Best 5 hot taps in 2022: an honest review
Domestic and commercial hot taps are rising in fame as the new and revolutionary way to enhance your refreshments. But why?
If you’re curious about what’s on the market today, or you’re actively searching for the right hot tap for you but don’t know where to begin . . . we’re here to help.
Here at Borg & Overström we specialise in all drinking water systems, offering premium water dispensers and water tap systems, all designed to enhance your water refreshment. Our team’s skill extends beyond the limits of designing and manufacturing our own products. We actively promote a range of other manufacturers to provide you with an honest and in-depth scope of information available today.
Our first priority is always to help our customers, and although we know the prestige of our own products, below we have compiled a list of only other hot tap manufacturers and designs to help provide you with a complete view of what is on the market today.
In this review, we will take an in-depth look at the five leading hot taps available today. Placing our own instant hot tap – the T3 – to one side for the moment, our experts have dedicated their time to evaluate both the pros and cons of the top five hot taps today. With our experts providing a complete overview of each hot tap individually, by the end of this article, you will learn what hot taps are currently available, know all their key features and benefits, and have all the information to decide which hot tap features are necessary for you.
Expert tips to find the best hot tap for you
In conversation with our experts, they have highlighted some key points buyers need to consider when looking for their perfect hot tap fit.
As we go down our list, here are some expert tips to consider when deciding what features will make the perfect hot tap for you:
- Tank size – This is how much hot water a water tank can hold at any one time. Depending on the environment, a larger capacity would usually be beneficial when looking to achieve a high output of litres per min.
- Water reheat time – In a commercial setting, the time it takes to reheat the water to the optimal temperature is crucial and directly links to the capability of your system’s output (litres per min).
- Safety features – With the nature of instant hot taps reaching close to boiling point (anywhere between 92°C- 99°C), it is important to note the safety measures that are installed within the design. These can vary from button locks to LED notifiers.
BluSeven by Blupura
Key Features
- Modern design made entirely from stainless steel
- Electronic display with touch-screen controls
- Up to 7 dispensing options: unfiltered cold and hot water / filtered cold /room temperature / sparkling / semi-sparkling / hot water
- For exclusive use with Blupura approved undercounter water processors
- Compact control unit.
Overview
Our top 5 list starts off with an instant hot tap designed for both home and office use.
In Blupura’s own words, BlueSeven features an “Impressive design with exceptional build quality, high performance and high technology, perfect for integration within your kitchen units”. BluSeven has the highest number of dispense options on this list with a colossal 7-way dispenser, covering all the dispense options you could ever need.
With a flat, stylish, control panel, the BlueSeven is designed with maximum practicality in-mind. The touch-screen controls are all under glass and the absence of any mechanical buttons makes for easy cleaning and maximum hygiene.
The listed temperature for the hot dispense option is 95°C with a safety button provided.
One of the listed features highlights that the BluSeven is for “exclusive use with Blupura approved coolers”, so when thinking about accessories or optional extras, be sure to use a Blupura guide on compatible combinations.
| Reasons to Buy | Things to consider | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| ✔ | Multi functionality with seven dispense options | ✔ | For exclusive use with Blupura approved cooling units only |
| ✔ | Modern, slender design |
Quatreau Touch by Pure H2o
Key Features
- High dispense output with 3ltr instant draw at 97-99° and a further 1.5ltrs/minute without any loss in temperature.
- Environmental design saves water by dispensing at the perfect pre-set temperature (can be adjusted to your preference).
- Clear and easy to use safety feature that consists of a 3-step touch sequence to activate hot water function, auto cut-off after 60 seconds and an outer hoop which remains cool.
- Modern design with state of the art touchscreen control panel (right-handed positioning).
- Variety of models
Overview
Not sure if you need a multitude of dispense options? No problem!
The Quatreau Touch comes in three models:
- Hot
- Hot & Chilled
- Hot, Chilled & Sparkling
Capable of dispensing chilled and sparkling water at 20 litres/hour at a constant 5°C without the airlocks that can be found in other competitive sparkling water taps.
Quatreau Touch provides multiple unique safety features with a 3-step touch sequence to activate the hot water function. This provides a clear and safe methodology for dispensing hot-boiling water in a busy environment. Added into this safety feature, the tap automatically cuts-off after 60 seconds.
Required for installation is a 600m cupboard, 15 mm lever ball valve or equivalent isolated mains cold water supply and a double 13 amp SSO powerpoint. All of which can usually be found in a standard household or commercial premises.
PureH20 also champions their Optional Pure water, an upgrade to Quatreau Touch™ with a PurityPRO™ purifier for the “ultimate taste”.
| Reasons to Buy | Things to consider | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| ✔ | Constant output with integrated safety features | ✔ | Requires an upgrade to PurityPRO™ for the removal of impurities including scale. |
| ✔ | Easy installation |
Pro Stream by Cosmetal
Key Features
- Includes a 98°C hot water heater, water drip tray, and all required components
- Designed with a chrome body finish
- Energy efficient with brand new energy saving function
- Customisable to include cold and/or sparkling dispense options
- Safety control panel
Overview
Designed with a chrome body that is thermally insulated and is accompanied by a touch control panel, the Pro Stream delivers a modern look with a stylish build.
With the capacity to deliver 215 cups every hour of 98°C hot water, Pro Stream instant hot tap is perfect for the environment that demands a high output of near-boiling water.
Listed capabilities include a dispense time of 250ml in just 5 seconds and can be customised to add cold and/or sparkling dispense options. As Cosmetal remarks: “it is perfect for the quick preparation of war drinks, such as tea, coffee, and other hot drinks’.
Featuring an energy saving function, the technology behind the Pro Stream automatically enables this feature after two hours of use by lowering the water temperature inside the tank to 65°C. After a further elongated period of non-use, the heater will switch off automatically.
Dispensing options are equipped with electronic temperature control and anti-boiling function, Pro Stream instantly delivers 98°C. In addition, with the customisable extras, Pro Stream offers 15 litres/hour of cold and/or sparkling water.
A slight modular adaptation will be carried out in the event of any customisation as a specific unit will have to be installed for the production of cold and/or sparking water should you wish to have those dispense options.
| Reasons to Buy | Things to consider | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| ✔ | High output of near-boiling water at 98°C | ✔ | Modular adaptation is required to include cold and/or sparkling dispense options |
| ✔ | Environmentally conscious design with a modern look |
Instatap G2 Commercial Boiling tap
Key Features
- 3 dispense options: free pour, small measured pour, and large measured pour
- SteriTouch® antimicrobial additive on the touchpad which kills 99.99% of bacteria
- Smooth flow water dispense
- Electronically controlled for constant temperature up to 96°C
- Early warning diagnostic with LCD read-out
Overview
The G2 has three ‘pour’ options:
- Free flow
- Small measured
- Large measured
These options are specifically designed to speed up serving times in an environment where speed and efficiency are vital, for example, an office kitchen, cafe, or food court setting.
Designed with easy-to-use illuminating buttons and a control panel with enhanced hygiene control, Instanta advertise their new tap as the solution that “provides quick and easy access to instant boiling water to rapidly reduce waiting times while ensuring user-safety”.
Thanks to its SteriTouch keypad technology that reduces 99.99% bacteria, the G2 is easy to maintain and clean – a perfect fit for anywhere that is hygiene conscious.
A key feature that separates the G2 from its competition is its smooth waterflow. This minimises spluttering and steam when water is dispensed, providing a safe and clean dispensing process.
Listed in the manual, the G2 has the capacity of filling 180 cups/hour (measured at 167ml) with hot water, requiring a heat up time of 20min. Electronically controlled for constant temperature up to 96°C.
The main thing that you need to consider when evaluating whether the G2 is right for you is what capacity will you need? The G2 features an undercounter heater with a capacity of 10 litres which could provide problems in a setting that demands a lot of use, and you might end up waiting for the water processor to reheat the water to that desired 96°C.
| Reasons to Buy | Things to consider | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| ✔ | The small and large measured pour options provide a new alternative to control the quantity of water dispensed | ✔ | Smaller water capacity than some other instant hot taps |
| ✔ | Smooth water flow that minimises spluttering and steam |
FRIIA HCS by MARCO
Key Features
- Hot, cold, & sparkling undercounter water delivery system
- Large 28 litre/hour performance spec
- Space saving countertop font
- Ability to set desired temperature up to 95°C
- Efficient in high traffic environments
Overview
MARCO celebrate their new model as “the perfect system for offices, office kitchens, canteens, gyms, schools, colleges and small coffee shops”. It features a 3 in 1 hot, cold, and sparkling tap system with an undercounter water delivery system.
The font design is sleek and stylish, allowing for a modern look without taking up too much space on the worksurface.
The design takes a step back from touchscreen control panels and opts for a more pronounced three button approach, each button corresponding to the dispense option you want to use.
Integrated in the design is a safety feature that prevents any immediate hot water dispensing. Rather, the dispense option for hot water requires a second press, at which time, a red LED light on the front of the tap will light up to notify the user that hot water is about to be dispensed.
Listed in the specs is a capacity to dispense 28 litres/hour of hot water which is excellent in high traffic environments and perfect for any office environment. The FRIIA HCS also comes with a CO2 regulator and drip-tray for convenience in maintenance
| Reasons to Buy | Things to consider | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| ✔ | Sleek font design that saves on countertop space. | ✔ | Undercounter water processor is bulky in size |
| ✔ | Large 28 litres/hour tank with a drawback of 8 litres |
Which hot tap should I choose?
Simply, only you know what features you need in your hot tap. We can only provide you with a full breadth of knowledge to help you make your decision.
We understand the difficulty of finding the perfect water solution that will enhance your hydration and the ever growing marketplace can make this search rather daunting. However, now you will have a clearer idea about the variety of hot tap products that are available on the market today, and with our expert’s tips, you’ll know exactly what to look out for when searching for your perfect match.
At Borg & Overström, we are distinctive by design and specialise in all water system solutions. In today’s article, we have evaluated the best hot tap designs by other manufacturers. But, we wouldn’t be giving you the full scope of information if we did not include the Borg & Overström iconic T3.
The Borg & Overström T3 hot tap - a tap for every season
If, however, you’re still undecided on whether or not you need a hot tap, or are curious about how the kettle has become outdated for the current work environment, read our instant hot tap vs kettle article that compares and outlines all the facts and figures.
If there is anything else you want to know – contact us – our expert staff are ready and waiting to help.
