It’s fair to say the hot water tap is a real game changer. And I now hear of so many homeowners working on a kitchen renovation who put a boiling water tap right up there on their wishlist. Why? Because they’re convenient, pretty nifty, easy to use and are great for clearing the worktop of the kettle. Admittedly, they also negate that headspace time waiting for the kettle to boil. Oh, and the oh-so-British phrase ‘shall I put the kettle on?’ doesn’t quite have the same impact. However, I reckon I can live with that for the sheer ease of a quick cuppa.
But what else can a hot water tap do to make kitchen life that bit easier? Because let’s face it, these taps are an investment and cost significantly more than your standard hot and cold designs. They often start from around £500 and go up from there depending on the features on offer.
The latest taps provide boiling, filtered and even sparkling water, so there are plenty of uses for them. So let’s take a look…
A cuppa, of course
Firstly (and arguably most importantly) with a hot water tap delivering steaming hot water at up to 98°C (like the Pronteau by Abode) or 100°C with some taps (like Quooker‘s designs), there’s no more waiting for the kettle to boil before you can enjoy a brew. Just back from the school run, catching up over a cuppa with friends or winding down with a hot drink? Then there will always be enough hot water in the tank. Also, if you like multiple cuppas a day, it’s usually more energy efficient than boiling the kettle each time.
Blanching veg and cleaning fresh produce
Cleaning fruit and vegetables takes no time with a hot water tap. Use cold for washing fruit and veg before eating it, or hot for blanching of course. In addition, if you grow your own fruit and veg, picking and washing your crop just got a whole lot easier.
Quick and easy cooking
Whipping up a pasta dish for dinner is a doddle – dried or fresh, place the pasta in a pan of boiling water straight from the tap for super-fast cooking. The same goes for lots of ingredients including noodles, rice, eggs and couscous. Great if you’re preparing dinner on the run for a hungry but busy family.
Tidying your worktops
Streamline your worktops – with the kettle redundant and a boiling water tap dispensing cold, hot and near to boiling hot water on demand, only the one tap is needed. This is ideal for creating a streamlined and minimal finish and for keeping your kitchen looking neat and tidy.
Easier washing up
Urrgh, who likes washing up? I certainly do not. Give me a dishwasher any day. But there are certain things that do need to be washed by hand, or pre-rinsed. The job of rinsing off pans, plates and cutlery ahead of placing them in the dishwasher is far more effective with really hot water, making this yet another time-saving benefit of the boiling water tap. And for any large, dirty trays, casserole dishes or grills, soak in boiling water and avoid the endless scrubbing.
So if you’re in the market for this fantastically versatile tap, find out what you need to know about buying one.
Featured image: iStock.
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