How specialist kitchen taps, offering filtered cold and steaming hot water,  have evolved and become a source of health and wellbeing

Inspired by Scandinavian design, Abode offers Pronteau Scandi offers 4 IN 1 functionality (hot, cold, filtered cold and 75-98º steaming hot) with a dual lever – Scandi X or Hotkey sensor activation Scandi E

Where once a hot water or filtered water tap was the epitome of luxury, industry experts believe they are fast becoming commonplace in kitchen design.

Just like the dishwasher is now part and parcel of modern requirements, specialist hot and filtered water taps are fast approaching.

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Lauren Goodbrand of Kitchens International on winning the Kbsa Concept Designer Award 2024

Product manager at Abode Dan Biddle put some statistics to this stating: “Experiencing huge levels of market growth, controllable 75˚C-98˚C instant filtered steaming hot and cold water is now considered in 40% of all new kitchen installations.”

At-home experiences

It’s perhaps no surprise the wet zone has become such a firm focus for consumers, as managing director of Blanco UK Neal Jones pointed out at the Ideal Home Show: “It is the most important place in the kitchen, because you spend 60% of your time at the sink and it’s about the things you do at that location.”

The Blue Pure tap from Grohe, in Phantom Black boasts a pull-out spout and can filter up to 3,000 litres before the cartridge needs replacing

And Dan Biddle of Abode agrees, adding: “Today, the wet zone has become a high traffic, multi-functional space and so any product which helps transform the sink area into a hybrid workstation for cleaning and hydration is only set to grow.”

This move was reaffimed by the pandemic, where consumers recreated social experiences at home, and these trends are now firmly entrenched in interior design. Think coffee stations and at-home cocktail bars.

“Currently the no 1 trend on Pinterest is Cafecore providing inspiration for barista standard coffee stations. A specialist tap is tied in with the desire to show your panache and be creative and social with drinks, whether it’s tea, coffee, infusions or spritzers”, explains sales and marketing director of Franke UK Jo Sargent.

Expanding water offer

Alongside, this has been the development of the tap itself. They have moved on from the  3-in-1 model offering either steaming/boiling hot water or filtered water alongside standard supplies.

The premium Franke Mythos Water Hub 6-in-1 offers filtered ambient, chilled, sparkling and instant boiling water, on top of hot and cold mains. Used with the Franke @Home app, each function can be personalised

Now the 4-in-1 model has come to the fore, meaning consumers don’t have to choose, as they can have both steaming hot and filtered cold water supplies.

There are even taps additionally offering personalised water temperatures and sparking water – with a choice of carbonisation levels – bringing the options to six water sources on tap.

It includes the recent European launch of the premium Mythos Water Hub 6-in-1 tap, at Kbb Birmingham 2024, from Franke and the Choice tap from Blanco.

Naturally, the 3-in-1 entry level models in the hot water tap sector are still proving the most popular in sales and, there is sales potential as market penetration is relatively low.

According to Dave Mayer of Reginox hot water taps account for 30% of its kitchen tap sales. CEO of Qettle Greg Rowe Snr believes democratisation of design will be important in driving sales in a challenging economic climate.

He points out for hot water tap sales: “The opportunity is going down a price pyramid rather than going up it. “People spending £10,000 on the kitchen badly want a boiling water tap, if they are going to spend 10% of the value of the kitchen or more on it.

“We think the market will play out more in the middle and lower ground if it’s ever going to replace a kettle.”

Leader of product management at Lixil EMENA and Grohe UK Lewis Neathey points out the company’s most popular specialist tap sales are at the entry level for the sector: “Our Grohe Blue Pure stands out as our most popular and fastest-growing multifunctional model. Additionally, the Grohe Red kettle hot tap is gaining popularity.”

And managing director of Reginox UK Dave Mayer also finds 3-in-1 taps are the most popular in his portfolio: “Hot water tap 3-in-1 is the fastest grower at the moment, but I see 4-in-1 and 5-in-1 models growing in the future.”

Game-changing health aid

But the game-changer in the specialist tap market is arguably the combination of app controls, providing gamification with wellbeing monitoring.

Blanco Choice tap offers two types of sparkling water, filtered boiling and chilled (with adjustable temperature levels), plus unfiltered hot and cold water.

Forget the motivational water bottles with marking on the sides to promote hydration – using a complementary app, now the tap can now record the quantity and type of water consumed during the day.

Lewis Neathey continues: “In the filtered water tap domain, brands are beginning to use app functionality to allow consumers to track their water intake and monitor their levels of hydration. Looking ahead to the future of these products, we expect voice activation and the use of an app to operate the tap, itself, to come into play.”

Whereas Dan Biddle is firmly focused on the health aspect, adding: “Given the appetite for consumers to monitor and up-level so many aspects of their health and wellbeing through apps and data, I image there will be plenty of possibilities to develop even more personalised water menus depending on an end user’s health in the years ahead.”

Sustainable services

But before we reach too far into the future, industry experts remind kitchen designers of good practice –  particularly around hot water – with servicing a key aspect for the appliance.

Reginox offers Aquadzi, a 4-in-1 tap with lever and touch control technology to deliver instant filtered or boiling water

With a specialist tap requiring new cartridges – Dan Biddle says it’s always worth remembering the components are recyclable and can be sent back to manufacturers after they have expired for recycling.

Correct servicing also promotes sustainability, in terms of longevity of the tap use, Jo Sargant of Franke UK explains: “After sales service and maintenance is an important part of the decision because a specialist tap requires ongoing servicing, just as you would your home boiler.

“They are not a fit and forget product, they require care and attention from the homeowner to change the filter cartridge, for example.

“We offer an annual service package which includes a tap MOT and cartridge replacement by our own Field Service Team and this is a key part of our product proposition and beneficial for retailers to bring into the sales talk.”

Certainly there will be no slow-down in specialist tap development, and with a broad offer of designs and services, they are now available to a wider populace. So tap into the potential for lucrative sales