Is a Boiling Water Tap Safe?

If you've decided you might be interested in buying a boiling water tap then you might be wondering how safe they are, especially if you have a household full of children, or your worried you might be scolded when making your morning cup of tea.

Luckily, most boiling water taps on the market are built with maximum safety features such as child locks, two-stage safety handles and insulation to ensure kids can't turn the boiling water tap on or be scolded if they touch the outer metal part. 

This means when you are hunting for you best boiling water tap, you need to ensure that it has all the necessary safety features needed for you to have a peace of mind when it's installed in your home.

Are Boiling Water Taps Safer Than Kettles?

You may be wondering if boiling water taps are any safer than your standard kettle, and the answer to that is - yes, these water taps have no weight to lift and can enable you to lift a cup to its spout, meaning there is a lesser chance of spilling any boiling water.

Kettles additionally have cables that can be pulled, and when spilt, could potentially spill up to a litre of boiling water, unlike boiling water taps which are fixed and can't be spilt, as the hot water tank is located underneath. The pressure of boiling water taps is also very little, meaning that there is a limited splashback.

The ideal boiling water tap you should be looking out for needs to be simple to use, but not easy to access, so as you can enjoy using your tap and have a peace of mind that your child can't function it.

Are There Any Best Safety Features In Boiling Water Taps?

There are a couple of safety features you need to be making sure your boiling water tap has, such as insulation and a child lock.

We will list a couple of more out below so as you can refer to this list when checking if your boiling water tap is safe.

• Look for two-stage safety - Your boiling water tap should come with a two-stage safety mechanism as this can help keep your tap even more secure. By two-stage, we mean a safety clip and a handle lock, this will make the process of turning the tap on much more difficult for children or vulnerable people.
• Make sure there is a coloured safety clip - A coloured safety clip can act as a warning sign and be a reminder to people that the tap is hot and needs to be used with care.
• Insulation - The metal outer casing of your tap should be insulated so as if you touch the tap by accident you don't get scolded.
• Low pressure - One of the best things to ensure about your boiling water tap is that the pressure that comes out the spout is not too high, if the pressure is too high then there's more chance of a splashback which can be very dangerous if your tap is producing boiling water.
• Easy to use - With all these safety features above, you want to make sure that your tap is still simple to use and function and the two-stage safety mechanism is simple for you to remove and access.

How Good Are Boiling Water Taps?

So you might be wondering, are these boiling water taps worth it in comparison to a kettle? Especially if you are worried about having them around vulnerable people or kids in your family.

Well, we have listed out some advantages of investing in a safe boiling water tap below which might make up your mind.

Space Saving

In comparison to a bulky kettle, boiling water taps are very space-saving and don't take up any more space on your kitchen countertops than a normal tap would, allowing you to save your counter space for other appliances and cooking instead.

Can Be Filtered

The water from your boiling water tap can be filtered, allowing you to drink contaminant-free water with no impurities. Filter systems of these taps also stop limescale building up if you have hard water, allowing you to keep them cleaner than your average kettle.

Convenient

Boiling water taps are very convenient and don't require you to wait around for your kettle to heat up in the morning as a standard kettle would. This allows you to have tea/coffee at an instant, or get boiling water for pasta to speed up the cooking process.

Energy efficient

These taps are very energy efficient and can save you money in the long run, they also lead to less water wastage than a kettle as you only use a specific amount of hot water that you need.

Safe To Use

The modern design of these taps understand that the safety of this tap needs to be very secure due to the temperature of the water flowing out, this means features such as child locks and more can make your tap extremely safe to use.

How Hot Are Boiling Water Taps

Not all boiling water taps produce 'boiling' water of 100 degrees, some models can only produce hot water of 98 degrees instead, which is usually more than sufficient for most peoples needs.

Some boiling water taps come with a thermostat so as you can change the temperature of the water coming out your tap, this can be great if you want hot water for drinking purposes such as hot chocolates or teas.

We have listed out some of the ideal temperatures for everyday drinks and processes so as you can see the water of 100 degrees is not that necessary.

• Tea - A recommended temperature of 80-85 degrees is recommended for tea.
• Coffee - 90 degrees is the suggested temperature for brewing a perfect cup of coffee.
• Hot chocolate - For a good old cup of hot chocolate the best temperature to drink it at is 70 degrees Celsius.

Advantages of having water at 100 degrees may be that it can be used to speed up cooking times for dishes such as pasta or rice, but even water at 95/98 will still be great for these purposes.

FAQs About Boiling Water Taps Safety

Can a boiling water tap be operated by children?

No, this is due to the child lock that the majority of boiling water taps come with and prevent children from turning on the tap.

If you want to teach a child how to use the boiling water tap only let them operate it with supervision and make sure they know how to operate the tap properly.

Are they good for people with mobility issues?

Yes, boiling water taps avoid heavy lifting and pouring which can be beneficial to vulnerable people with mobility issues or the elderly.

Boiling water taps additionally don't require any filling from the sink and back, making the process of getting hot water much quicker and easier.

Why is boiling water tap not getting hot?

There could be two reasons why your boiling water tap is not working, the first could be that the safety lock is still on and the other could be that the socket your tap is plugged into is not working, therefore not heating the water that is flowing into your taps tank underneath the sink.

Can I adjust the temperature of my boiling water tap?

Yes, some models should have an adjustable thermostat on their tap which can allow you to pick the temperature of the water flowing from your tap. Some 4 in 1 tap models also have the option to produce hot or boiling water depending on what you are using the water for.

Why should I buy a boiling water tap VS a kettle?

Firstly, you avoid the space consumption and 3-minute waiting time of a standard kettle for water to heat up. They are also easier to use, and safer as no heavy lifting is needed, and the chances of spilling the boiling water are slimmer.

What is instant boiling water useful for?

Instant boiling water can be useful for certain recipes, sanitising things or par-boiling veggies and other ingredients. Just below boiling is better for drinks and soups such as noodles.

Do I need a two-stage safety lock on my model?

Yes, 100%, if you want to feel confident with your boiling water tap being used by multiple people in your home then you should have a safety clip and a safety handle on your tap, this allows you to have a peace of mind when your children are around the appliance in the kitchen or using the sink.

Last Words

To conclude, using a boiling water tap in your home is very safe as long as you make sure the tap you install has the best safety features possible, such as; lower pressure, adjustable temperature, two-stage locking mechanism and insulated design.

You should always make sure however that your tap is still simple to function despite all these safety features, as the last thing you want is having trouble yourself to access the tap when you need it.