Boiling water taps – the hot trend in the market

The market for electric boiling tap installations is bubbling nicely thanks to increased popularity among UK homeowners, and wholesalers are well positioned to benefit. Richard Braid, Head of Showers and Water Heating at Redring, discusses the business growth opportunities boiling taps are presenting to the industry, particularly now that more affordable options are available.

The age of the instant boiling tap is here, with year-on-year increases of UK kitchen installations highlighting this. What’s more, demand from homeowners is also on the increase presenting great business prospects for wholesalers.

A nation of tea drinkers and time savers

To put this into context, 165 million cups of tea are drunk in the UK every day, with a YouGov survey stated that 52% of adults drink tea on a daily basis. In line with this, Expert Energy has claimed that up to 25% of energy used to boil a kettle may be wasted, and according to the Energy Saving Trust this equates to £68m of unnecessary energy usage every year.

Homeowners are cottoning on to this and alongside potential energy saving benefits, the practical convenience of a ‘3 in 1’ solution (boiling, hot and cold water all being readily available from a single tap) saves huge amounts of time and effort in the kitchen. Additionally, it is not just hot drinks that boiling taps can be used for, but also for cooking vegetables, washing dishes and so on.

It is also worth highlighting that now that the prices of some boiling taps are less than £600, they offer a great alternative to traditional mixer taps too and a much larger demographic of homeowners can afford a unit within their properties.

How wholesalers can benefit

We know from a recent WaterSafe survey, that 92% of installers regularly talk to their customers about water and energy saving products, with boiling water taps clearly fitting in this category. A recently published Mintel report also stated that 42% of the population purchase kettles in a calendar year. That’s two in five people who installers can target as a potential sale and will purchase the products through a wholesaler.

Alongside installers, it is becoming more common for new building developments to have boiling water taps installed, particularly luxury apartments blocks or show homes on new housing estates. Therefore demand is also rising from contractors and specifiers, who will look to wholesalers to provide the best purchase solution.

Which tap to choose

Redring’s new ‘3 in 1’ boiling water tap, Reditap, offers an affordable option for those in need of an electric boiling water tap. Its lower cost makes it an appealing for building contractors buying in bulk and also a viable proposition for consumers upgrading their kitchen, whilst maintaining the high levels of performance expected from Redring. The product also comes complete with a 2-year guarantee, offering peace of mind to a purchasing decision.

With a compact 2-litre boiling water tank, Reditap offers a greater capacity than domestic kettles and still leaves plenty of cupboard space under the sink. This also allows easy tank inspection after installation, particularly if descaling is required.

A safety lock on the tap control prevents accidental dispense of hot water and the tap spout is insulated so does not get too hot during operation. Other safety features include boil dry and thermal overheat protection and a calibration adjustment control with heating ‘ON’ indication. Also, Reditap is a straightforward install, requiring minimum tools for connection as it comes complete with all the necessary fittings in one box.

The age of the electric boiling tap is here; at Redring we are excited about the growth potential for this product group and firmly believe that wholesalers are in a strong position to capitalise on this market trend.

www.redring.co.uk