Is A Boiling Water Tap Worth It? 4 in 1 Mixer Kitchen Tap Review

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Sponsored content: This post has kindly been sponsored by Hotwatertaps.com, with honest thoughts and opinions by Melanie Lissack.

We are currently in the planning stage of our kitchen renovation. Next year, we intend to extend and remodel our tired old kitchen and replace all the existing fixtures and fittings. While we await architect drawings and keep our fingers crossed for approved applications, our kitchen tap decided that it could not hold on long enough for the refurb; it had started to become unusable and had to be replaced. 

One of the things that I had considered for the new kitchen was a boiling water tap (otherwise known as an instant hot water tap). While I had been perusing luxury kitchen showrooms to obtain kitchen inspiration, I noticed that 4-in-1 taps that provide not only hot and cold water, but also boiling water and filtered water on demand, were commonplace. A boiling water tap appeared to now be a staple in high-end, sought-after kitchen design, which got me questioning whether we should also invest in one. Discarding the kettle for instant boiling or filtered water directly out of the kitchen tap sounded amazing, but are they really worth the hype? Instantly, a number of questions popped up in my mind: would it cost me a fortune in electricity to run, especially when energy prices keep going up? How much space would the tank that comes with a boiling water tap take up in my kitchen? Will I need to continuously replace expensive filters? Can I even install one in my hard water area?

After doing some research, rather than wastefully buying a cheap and basic hot and cold tap to see us through the next year, we decided to take the plunge and invest in a 4-In-1 Swan Neck Instant Hot Water Tap with a Digital Tank, Filter and Pullout Spout from leading retailers hotwatertaps.com, with the idea that we would then reinstall it again in the new kitchen when it was ready. We’ve now had this kitchen tap for a week and I can honestly say it has been a complete game-changer - improving how we live in terms of convenience and how we use the space in our kitchen. 

I thought it might be helpful to share my thoughts on our new boiling water tap and write an honest review answering all the questions that I wish I had known the answer to before we got one ourselves. So, here is everything that you need to know before buying and installing a boiling water tap in your own home:

Is installing a boiling water tap into an existing kitchen set-up a nightmare?

Installing new fixtures and fittings into older kitchens always makes me anxious; it can be down to pure luck that the existing set-up will accommodate newer items or more modern designs. Boiling water taps can be larger than traditional kitchen taps but luckily, they do not need any specialist installation: slotting into existing tap holes on countertops (35mm) and not requiring any extra pipework (the only thing to check for is that you have a decent level of water pressure - 0.5 - 5.0 bar being optimum). Changing over to a boiling water tap is pretty much the same as swapping over any tap - our local plumber fitted ours for us and it only took him two hours to install it. The one thing that you do need to know is that instant hot water taps require a small tank connected somewhere close to heat the boiling water, so make sure that you have space available either underneath or near your kitchen sink to accommodate it.

How much space does the water tank take up in the kitchen?

The size of the boiling water tank depends on what product you buy, but generally ranges from 2-7 litres, allowing 6-7 cups to be filled at a time. Reheating only takes a few minutes, so it’s not necessary to upgrade to a larger tank if you have a big family or require access to a lot of water in the kitchen daily. Our tank has a width and depth of under 20cm and a height of 26cm, so it slots in under our sink nicely. We have a digital tank and this is plugged into a socket alongside our dishwasher and washing machine. 

Is an instant hot water tap expensive to run?

I thought that having boiling water on demand would increase our energy bills, but when I researched online, I read that the 4-In-1 Swan Neck Instant Hot Water Tap is energy efficient and the insulated tank is more economical than regularly boiling a kettle. Since installing our boiling water tap, there has been no noticeable change to our daily smart meter energy reading.

Are boiling water taps suited to hard water areas?

Hard water and limescale build-up is a real problem in our area in the south-east. I wasn’t sure if an instant hot water tap would be suitable, but the 4-In-1 Swan Neck Instant Hot Water Tap that we chose has a built-in anti-limescale filter that only needs to be replaced every six months. Other than that, the tap requires no specialist maintenance other than general cleaning. 

Are they noisy?

Only when the tank is re-heating is there a slight dim hum for a short period - but it’s a lot quieter than the sound of a boiling kettle! 

Conclusion: Is a boiling water tap worth it? 

In my humble opinion, installing a boiling water tap has been 100% worth it and I am SO glad that we did it sooner than later. For me, the convenience of a fast cup of tea or filling up a pan of hot water ready for instant cooking has made my life so much easier. There’s no filling up the kettle before waiting for it to boil - hot water is ready as soon as I need it to be. 

With a lack of suitable workspace, having a bulky kettle removed from the worktop has made for a less cluttered kitchen that is easier to clean and wipe down. The sink is also a lot easier to keep washed and tidy thanks to the pull-out spout on my boiling water tap model. I must admit that I am so glad that I did not compromise on this feature - having the pull-out spout enables me to reach and clean all four of our large butler sink corners with ease. The extendable hose is such a practical part of the design, allowing me to fill heavy saucepans while they sit in the sink rather than being held, or give vegetables in a colander a thorough rinsing. It’s also easy to clean vases and bottles with the pull-out, as you can get right into the vessels to use the spray feature via a switch around the back of the pull-out head for a high-impact wash. 

While the initial investment in a boiling water tap was higher than going for a basic mixer tap, there’s been no increase in our electricity bill and I’m sure it will save us money further down the line, as kettles were only lasting us nine months to a year on average before they went to landfill. The filters that prevent limescale build-up and bacteria, chlorine and other impurities to affect the taste of the water only need to be replaced every six months (you receive an alert on the digital screen of the tank), so I do not consider it a hassle. I’m delighted with our boiling water tap and I honestly would never go back to a standard kitchen mixer!

For more information on boiling water taps, installation and tank options, head on over to the hotwatertaps.com website.