| Normal Household Kettle | | | | safety checks. Even with a decent hot tap it's best not |
| Normally constructed from durable plastic or steel with | | | | to install one of these machines within the reach of |
| a plastic handle for safety the typical kettle is powered | | | | children, to ensure that children are safe consider a |
| by mains electricity and heats the water until the kettle | | | | desktop version of the machine or one of the heaters |
| automatically deactivates to prevent the water boiling | | | | or boilers listed below. |
| away and damaging the heating element. | | | | Hand Wash Water Heaters |
| The kettle can be time inefficient as staff can end up | | | | Typically starting at around £100 these systems |
| waiting around for the kettle to boil several times in | | | | are ideal for washroom areas where no hot water is |
| one day. | | | | available; the systems are capable of delivering water |
| It's also important to realise that all portable electrical | | | | at temperatures of between 35°C to 80°C. |
| appliances in offices within the UK are subject to PAT | | | | Normally installed over the sink with a dedicated spout |
| (Portable Appliance Test) testing. PAT testing involves | | | | the systems are also available as under sink models at |
| the routine checking of each appliance to ensure | | | | which point the hot water is fed into a dedicated tap. |
| continual safety; the interval between tests depends | | | | The pricing of these systems is centred around the |
| on both the type of appliance and the environment in | | | | capacity that they are capable of delivering. For a 5 |
| which it is used. The Institution of Electrical Engineers | | | | litre system which is adequate for most small offices |
| (IEE) and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) | | | | you need to think about spending around £100, if |
| suggest intervals for inspection and testing ranging | | | | larger capacities are required say between 30 and 100 |
| from 3 months to 4 years. To check if your office | | | | Litres then £3-400 is a reasonable price. |
| kettle has been tested check for a label stuck to the | | | | As these are hot water systems and subject to scale |
| kettles power cable. | | | | you should consider a filter with a scale inhibitor. More |
| A common misconception is that kettles reach boiling | | | | importantly make sure that the machine is supplied by |
| point, this is rarely the case see this is only important | | | | a reputable manufacturer and consider taking out a |
| as the household kettle is the standard that most | | | | service contract to protect against failure. |
| people have in mind when attempting to provide hot | | | | Water Boilers |
| drinks in their office, in reality boiling water is not | | | | Often considered an excellent alternative to the normal |
| necessary for hot drinks water at 95°C and | | | | kettle water boilers can provide near boiling water at |
| above is perfectly fine even for an office full of tea | | | | the touch of a tap. Sourcing your machine from a |
| lovers. | | | | trusted manufacturer is essential as the manufacturing |
| Water Coolers with a Hot or Cook option | | | | of these machines can be subject to sub standard |
| Water coolers (often abbreviated to "watercooler") | | | | batches in some cases. |
| are devices that cool and dispenses water. Generally | | | | The pricing of these systems is partly centred around |
| speaking there are 2 types of water cooler: bottle-less | | | | the capacity, but is also somewhat dependant on the |
| and bottled: bottle-less water coolers are connected to | | | | manufacturer name. Many of the systems that we |
| the mains water supply, while bottled water coolers | | | | have tested have fallen short of manufacturer stated |
| require regular delivery of water in large bottles from | | | | performance levels so it's important to get best value |
| distributors. What a lot of people don't know is that | | | | when it comes to parting with your money. |
| both types of cooler are often available with a hot | | | | Water Boilers fall into many categories including wall |
| water capability allowing some machines to dispense | | | | mounted, over sink and under sink models and |
| hot water up to 98?C these machines are know as | | | | undersink taps which normally have an additional chilled |
| cold and hot or cold and cook machines. | | | | option. |
| If you are considering purchasing a water cooler with a | | | | The machines themselves often have a sleep mode |
| hot tap it's important to research the exact capabilities | | | | allowing the machine to be kinder to the environment |
| of the machine, often these machines are not capable | | | | and the company coffers. |
| of supplying water at sufficient temperatures to make | | | | As before these are hot water systems and subject |
| a good cup of tea which could land you in hot water | | | | to scale you should consider a filter with a scale |
| with your staff unless your office is full of coffee | | | | inhibitor. More importantly make sure that the machine |
| drinkers. In addition make sure that the machine comes | | | | is supplied by a reputable manufacturer and consider |
| with a safety tap that has passed all relevant UK | | | | taking out a service contract to protect against failure. |