Hate the process of boiling water? Perhaps the Quooker is something for you. Kalle Bergman checks it out.
Text By Kalle Bergman – Photo By Mads Damgaard
During a two-day photo shoot in the HTH test kitchen, and a press-event at CPH Square in Denmark, I had the opportunity to try the Quooker – The Boiling Water Tap. This little thingy looks just like a normal water tap, but with the slightly scary difference that it spews out 212°F (100°C) water straight from the tap in seconds. 
The idea behind the product is first and foremost to make your life as a home cook easier. You know that sedating and frustrating task of boiling water? With the Quooker, it’s gone. Forever.
The Quooker is sold in most European countries, and I am not sure it’s available in the US just yet. The price tag ranges from about 950 EUR – 1.200 EUR (1.200 – 1.600 USD) depending on the model, and the operating cost is about 20 EUR (26 USD) a year on standby.
I was told that I shouldn’t be worried about being severely burned even if I held my hand directly underneath the tap – as the water is mixed with bubbles of air and thereby doesn’t harm you as quickly as “solid” water would. Now, I did test it. And yes, it did still hurt. Less than pouring a kettle of hot coffee over yourself, but significantly more than not being burned at all.
How can it be used? The Quooker website states that everything from making a cup of tea to peeling tomatoes and sterilizing baby bottles will be significantly easier with this product, and having tested it I have to agree. Cleaning off a cutting board, boiling vegetables, making instant coffee, and basically anything else that needs hot or boiling water – is all extremely simple with the Quooker. Having overcome the initial intimidating moments, the Quooker quickly becomes something you handle with ease. It helps you keep your kitchen utensils clean and sterile, and the makers of this product also promise that it can actually reduce your costs for heating water. Plus, it is a cool gadget that will definitely give you a good ice breaker for dinner parties where the conversation has run dry.
My question though, is how necessary this thing really is. The investment to get one isn’t unsignificant, and the amount of time you save – even if you spend a lot of your day in the kitchen – isn’t exactly mind-boggling. I mean, boiling water two times a day doesn’t take more than a couple of minutes of your precious time. Yes, it does make your kitchen life a little bit easier, but considering the price tag, there are hundreds of other kitchen gadgets that can also claim the same (just in other areas). So in my mind, it all comes down to your wallet. If you can afford it, and already have all of the other cool gadgets on the market – go get this one as well!
Final verdict. Do I want one? Absolutely. Do I need one? Absolutely not. I get it, and I like it. If I had it at home, I’d use it every day.
It is not a necessity. But it is a great product.
FOR MORE INFORMATION – www.quooker.com
Oh man, they had this in the break-room kitchen of the company I used to work at. I burned myself pretty badly my first day there when I mistook it for a soap dispenser! *ouch*
This is a fantastic write-up. I didn’t know what this was but saw you on food gawker. I’m so glad I clicked it and was lead here. I’m really interested in this product now. It sounds a bit like a mandolin in a way. Something that can be achieved easily without a gadget but may get plenty of use if you actually had one.
It would make preparing a cup of tea a little quicker and cooking large quantities of pasta.
“but significantly more than not being burned at all”… that made me laugh.
My parents had a tap similar to this in their house when it was built.
In 1979.
Sounds like a neat kitchen gadget. Honestly my first thought was that I will burn myself, I’m kinda accident prone. Normally I use an electric kettle to boil water quickly for all of my needs. If the Quooker was already installed in my kitchen of course I would use it but honestly I wouldn’t go out of my way to purchase one. I really enjoyed your honesty, great review.
Dear Kale,
I understand your question on whether this is necessary, but!!!!!……. I now live in Amsterdam, have a Quooker and will never want a kitchen without one.
This is the perfect accessory in any kitchen! Any cook or amateur in the kitchen will absolutely love it.
Does anyone know if it is available in Canada or the US? Looking for it for my mom.
Henriette
Dear Henriette,
As far as I know, they are just beginning to enter the US market this year. I don’t think they have just yet.
All the best
Kalle
Best luxury we have ever bought. Used all the time. My son has jsut gone off to University to self cater and misses the Quooker more than us. You don’t need one but we wouldn’t be without one.
We use our Quooker to clean glasses, those that are not dishwasher friendly.
And as space is a premium in the city a kettle is clutter that doesn’t warrant kitchen counter space. We love our Quooker.
Great write up.
It really is a nice bit of kit – so useful, and a massive time-saver. Already installed in 100,000 homes across Europe. Has it hit the US yet? I have not seen it in the UK – I only saw it at a demo show last month.
Really great for the busy familes I think – especially those with babies! Helps when heating the formula up!
Regards,
John
Necessary or not, if you live in the City of London where every object has to ‘earn’ its space within your apartment the Quooker proves a great gadget to see a clearer counter.
Life without the kettle is peachy perfect when you live in London’s square mile. Of course you still have lime scale to battle with, but that is an easy fix with the right filer in place, in fact I have connected my filter to both the Quooker and mains drinking water tap, so I actually have a better solution. Lets face it, London water isn’t exactly the nicest.
are you sure that the water is absolutely sterile and does not carry any germ
Hi
Sounds like a great product. But, how much does it cost to run compared to the conventional kettle?
Haha
If you were from London you wouldn’t call it a counter top. Also I agree Thames Water isn’t the nicest.
I’m interested but with young children who will eventually learn to use this i’m slightly concerned
@Holy. The water is sterile as it is held at 110C (under mains pressure and therefore not boiling) before being dispensed. It then reduces the temperature using the Jules Thompson effect to provide boiling water at 100C.
Stick to your kettle! I love modern gadgets that work but this one is a gimic!!!! We had one installed a few months ago and yes, water at over 90C (less than 100C as everyone is saying) but it is very splashy and you are likely to get scalded even just in the process of filling your tea cup up! And it can’t cope with hard water and if you look at the review centre, nearly half of all buyers would not recommend it!!!!