It’s the middle-class must have. So would you spend £3k on a BOILING water tap?

FROM granite worktops and giant American- style fridges to shiny, integrated coffee machines, glossy kitchen catalogues offer a host of necessary — and some unnecessary — status symbols. But there is one item many families claim they can’t do without.

As ever, property style guru Kirstie Allsopp is leading this trend, saying she adores her ‘amazing but expensive’ boiling water tap. She has said: ‘If I were getting married, I’d say sod everything else and get everyone to chip in for a boiling water tap.’

In a survey by home interior website Houzz, they topped the list of the most sought-after kitchen appliance. And in the past few years — fuelled by the trend for minimalist, clutter-free surfaces and time- saving devices — they have become mainstream. The taps can be used for making hot drinks, filling cooking pans and sterilising baby bottles.

Lisa roberts-Goldner, of interior design company The open Plan, says that when she started work 13 years ago, they were very expensive and only for ‘very wealthy clients’.

But now, they are much cheaper and very ‘popular in the middle market’.

Intriguingly, she adds: ‘ Normally, it’s the men who want them — they see them as stylish and more convenient. I agree. They’re brilliant.’

Anyone who doubts the trend should watch the latest series of The Great British Bake off, where they are fitted on all the contestants’ kitchen counters.

Boiling water taps date back to 1970, when Dutch manufacturer Henri Peteri was working in Britain for Unilever and developing instant soup. realising it would never be instant if it took five minutes to boil water in a kettle, he tried to find a better way.

He did his own trials in his basement, but early boiling water tap models were too unreliable and, by the late Seventies, he ran out of cash.

His son Niels relaunched the business in 1985 and continued the idea of an appliance that would make instant hot water.

BUT it took more than 20 years to develop, and it was not until 1992 that the Quooker Basic — designed by Niels Peteri — was launched.

It first went on sale in the UK in 2005, with the slogan ‘Throw Away Your Kettle’.

Inevitably, it swiftly spawned rivals, all emphasising the advantages of the spacesaving, energy-saving gadgets — though that last assertion is hotly contested.

Energy consultants say that while running costs are low, it would take years to recoup the initial cost of the tap — even for the most enthusiastic tea drinker and saucepan filler.

Andy Smale, of energy consultancy Expert Energy, says: ‘ They draw a small amount of power continuously to keep the water hot all the time, and this can cost more than boiling a kettle a few times a day.’

What’s more, tea purists argue that while boiling water taps may be useful time-savers, for example when it comes to cooking pasta and vegetables, they are not recommended for making a really good cup of tea.

‘They are usually not controllable in terms of the different temperatures required for brewing different teas, as they are set at just one temperature,’ says Jane Pettigrew, of the UK Tea Academy, who claims that they are not suitable for tea.

HOW DO THEY WORK?

CONNECTED to mains water, they require space below your sink for the boiler and filters.

Different brands operate in different ways. For example, Quooker pronounced ‘cooker’) is the only company to provide ‘true boiling water’, at 100c.

This comes from its patented vacuum insulation and thermos technology, which holds the water under pressure at 110c.

As it is under pressure, it does not boil until it exits the tap. The technology ensures that only 10W of energy consumption is required to maintain the water at this temperature.

other brands use different technology to heat the water. most types use a small, thermally insulated tank with a heater, which keeps the water hot.

When the handle is pressed, cold water flows into the tank and displaces the near-boiling water (usually 90-95 degrees) which flows out of the spout. on releasing the handle, the valve closes and hot water stops flowing.

WHAT’S THE COST?

ACCorDING to the Energy Saving Trust, each time we boil a kettle, it costs on average 1.4p. However, Quooker — like many other firms — says its taps are environmentally-friendly and cost just 3p a day to run.

Not quite, says energy use adviser Andy Smale, who believes that any savings are minimal.

He says: ‘If you are careful to boil only as much water as you need in a kettle, and assuming you make the equivalent of two small mugs of tea or coffee six times a day, then using a kettle will cost you around 38p a week — whereas the more energy-efficient instant taps will cost 37p a week, an insignificant saving of 1p a week.

‘People who boil a full kettle just to make one or two cups could save around 70p to 90p a week, but even the least expensive instant tap would still then take well over ten years to pay for itself.’

ARE THEY SAFE?

KETTLES cause hundreds of accidents a year, particularly among young children.

The Child Accident Prevention Trust says more than 6,500 under- 5s have to go to A& E departments each year because of scalds from kettles and spilled hot drinks.

There are no separate statistics available, either, for boiling water tap injuries, although anecdotal evidence on social media sites report the occasional scald on the back of the hand.

Boiling water tap manufacturers, of course, are quick to emphasise their safety features, from childproof handles and safety valves to thermal coatings, which come as standard on most models.

Stephen Johnson, of Quooker, points out that boiling water taps are located at the back of the sink, and cannot be pulled forward like kettles on a flex, thus minimising the risk of accidents.

He says the flow is a fine spray, rather than a solid jet. ‘You can pass your hand through without getting burnt,’ he adds.

Pump and filtration systems meanwhile, mean that the water is always fresh.