Geniescience
Homeowner
Instant or almost instant hot water. This is one of many recurring needs, wishes or desires. The pattern emerging is clear.
E.g. a recent post went like this.
Here are some answers, or ideas for answers.
1. a gravity-fed recirculating loop.
2. a pump and a dedicated return line.
3. a pump and the existing cold line as its return line.
4. an under-sink device to produce almost-boiling water on demand.
5. a little container on the wall to heat a quart when you turn its tap.
6. an always-on kettle which keeps water warm only when on standby.
7. a microwave oven to warm milk for babies.
The first four options cost a lot of money either to buy or to install.
The next two options are practically never seen.
Decades ago I saw a little glass container on the wall, in Europe, that heated enough water to make tea or instant coco. You turned the little tap and it filled up. You turned the tap off and pressed the power button. Its heating element went on and almost boiled the water in a minute. I guess that makes it a wall-mount kettle, as inexpensive to operate as a kettle. It was mounted over the sink, so that if you overfilled it the spill could more easily go into the sink.
In the last five years I have asked at specialty stores for a kettle that keeps water hot always. One person once told me she used to have a model, but no-one ever bought it. Why was there no demand? I don't know. Maybe I should have nuanced it, by asking for a kettle that would provide not-scalding hot water when "on standby".
david
E.g. a recent post went like this.
Let's build a thread that, as a project, answers this ever recurring need, and let's have fun doing it too. Manufacturers might start building the right product too, if we define the need(s) clearly enough. Maybe the site will get another new sponsor. Next year. (For the record, I have no shares in this site or service attached)greatNewParticipant_namechanged said:
Here are some answers, or ideas for answers.
1. a gravity-fed recirculating loop.
2. a pump and a dedicated return line.
3. a pump and the existing cold line as its return line.
4. an under-sink device to produce almost-boiling water on demand.
5. a little container on the wall to heat a quart when you turn its tap.
6. an always-on kettle which keeps water warm only when on standby.
7. a microwave oven to warm milk for babies.
The first four options cost a lot of money either to buy or to install.
The next two options are practically never seen.
Decades ago I saw a little glass container on the wall, in Europe, that heated enough water to make tea or instant coco. You turned the little tap and it filled up. You turned the tap off and pressed the power button. Its heating element went on and almost boiled the water in a minute. I guess that makes it a wall-mount kettle, as inexpensive to operate as a kettle. It was mounted over the sink, so that if you overfilled it the spill could more easily go into the sink.
In the last five years I have asked at specialty stores for a kettle that keeps water hot always. One person once told me she used to have a model, but no-one ever bought it. Why was there no demand? I don't know. Maybe I should have nuanced it, by asking for a kettle that would provide not-scalding hot water when "on standby".
david
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