I am currently remodeling the kitchen and was thinking about installing an insinkerator Steaming Hot Water Tap for instant boiling water in the kitchen. Rather than fill a standalone electric kettle and wait to make tea, coffee etc these gadgets appear to be offer near instant boiling water and are advertised as saving electricity as well, over a conventional electric kettle.

http://www.insinkerator.co.uk/aboutshwt/what-is-a-steaming-hot-water-tap.aspx

http://kitchensinksandtaps.co.uk/_assets/documents/pdf/1086.pdf

Can anyone recommend or give a reason not to bother. Are these devices just another gimmicky kitchen gadget that won't end up stuck in the back of the cupboard like the George Foreman Lean Mean Fat Reducing Grilling Machine.

These devices could prove useful if the water supply is contaminated (bacterial and viral contamination etc) and a recommendation to boil all drinking water is made by the local water supply authority as the tap is supplied with an inline water filter and the water is effectively nearly boiled at 98C.

They are expensive is about the only drawback I can list. Been looking at myself. They run about $200. The can handle IIRC about 40L per day and store about 1/3 gallon at any one shot under the sink. If you have opening on your sink and a open electrical outlet underneath then its just a matter of setting it up.

DW went with the electric kettle instead which I think is worthless with a microwave in the house but it may come in handy for trailer camping. Till then she does it in the house. I'd rather have the faucet model.

IMO the hot water outlets are not necessary. You can simply use a kettle or microwave to heat your water. For boil-water alerts using a microwave has some limitations, because it heats so fast and unevenly, but it can be done safely.

There is the initial cost, perhaps $140. Then there is installation cost and the dedicated circuit that will have to be run. The unit uses a 1300 watt electric element listed at 6A at 240 or 11A at 120v.

How much that circuit cost depends a lot on how far the panel is from the location and how hard it is to get a line to. Figure $100 or more. Even more if you don't have room or capacity in the panel. Ask the electrician about it and if you are thinking of going for it get a firm estimate in writing before you commit. A reputable contractor will be glad to have it all in writing as it clarifies issues and protects both sides.

There is also the energy costs your going to see that on your power bill, even if you don't actually use any hot water because it keeps a a small quantity of water hot all the time, 24/7. Your paying for the power to bring the water up to storage temperature, and you pay to reheat it as it cools. The unit is insulated but not insulation is perfect. If you are using air conditioning the energy lost by the unit has to be removed by the AC. So you pay twice.

Assuming the hot water unit is in a heated space the good news is that the energy lost in the heating season is energy not used by your furnace. So you don't pay more.

Personally I would skip it. Save your money. I can tell you that I see few of these units even in high end homes. And most of them I see are unplugged or turned off to save standby costs. They sound like a good idea, a convenience, but in the long run they don't get used enough to justify the cost.

I'd say go with a good electric kettle. Less complexity and you can always take the kettle with you if needed. Or buy two in case one breaks.

Having been a custom home builder for the last 10 years, I have witnessed customers in about 50% of the homes I built put something like this in their kitchens. I have yet to hear a customer say they do not like the product. I have had 100% of those that bought them say they are tired of replacing them every year or so.

YMMV

As other have already posted and which I agree, these taps are not worth the money. If you have hard water with no water softener, be prepared for mineral scale build up in no time...ask me how I know.

A good electric kettle will heat the water quicker and more efficiently than a microwave.

My microwave is 900w, which is at the upper end for a domestic one. My kettle is 3,100w, so you can see why it would be quicker. It's also more efficient. It creates the heat directly and dumps it straight into the water, without having to convert it into radiation first. The kettle walls are insulated so it remains cool to the touch - that's for safety and also ensures all the heat goes where it is needed. It's also more convenient to use because it's form factor is a jug. It's cordless. It detects when the water is boiling and switches itself off - something we take for granted in the UK, but when I was in the US it was rare.

Electric kettles are wonderful. And relatively cheap. It's definitely worth having one in addition to a microwave.

Here in the UK electric kettles are cheap, sold everywhere and fast boiling.
That is not the case in the USA.
UK electric kettles are often about 13 amps load at 240 volts, or about 3,000 watts.
USA kettles are 120 volts, and normaly therefore limited to about 1,600 watts, that will take twice as long as long to boil a pint of water.

Electric kettles are probably much less in demand in the USA since filter coffee is very popular and is normaly made in an electric percolator, this should take some minutes and does not require a high powered heating element.
In the UK, tea is far more popular, and this requires a kettle, preferably fast boiling.

It would be possible in the USA to use a UK 240 volt, 3000 watt kettle, but this would require a special 240 volt outlet, and might be a violation of the NEC.

DW got the idea for the electric kettle after a trip to London in January. Go figure

DW and I got an electric kettle via the internet last year. Works great, boils water in under 5 mins usually, auto shut off if you forget, holds about a quart max.

We use it for instant cocoa, oatmeal and to make instant mashed potatos. A lot easier than the microwave or boiling water on the stove.

Think we got 2 for about $35.

I use a product called a Hot Shot by Sunbeam. It holds 16 oz of water and boils it very quickly. I had one last over ten years before the drain seal went out. I bought a whole new one for $20 or less. I love it. BTW...120V, unknown amperage.

Standard Disclaimer.

I have installed one in the last three houses we have lived in.

They are great and become indispensable after using one a few months.

I hate to wait (even 2 minutes in microwave) for my tea too. So I've got a Hot Water Dispenser like this one. Unlike office type dispensers (for bottled water) these are really boiling water (100C). What's crucial for real tea lovers.

Extremely convenient and relatively inexpensive. 3.6 liters model is perfect for a couple of days or more (2 adults). Just add water once in a while (before bed is the best), it will reboil automatically. Plain cylindrical stainless steel pot inside is very easy to clean. I believe they are quite efficient. The consumption measurements over a week of use shows the same figures (in kWh) as our halogen torchlight w/200 Watt Bulb over the same period (in September).

It's died after 2 years of 24/7 use. But I just had to re-solder the burnt out wire inside to make it work as new again. Zojirushi (Japan) is the best in the world (IMHO) brand for these and also for thermoses (mine is some cheaper IKEDA noname).