The best boiling water and hot water taps

A boiling water tap or instant hot water tap is a must have for those who survive each day only by drinking gallons of hot beverages. They can equally be handy to speed up the process of cooking pasta or rice. 

With our top pick of easy-to-use boiling water and instant hot water taps, you can say goodbye to your kettle and hello to more worktop space. These taps can actually replace your current kitchen taps, bringing you three different temperatures of water, all in one tap.

Looking for more kitchen recommendations on kitchen appliances? Check out our buying guides for tons of advice. 

What to consider when buying a hot water tap

The latest boiling water taps don't just dispense instant hot water – they deliver mains hot and cold water, too. Although they can be retro-fitted, a boiling water or instant hot water tap is a high price tag item that's probably best installed alongside a brand new kitchen, especially as you have to factor in the space beneath the sink for the tank, which can range from two litres to 11 litres (bear in mind that most kettles have a capacity of around 1.7 litres). 

While instant hot water taps are often referred to as boiling water taps, most boiling water taps might boil the water to 100ºC, but it's delivered at 98°C (many have adjustable temperature settings). There are only a few taps that truly deliver boiling water.

Look out for designs that come with a filter to purify the water before it enters the boiler tank. This will not only remove prevent limescale build-up in the tank, but it will also make the water taste better. 

Hot water taps and boiler tanks start at around £500. A plumber can install the tap in the same way that they would any tap (although admittedly with more connections to filters and boiler tanks); the boiler tank often comes with a standard 13 amp plug that goes straight into the wall next to it.  

As for running costs, while a kettle costs around 2.5p per boil, Quooker says that their boiling water taps cost just 3p per day to run on standby. Quooker does not use boiler technology, but instead uses a unique patented vacuum flask tank, which holds water under pressure at 110°C, so that it is dispensed at a consistent true 100°C boiling.

So, who might boiling water or instant hot water taps suit? From an aesthetic point of view, they are perfect for contemporary or minimal kitchens, or kitchens that lack the worktop space for a kettle. They are also handy for anyone who might have difficulty lifting a kettle. It's worth knowing, too, that boiling water and instant hot water taps are usually operated by a pump and turn action that's child-safe, so they're a good option for families. 

Ideal for those who want a boiling water tap which looks good, but still want it to be safe around the kids and of course, practical; the Quooker Fusion has a childproof double push and turn switch, and delivers boiling water in an aerated spray to avoid any accidents. There's also a cold filtered drinking water option, and our favourite part is the red warning light ring which illuminates when boiling water is heating up or being dispensed. As with all Quooker boiling water taps, you can choose your tank size depending on your personal usage, and you can select add-ons like a soap dispenser, scale control and a mounting bracket. Prices for the Fusion start from £1,150. Quooker also provides a single boiling tap which starts at £950. You can also opt for a Combi tank which mixes boiling and cold to provide ordinary hot water, supplying all temperatures from just one cold feed. 

Delivering up to eight cups of boiling water at one time, the intelligently named Quettle delivers cold water, hot water and water at 100ºC in an instant. It'll replace your current kitchen tap, and it has a four litre capacity. If you do drain the boiling water tank, it'll reheat in just 10 minutes. It's safe for those with children as the tap has a safety clip, and the best part is that it costs only 3p a day to run when it's on standby. For those who are eco-conscious, when the time comes to change the filter (the LED display on the tap will light up to let you know), they're not only affordable, but the replacement filter cartridges are also recyclable.

This 3-in-1 (cold, hot and near-boiling) tap by Stiebel will replace your current kitchen tap so that you can use a combination of boiling, mains cold and domestic hot water all from one tap. For those who have children, it's also childproof as it has a push and turn handle for the boiling water to come out. You can also choose your preferred temperature on the dial on the tank, which ranges from 65ºC to 97ºC. The best part? There's no surge during tapping, meaning no spluttering and risk of scalding yourself (or anyone else). With the large water tank capacity of 5ltrs, you'll be drinking tea all day, every day, and there'll be no need to wait for it to heat up again.

With a capacity of 2ltrs, this gorgeous boiling water tap is ideal for smaller households. Through its elegant swan-neck, the tap delivers domestic hot, cold and filtered hot water up to a temperature of 98ºC. In terms of ease of use, the tap can be rotated 360ºC for accessibility, and it always remains cool to the touch. It also comes in a range of different finishes, meaning there's bound to be one to suit your kitchen's style.

Not only will this boiling water tap add a touch of style to your kitchen, but like the others, will also help you out when it comes to making your morning coffee, sterilising baby bottles or boiling pasta for your dinner. Offering three different temperatures from one single spout, you can choose from hot, cold or boiling water. Although smaller in capacity than others (the water tank is 2.4ltrs) it can deliver plenty of water for a small household, and it only takes 10 minutes to heat up once it's empty. The tank also has a digital screen to control the temperature of the boiling water, and to tell you the temperature the water is at the time. A budget tap which still manages to tick all of the boxes we think.

The 2.5 litre tank of this Insinkerator filter tap is on the petite side compared to some of our other picks, so if you’ve been frantically doing the maths and worrying about making space for an oversized tank, this might be a good solution. While not a boiling water tap (although at 98ºC, it does get pretty close) the hot and cold functionality of the Insinkerator makes it a valuable, versatile addition sink-side, and the filter makes for a fresher taste, whether you’re enjoying a straight-up glass or a hot drink. 

Aptly named, the Franke Omni really does seem to do it all. It’s a surprisingly rare example of a boiling water tap that really delivers on that just-off-the-boil promise with up to 100°C water straight out of the nozzle, and with a large 4ltr+ tank, that water just keeps on coming, perfect for making large pans of pasta and filling sizeable mop buckets. Reviewers also loved how foolproof it was: with ergonomic handles for lefties and righties, easy installation, filter change alert lights, splash-proof function and child lock all commended, it looks to be a great all-rounder for big and busy families. 

This mixer tap from Grohe is handsome, with its C-shaped spout, simple to install, thanks to its QuickFix Plus fittings, and has much more going for it besides. Grohe have coined a whole bunch of handy additions in this mixer tap: it has SilkMove for smooth handling, meaning you won’t accidentally unleash a fireman’s-hose-like gush of boiling water; a StarLight Chrome finish for resilience and beauty; and perhaps most importantly, a two-step pull and turn ChildLock to keep little hands away from scalding water. That’s more trademarks than you can shake a stick at, and more functionality, too. 

While a plus in the child safety stakes, the push it, pull it, bop it action required by some of the taps on our list can be tricky to operate, especially for those with mobility problems. This tap uses a simple lever instead, making it far easier to use on those bleary-eyed mornings, however this does mean that this tap would be better suited to an all-adult household. Nevertheless, the streamlined design means it looks more like a regular mixer tap than a specialist bit of equipment.

Handcrafted in the UK, this hot water tap is produced from quality low lead brass, and is available to purchase in several different finishes, including bronze and gold. Not only is the tap plated to a thickness which actually exceeds industry standards, but it can operate from as low as 1.5 bar pressure, plus it has a unique anti-scald locking mechanism to prevent any accidents. It's water and time saving, as well as energy efficient, and the best part is that it's known to be easy to install. Our only complaint is the price tag, but if you can look past that then why not invest in a high quality boiling water tap like this?

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