Hot Water Dispensers

Hot water dispensers, also known as instant hot water dispensers, are a convenience product that addresses today's fast-paced kitchens. They are miniature water heaters that supply your kitchen immediate "nearly boiling" water (190° F factory standard--your hot water tap is probably set at 120° F or less). Hot water dispensers greatly reduce the time to prepare hot drinks, cereals, soups, sauces, etc.--not to mention thawing items or warming up that midnight feeding.

Installed under your sink, hot water dispensers are hooked up to your cold water line. Various tank sizes (1/3 to ½ gallon) and heating element wattage (500-1300 watts) give you the opportunity to match the unit size with your expected usage. For example, a ½ gallon, 750-watt unit can produce up to about 60 cups of hot water per hour. Units run from about $100 to $400 and normally cost less than 10 cents per day to operate.

Styles and spouts are available to match your sink fixtures: such as chrome, brass, black, white, and almond. Operation is controlled by buttons, twist grips, and levers. Choose the option that best suits the installation location and your manual strength and dexterity. As most units are mounted into the sink top, make sure that you leave room for turning, etc. without scraping your knuckles on the sink faucet or accessory--and vice-versa.

Most units dispense only hot water, but there are a few manufacturers that offer the option of dispensing both cold and hot water from one spout. In this instance, both hot and cold water may be hooked up to a water treatment system if desired. The cold water can be connected to a chiller that eliminates the need for a separate purified cold water spout.