Boiling and Chilled Water Tap
Boiling and chilled water taps offer instant access to hot and cold filtered drinking water, so you can prepare tea, coffee and food or simply pour a glass of refreshing water without having to boil the kettle or fill and refill jugs. They’re a great kitchen upgrade, especially for anyone who is prone to forgetting to boil the kettle or who has an over-crowded fridge!
There are 3 main types of boiling and chilled water tap. The most basic is a standard boiling water only tap which will dispense piping hot water at the touch of a button, making it ideal for use as a secondary tap on your island or in the area where you normally prepare hot drinks. Then there are 3 in 1 taps which dispense both boiling and regular hot and cold water. These are a more affordable option and are suitable as the primary tap in your kitchen. And finally you can opt for a 4 in 1 tap which dispenses both boiling and filtered hot, chilled and regular hot and cold water. These are the best choice for most homes and tend to be used as the primary tap in the kitchen.
The Qettle is our value pick of the boiling water taps, delivering true 100degC boiling water plus regular hot and cold water in a stylish design. It’s available in a range of metal finishes with a J shape spout and two versions to choose from – Fusion Modern for contemporary kitchens or Classic for traditional styles. The tap costs less than rivals and its filter cartridges are cheaper too.
Grohe Red taps dispense a small amount of filtered boiling and cold water, at 99degC and 97degC respectively. They also have a digital control to set the temperature and are rated A for energy efficiency thanks to their titanium boiler. The taps are hand-crafted in the UK and feature an elegant dual lever design. They’re available in a selection of metallic colours and have child safety locks to prevent youngsters from using them.
A couple of degrees makes little difference when it comes to cooking, but it’s essential for preparing hot drinks straight from the tap and sterilising baby bottles. We recommend buying a thermometer to make sure your water is at the right temperature.
Under bench systems have a compact boxy design and are fitted underneath your sink. They’re easy to install and don’t take up much room on your bench. The boiler is hidden behind a plinth, while the tap itself sits on top of it and is easily switched on and off with an electronic dial. Pressing the dial wakes the tap up from its safety standby mode and glows white to indicate it’s switched on. Twisting the electronic dial a second time selects the desired mode – it glows red for boiling water and blue for filtered cold water. Then pressing it again switches the tap back to safety mode.