Why Hot Water Dispensers Are Better Than Kettles

One of the things that fascinate and intrigue people who travel from UK to USA is the instant hot water dispenser that is found in many luxury American kitchens. Unlike the British who prefer the mobility and plug-and-play aspects of a kettle, Americans have come up with a built-in system that maximizes efficiency and comfort. A comparison of the two systems reveals that hot taps are the best choice in most cases.

Firstly and most importantly, hot taps are quicker and easier to use. All you need to do is open the hot water tap and you get water hot enough to brew coffee almost instantly. When you use an electric boiling pot, things are a bit slow and most expert cooks would agree that a few seconds can be very valuable when you are busy with cooking. Unlike the tap, the kettle requires you to manually fill it and supervise the heating process. You need to plan on so that things are ready at the right time if you are cooking.

Proponents of the kettle always bring up the argument that it is more efficient than an under-sink heater that has to keep heating itself throughout the day whereas the kettle only uses electric when you need the boiling water. This argument is not correct. The kettle actually wastes a lot of heat energy because you will rarely use all the water inside it. The remaining hot water is left to cool and then heated again and again and again, each time losing its heat to the environment and wasting energy. Boiling pots are not really insulated so they cool down quite fast. A hot water dispenser on the other hand is well-insulated. The boiling water inside loses heat very slowly and the overall energy wasted is not that high. In fact, the best instant hot water dispensers cost no more than a few cents per day to keep running.

Saving space is another point where hot water dispensers prove to be superior. A kettle has to stay on the counter all the time and get under your feet and it is hard to store because of the size and awkward shape. A built-in boiling water tap takes no counter space and gives you more room in your kitchen.

I am freelance writer interested in home design and product related reviews.