your wife would be wrong. You need to mansplain to your wife that she is wrong and that the correct water temp for green tea is about 70C. She will immediately see the error of her ways and thank you for correcting her error.
Your welcome.


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## gavroche (26 Nov 2021)

I was advised never to have one as it drinks electricity and couldn't afford the running cost. In any case, happy with my Combi boiler to provide hot water when needed.


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## cougie uk (26 Nov 2021)

We had one at work and that broke a few times. Easier just having a kettle.


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## MichaelW2 (26 Nov 2021)

The boiling water taps use a sealed high pressure metal container with a heater element to maintain water at boiling point. This can result in higher levels of dissolved metal eg from the element.


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## Broadside (26 Nov 2021)

T4tomo said:


> re the safety point, they have 2 action process to get boiling water, so a child / cat cant accidently scald themselves



This is true. I’ve know of three friends with them and have used them a fair bit. I personally don’t like them and even less so since one of my friends scalded her own forearm when leaning across the sink to operate the tap. We are just having a new kitchen and have purposely left one of these taps off the options list.


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## The Crofted Crest (26 Nov 2021)

We've got one. Wouldn't swap back. Not only boiling water and the usual hot and cold but also chilled still and chilled sparkling. Do it, Fabs. You know you want to. Running cost is claimed to be 5 cents (4p?) a day. The only drawback is you no longer have time to empty the dishwasher while the kettle boils.


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## slowmotion (26 Nov 2021)

I make coffee in a cafetiere using water at 94C so it wouldn't be any good. Besides,I reached Maximum Stuff a couple of years ago.


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## Chromatic (26 Nov 2021)

cougie uk said:


> We had one at work and that broke a few times. Easier just having a kettle.


When I worked we had one there too, it was great until the problems started.


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## Specialeyes (26 Nov 2021)

I'd say have a look at the inside of your kettle - if it's pristine and unscaled, then go for it. If it's so furred up you call it Joan then you're likely to be changing the filter on a more regular basis, so it depends on your faff-tolerance.


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## Fab Foodie (26 Nov 2021)

Thanks.
This is Devon, so water the softest it can be.
No children to scald.
States 100C outpit as Water stored at pressure in a vacuum insulated vessel.


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## JhnBssll (26 Nov 2021)

I seriously considered one that did boiling, chilled and sparkling water but we're in Suffolk where the water is hard enough to hammer nails in. We had one at work but after about the 5th repair it was removed and we went back to a kettle  If we were in a soft water area as you are I'd go for it


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## ebikeerwidnes (26 Nov 2021)

MichaelW2 said:


> And your wife would be wrong. You need to mansplain to your wife that she is wrong and that the correct water temp for green tea is about 70C. She will immediately see the error of her ways and thank you for correcting her error.
> Your welcome.


Thanks - I took your advise 
There are 2 points

a) apparently she is actually right and has tried green tea made at a variety of temperatures and only 100 is correct
b) I get out of hospital in a few days

but thanks for the advise


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## Lozz360 (26 Nov 2021)

People are discussing the energy costs of running these items. However, water is going to cost the same amount to boil in one of these things than it would in kettle for a given volume of water. What I would say, is the smallest reservoir is 3-litres. Do you really need that amount of water on the boil at a given time? That is where the running costs would go as I understand that they will keep this amount of water on the boil at all times. Unless you are continually making hot beverages for a lot of people and/or you are using a lot of boiled water for cooking, I wouldn't bother. Also the capital cost is over a £1,000! I certainly wouldn't have one for domestic use.


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## Pat "5mph" (26 Nov 2021)

I've got experience of them in a catering environment.
They are an accident waiting to happen, wouldn't have one at home.
Anyway, they soon malfunctioned, so we switched them off.


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## presta (26 Nov 2021)

ebikeerwidnes said:


> apparently she is actually right and has tried green tea made at a variety of temperatures and only 100 is correct


What's needed here is a double-blind test.


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## Profpointy (26 Nov 2021)

slowmotion said:


> I make coffee in a cafetiere using water at 94C so it wouldn't be any good. Besides,I reached Maximum Stuff a couple of years ago.



There's wisdom in the term "maximum stuff". It particularly applies in the kitchen dept, and Inhave to very grudgingly concede, in the tool department too.


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## Gillstay (26 Nov 2021)

Friend has one and it was lethal as people forgot and went to wash their hands and got burnt. So he dialled it down and now you can always get a nice tepid tea at his house as he spent so much on it. When he offers a tea I say no thanks and then when his wife offers I say please as she uses The Kettle.


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## Fab Foodie (26 Nov 2021)

presta said:


> What's needed here is a double-blind test.


He’s got one black-eye already!


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## Fab Foodie (26 Nov 2021)

These kettle things sound great!


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## slowmotion (26 Nov 2021)

Profpointy said:


> There's wisdom in the term "maximum stuff". It particularly applies in the kitchen dept, and Inhave to very grudgingly concede, in the tool department too.


Extending the Maximum Stuff rule to your tool collection is clearly a step too far! Anyway, it's impossible if you get bombarded with Banggood's emails.


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## CXRAndy (26 Nov 2021)

Virtually all dont meet current UK water regulations. Its because most produce 100C at the spout, which means the boiling canister is pressurised to exceed 100C. This is currently not allowed. I know this because I had a house certificate and in the conversation he stated he just failed a new build because it had a hot water tap. He said as of last month none were passed for UK regulations. He did state next year a couple will meet regulations by having a spout temperature which is below 100C


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## Mr Celine (26 Nov 2021)

Lozz360 said:


> Also the capital cost is over a £1,000!


For which you could also pay someone for 119 hours at national minimum wage just to boil your kettle or make tea or coffee. 

Maybe if she was asked nicely @Hill Wimp would make a cuppa for less?


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## Hill Wimp (27 Nov 2021)

I'm not sackin


Mr Celine said:


> For which you could also pay someone for 119 hours at national minimum wage just to boil your kettle or make tea or coffee.
> 
> Maybe if she was asked nicely @Hill Wimp would make a cuppa for less?


I certainly will, I'm not paying that for tap and a daft gadget at that.


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## ebikeerwidnes (27 Nov 2021)

Profpointy said:


> There's wisdom in the term "maximum stuff". It particularly applies in the kitchen dept, and Inhave to very grudgingly concede, in the tool department too.


Our problem is that I reached 'maximum stuff' in the kitchen a while ago
My now wife had been at that level for many years
Then she moved in with me and sold her house - then we got married

so, as a result, we went from 'maximum stuff' to 'maximum stuff' x2 overnight


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## Profpointy (27 Nov 2021)

ebikeerwidnes said:


> Our problem is that I reached 'maximum stuff' in the kitchen a while ago
> My now wife had been at that level for many years
> Then she moved in with me and sold her house - then we got married
> 
> so, as a result, we went from 'maximum stuff' to 'maximum stuff' x2 overnight



We did that too !


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## Juan Kog (27 Nov 2021)

My SiL and Husband had a Quooker tap as part of the deal when there super- duper designer kitchen was installed. It worked fine for nearly 3 years. Then they turned it off while on holiday , it did not come back to life when they returned. Unfortunately repairs and parts are only available directly from Quooker . Call out charge £160 plus parts plus additional labour charges . Tea is now made with the help of there friend Ken Wood .

[EDIT] I have just spoken to my SiL , she has informed me of the sad news Ken Wood is no longer with them . Tea making duties are now carried out by Russell Hobbs .


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## Hill Wimp (27 Nov 2021)

ebikeerwidnes said:


> Our problem is that I reached 'maximum stuff' in the kitchen a while ago
> My now wife had been at that level for many years
> Then she moved in with me and sold her house - then we got married
> 
> so, as a result, we went from 'maximum stuff' to 'maximum stuff' x2 overnight


We have so/too much stuff since @Fab Foodie moved in. As he is the kitchen guru in the house I think we are going to need a removals truck just for all his cooking stuff.


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## Kingfisher101 (27 Nov 2021)

No, a waste of money when a £6.00 kettle will do the same job. Just stupid.


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## slowmotion (27 Nov 2021)

Come on Fabbers, you've only got two days and five hours to grab this Fohen deal. Why resist? 

https://fohen.co.uk/products/matt-b...H88oCouVEzAf-WeIUmX1feC7ahygNS74aAi8hEALw_wcB


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## Bazzer (27 Nov 2021)

My sister has one. When I have been staying at her house while looking after our Mum, at first it was a novelty, but with time it became surprisingly handy. - Say hot water needed for boiling vegetables. But I did question the cost over the time of an electric kettle.
Also tea, or at least Earl Grey, doesn't taste as pleasant as at home, where I use a kettle to boil the water.


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## flake99please (27 Nov 2021)

We have had one in our kitchen for almost 4 years now. No issues whatsoever, but I am in a soft water area. Our kitchen is pretty small with limited space on the countertops. The lack of kettle, plus built in microwave meant we could install a larger (and more useful) hob instead.


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## slowmotion (27 Nov 2021)

Bazzer said:


> Also tea, or at least Earl Grey, doesn't taste as pleasant as at home, where I use a kettle to boil the water.



I think that might be due to hot water losing its dissolved air. Some coffee buff told me to always used freshly heated water. I think the tap-based gadgets like Quookers have a reservoir of near boiling water that can sit unused for long periods.


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## ebikeerwidnes (27 Nov 2021)

Kingfisher101 said:


> No, a waste of money when a £6.00 kettle will do the same job. Just stupid.


Yes but that is like saying you can use a Halfords road bike so why spend £5,000 on a carbon fibre Tdf replica
just not a valid argument on a cycling website


anyway - £6 kettles are rubbish - you are better off spending about twice that


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## CanucksTraveller (27 Nov 2021)

Juan Kog said:


> Tea making duties are now carried out by Russell Hobbs .


Russell makes my tea too, he has done for ten years. Good isn't he! 
These taps strike me as something of a solution looking for a problem. My Russell cost about 25-30 pounds a decade ago.


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## slowmotion (28 Nov 2021)

Russell left us a long time ago. We found a plastic replacement who came from Argos called No Name. I think he's from China.


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## lazybloke (28 Nov 2021)

flake99please said:


> We have had one in our kitchen for almost 4 years now. No issues whatsoever, but I am in a soft water area. Our kitchen is pretty small with limited space on the countertops. The lack of kettle, plus built in microwave meant we could install a larger (and more useful) hob instead.


You could use your big hob for one of these, with no issues whatsoever


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## Arrowfoot (28 Nov 2021)

Had no idea such as thing existed. You live and learn.


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## Kingfisher101 (28 Nov 2021)

ebikeerwidnes said:


> Yes but that is like saying you can use a Halfords road bike so why spend £5,000 on a carbon fibre Tdf replica
> just not a valid argument on a cycling website
> 
> 
> anyway - £6 kettles are rubbish - you are better off spending about twice that


Well yes, I'm just making a point. Only a very gullible person/ someone with learning difficulties or dementia etc would spend over a grand for a tap which dispenses hot water! LOL.


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## stephec (28 Nov 2021)

Fab Foodie said:


> Thanks.
> This is Devon, so water the softest it can be.
> _*No children to scald.*_
> States 100C outpit as Water stored at pressure in a vacuum insulated vessel.



Are you classing yourself as a grown up now? 😂


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## KneesUp (28 Nov 2021)

In order to come out boiling it has to have a reserve of boiling (or very near boiling) water. I cannot imagine how that is good for the environment, to be using energy to keep water on the boil, but then we're out all day, and don't drink tea.


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## Mr Celine (28 Nov 2021)

ebikeerwidnes said:


> Yes but that is like saying you can use a Halfords road bike so why spend £5,000 on a carbon fibre Tdf replica
> just not a valid argument on a cycling website


Your argument is even less valid on a cycling website. £1000 on a tap? 

You could buy a good pair of wheels for that...


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