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Hot water dispenser or kettle?

(44 Posts)
shysal Tue 04-Feb-20 11:31:24

My aching shoulders are making it more difficult to lift a full kettle. I don't drink hot drinks but I do fill hot water bottles and saucepans. Would anyone recommend a hot water dispenser instead of a kettle? The one I am looking at isn't limited to a cup-full at a time. Are they as quick and efficient as they seem?
Any of your thoughts would be welcome please.

moggie57 Tue 04-Feb-20 11:40:13

smaller kettle like a travelling one. i have not got a hot water dispenser. as i would have to keep it on all the time.and i cant afford to do that .but if you think one would be ok with you .go ahead and get one.how does it actually dispense is it a tap one or do you have to push down to get the water out.sorry i'm old fashioned and a smaller lighter kettle is what i would do.

TwiceAsNice Tue 04-Feb-20 11:44:05

We had a similar thread quite recently and apparently the hot water tap is very expensive so it would be whether you felt you could afford it or not. I think I might try out a smaller kettle first before I spent such a lot of money

Auntieflo Tue 04-Feb-20 11:55:43

I would also recommend a travel kettle, and you could keep the surplus hot water in a flask maybe.

shysal Tue 04-Feb-20 12:01:46

I am not talking about the hot water taps. They are very expensive and I wouldn't be able to justify the cost. The dispenser I am considering (see photo) is only £22.97. Cold water is stored in the reservoir and is heated as it passes through the spout. I don't think a smaller kettle would hold enough for me. A hot water bottle or saucepan uses a standard kettle full. I am sure I have previously seen comments from GNetters who have the type of item I am meaning, but not needing one at the time I didn't take them in.

Mrst1405 Tue 04-Feb-20 12:19:22

I have a water dispenser and it's fine. You can alter the amount from a small to large mug full. You get about 4 cups out of it before you need a refill. They are very quick and efficient. I use bottled water as ours is very hard. I wouldn't go,back to a kettle.

Hetty58 Tue 04-Feb-20 12:22:47

I used to have one and found it very good for small quantities or a few cups. I did keep my larger kettle, though, for filling saucepans and making several cups of coffee.

My elderly mother had a 'kettle tipper' when she had trouble lifting anything heavy (Uccello Safe and Easy Pour Electric Kettle with Tipper).

JuliaM Tue 04-Feb-20 12:34:46

You can also get a kettle pouring gadget from most disability shops, or via an Occupation therapist referal from your Doctor. They work on a support swivel, so when full the device takes the full weight of the kettle, and you just tip and pour. You can keep a small plastic bottle for filling it, an empty orange squash bottle works well, or a lightweight jug. If you do decide to try a travel kettle, make sure that its a cordless one with a base to stand on, a lot of travel kettles just have a cord and plug attached to save on weight when weighing in baggage.

FlexibleFriend Tue 04-Feb-20 13:12:35

Are you sure you can dispense the amount you need in one go? Mine holds a lot but can only dispense a large cupful at a time. I can press again but obviously there is a delay between cupfuls. Not sure I'd want to sod about doing say four individual cupfuls.

Franbern Tue 04-Feb-20 13:20:54

I have been using hot water dispensers for a few years. The first one I had was very basic, one single temperature and no cut out when filling cups/mugs. Had to keep a watch on it or it overflowed.
The one I have now was more expensive to buy, but has several different temperatures, and can fill either non=-stop, or else at 100/200/300ml at the time. Must say, that after first few weeks of playing with different heats for different beverages, really only use the highest one now.
It is extremely cheap to run, only uses power when actually being used. Rest of time it remains on, but not taking any power. It does have a drip tray for mugs/cups, and this is easily removed to put under the dispenser things like saucepans. It is very safe to use, no picking up or even tipping a heavy hot water container.
Do need space on worktop for this, but well worthwhile. I would recommend them, but would advise doing research, sometimes the very cheap ones or not really worth it

Franbern Tue 04-Feb-20 13:34:25

Would just add that you should purchase the one with the biggest water container you can place on your worktop. Mine is pretty close to my sink and I use a jug to re-fill it. Even though most of the time it is just me, I do need to add water two or three times each day. Once using one of these, you will be amazed at how much you will find uses for it. I fill hot water bottles from it, do keep a kettle, but only use that very occasionally, when I want to have a large amount of boiling water for such things as flushing soda crystals, etc down my kitchen sink. Also used this in my old house for similar task with my outside drain.

Farmor15 Tue 04-Feb-20 14:15:05

I had one of those hot water dispensers but found it very slow. OK for one cup but not if you wanted to make for a few people or fill hot water bottle. Maybe one Franbern has is better/faster. I gave mine away after a while, prefer kettle.

Franbern Tue 04-Feb-20 14:44:04

They are instant, but quite slow. However, as I fill my mug whilst I am getting other foods ready it is no problem. If there are two or three people to make hot drinks for, then whilst the mugs are filling I can get cake or biscuits, etc ready to accompany them.

shysal Tue 04-Feb-20 16:12:35

I hadn't thought about the slowness! Thank you all for the helpful comments.

SirChenjin Tue 04-Feb-20 16:17:41

My mother in law has one - not that model, but it’s very fast, well under a minute. She loves hers and wouldn’t go back to a kettle.

SirChenjin Tue 04-Feb-20 16:18:43

Although hers might be a smaller one now I come to think of it confused

Franbern Tue 04-Feb-20 17:25:38

Even though they are slow in dispensing the water, they are much faster than normal kettle as do not have to wait for it to boil. It is ready at boiling point the wholetime.

FlexibleFriend Tue 04-Feb-20 22:07:17

That's true but a cupful won't be enough for a water bottle. I was guessing about 4 cupfuls and that would be slow.

FlexibleFriend Tue 04-Feb-20 22:11:04

Sorry I'll correct that, they boil a cupful very quickly but a cupful won't be enough for a water bottle. I was guessing about 4 cupfuls to fill a water bottle and it would have to boil a cupful 4 times in that case. That's not quick and would involve a lot of standing around with a part filled water bottle in your hand. Hope that's clearer.

Franbern Wed 05-Feb-20 08:58:46

with mine, do not know about hot water bottles, rarely use one, but when I remove the drip tray to place any of my saucepans under the machine, I put it on to 'continuous pour', so I can put in as much water as I need for that pan, and it just seems to to continue to dispense that hot water until I stop it.
Suppose, like all appliances, you get what you pay for.

Witzend Wed 05-Feb-20 10:39:13

OP, how about a little travel kettle?

I wouldn’t want a hot water tap, primarily because it’d take up too much room in the cupboard under sink. I’m not exactly overflowing with kitchen cupboard space anyway.

If neither cost nor space is an issue, then I can see that they’re useful - a lot of people seem to be very pleased with them.

Franbern Thu 06-Feb-20 13:19:23

Wizend, hot water taps and hot water dispensers are two entirely different appliances. We were asked about Hot water Dispensers, not the taps.
I have been considering the taps for sometime, in place of my dispenser at some future dare, but for now - and for the paast three years have used the dispensers, which are - for me - extremely useful, fast and safe.
As I am in a small flat now, I need to see how much under sink room the taps would take up before I would consider getting one,.

shysal Fri 07-Feb-20 09:34:01

Franbern, thank you for your input. The model I considered has only a continuous flow function, which is what I would need, not liking hot drinks. I have therefore ordered one. I shall keep the kettle in case I find the flow a bit slow for larger quantities. If I get on well with it I can upgrade to a more expensive all-singing-all-dancing one in the future.

Franbern Fri 07-Feb-20 10:18:01

Good luck with this Shysal, do let us know how you get on with it. Have got 3 workmen in my flat today, building my new fitted wardrobes). Made them tea when they arrived, but have got down the kettle for them to use for themselves. Unless you are used to these hot water dispensers they would cause them problems.

Acciaccatura Fri 07-Feb-20 11:06:53

Two years ago I bought the beanbag type of 'hot water' bottle that you heat in the microwave for just over a minute - very easy and convenient. Might be the answer for you. Doesn't solve the saucepan problem though except they're much easier to fill than a hot water bottle.