Breville HotCup Hot Water Dispenser with 3 KW Fast Boil and Variable Dispense, 2.0 Litre, Gloss Black [VKJ318]
At a Glance
- Dispenses water at the touch of a button
- Boils water in 1 minute
- Select from 9 cup sizes
- Separate stop button so you can stop mid cycle
- 2.0L (6-10 cup) capacity
- Easy to use: just lift it off the base like a kettle
- Energy-efficient design boils only the water it uses
- Large water opening makes filling easy
- Gloss black finish and stainless steel trim
Breville HotCup Hot Water Dispenser with Variable Dispense, 2 Litre, Gloss Black
Enjoy Speedy Hot Drinks in Just 60 Seconds
Speed up your morning routine with the Breville HotCup Hot Water Dispenser. Featuring a 9-size cup size selector that dispenses water at the push of a button, it’s all the benefits of a kettle without the wait or waste. Thanks to a large tank holding up to 10 drinks, it’s great for busy families, rushed morning routines or a fast afternoon treat. The hot water machine has a clean look and a water tank that glows when boiling. A removable drip tray and limescale filter make it easy to maintain. Enjoying delicious hot drinks has never been simpler.
Hot Water Dispenser Includes:
- 2.0L water tank
- Removable easy-to-clean drip tray
- Permanent limescale filter
| | | | |
|---|---|---|---|
Simple, Instant Boiling WaterPush the button and in 60 seconds you enjoy boiling water for ultra-fast tea, instant coffee, hot chocolate and more. Thanks to Breville, it’s never been easier to get an instant pick me up. | Choose from 9 Cup SizesSelect from 9 different cup sizes for just the right amount of liquid and a precise pour with less waste. There’s also a stop button so you can stop the flow mid cycle. | Easy Fill Water TankThe big, easy open water tank makes it fast to fill while the 2.0L capacity delivers up to 10 hot drinks – perfect for a just a cup or bigger groups such as families and meetings. It’s everything you appreciate about a kettle and so much more. | Stylish and Easy to CleanSleek, attractive and featuring clean lines, it has a gloss black finish with eye-catching stainless steel trim and a water tank that glows blue when boiling. A removable drip tray and permanent limescale filter make it easy to clean and maintain. |
Removable Drip Tray
2L Capacity
Energy Efficient
Blue When Boiling
 |  |  |  |  | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 1.5L | 2.0L | 1.7L | 2.0L | 1.8L |
| Time to Boil | 60 Seconds | 60 Seconds | 60 Seconds | 60 Seconds | 60 Seconds |
| Large Water Window | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Manual Stop Function | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Drip Tray | Removable | Removable | Removable and Height Adjustable | Removable and Height Adjustable | Removable |
| Cup Size Selector | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Filter | Permanent Limescale Filter | Permanent Limescale Filter | Permanent Limescale Filter | Permanent Limescale Filter | BRITA Filter with MAXTRA Technology |
| Weight: | 1.92 kg |
| Dimensions: | 17 x 28 x 27.7 cm; 1.92 Kilograms |
| Brand: | Breville |
| Model: | VKJ318 |
| Colour: | Gloss Black |
| Colour: | Gloss Black |
I had mine for 10 years! and bought another immediately! Ignore any negative reviews! millions are sold occasionally there’s a faulty one! and no different faults from a normal kettle! They may not be to everyone’s liking but for making a cuppa their brilliant! They are exactly like a kettle but because you place the cup or vessel under spout press the button 40 seconds that’s it! no watching required! It’s really about getting used to it!
As I now live on my own, 99%of the time I am making a drink for one, and although I always used to boil the kettle with a small amount of water in it, I would always put more than a mugful in to prevent limestone dregs contaminating the drink being made. This is not a problem, however, with the water dispenser, which literally heats just the amount you require…and very quickly at that! Hopefully(!) this will be energy saving for me since I am not wasting heat on excess water, as with the kettle. I have, however, retained my kettle for large quantities of heated water – and filling my hot water bottle!
This is very good for people with sight problems although filling it up requires a plastic jug as it is quite heavy to lift when full. Very handy being able to select how much water you want dispensed as we all like different amounts of water in our drinks. Marked it as a 4 star as the buttons on the top seem quite flimsy so I am unsure how long they will last but if it gets to 12 months without breaking I would up it to 5 stars.
Having being released from hospital with mobility constraints, I needed a safe option for brewing tea. This is excellent for anyone. It is so fast to boil the exact amount of boiling water required. It has features such as a dial to adjust volume, if you want a mug or cup amount, or anything in between. There is also a stop button, so you can stop the flow at any point.
I don’t see any point in going back to a conventional kettle, as this is much more convenient and efficient, making it cheaper to run.
I spent a lot of time wondering if to buy this, so glad I did. I have had no problems with aftertaste or temperature as mentioned in some reviews. I haven’t used the small cup, as i’m a tea drinker but the largest cup size fills my travel mug (its 300ml or just over half pint). I bought it as my other half drove me mad at 5 in the morning boiling the kettle (he didn’t understand just to fill to one cup). Now I don’t even hear it, as quieter than my kettle and I know hes only boiling a cup! We both have a cuppa in an evening, me tea, him coffee but it boils so quick that this is no problem, I just stop the water on his (he has more milk) rather than changing cup size.
I have 2 main complaints about this hotcup hot water dispenser.
1) It gives the impression it dispenses boiling water. Not true. I measured the temperature as soon as the water was in the cup. It read 95 degrees centigrade and reduces rapidly. As a result my cup of tea now tastes differently.
2) Description says it dispenses regular cup quantities. Not true. The levels, if doing more than one cup after each other, gives different quantities so be careful. Can set to high water levels for the first cup and use the stop button when the required level is required.
If you can put up with these faults, which I, then it is a useful machine and will save you money as it only heats up the quantity needed, not the whole kettle.
This is the best thing I’ve purchased, I have a disability and also I struggle to use my hands and wrist with this kettle all I have to do is press one button and it measures out the Water I require and that’s it that’s my drink done. You can make it a small to large drink on the dial at the top of the kettle. With my disability I am no longer having to lift the kettle to fill it up or tipped the kettle to make a drink. A MUSY BUY
Yes I am a man and you put the cup under the spout, push the button and that’s it in moments a cup of tea. What’s not too like no fuss no waste. You can adjust the size of cup and then there’s an emergency stop button in case you get it wrong. So simple anyone can use it [even a man]
Buy one you will not be disappointed.
Took delivery today. My wife had major surgery a week ago and cannot life a full kettle for 6-8 weeks (I’m happy to do so but she’s very independent and I love her can do spirit).
Followed instructions and now we enjoy cups of tea made by both of us 🙂
My *only* hesitancy is sometimes it “spurts” out while dispensing the boiling water, I’m putting it down to teething problems as it’s new. But we are both delighted with it so far.
Absolutely fantastic. Brought to replace an old one that I had purchased secondhand that eventually stopped working. So good to be able to make a hot drink when you haven’t the strength or mobility to use a kettle. The water stop feature is fantastic – especially if u have forgotten to set the amount of water dispensed to your cup size. So good that everyone else uses it rather than the kettle. Love the removable drip tray as it then can be used for filing pans whilst cooking as well as cups. Looks smart too. Definitely worth the money especially for those with grip, strength and dexterity issues. Much safer than a kettle.
Purchased this to replace onecup that has served me well for 7+ years.
Being disabled I find pouring kettles difficult and dangerous, but with these dispensers it’s easy and much safer.
The Breville Brita hotcup is larger than I expected, looks smart, and does the job well. You can easily adjust the volume of water dispensed to suit the size of your cups. It has a built in water filter, which can be removed if you prefer, so I no longer need to faff with separate filter jug. The on button is large and easy to press, and unit lights up so you can easily see it is operating. There is also a larger cancel button.
The only niggle is the lid, this is why I gave 4 stars rather than 5. There is a button that flips up a portion of the lid to enable filling, but the flap limits access and the opening is quite small (I use a jug to fill as unit too heavy for me to carry), while you can remove the whole lid (which would make filling easier) it is difficult to grip it, it would definitely benefit from a handle!
I love this product, it’s my second one, heats a cup/ mug of water for tea /coffee fast, brilliant for when you need hot water for veggies, saves waiting for water to boil in a saucepan. You can start it, complete a task then chill with a freshly made coffee Just be sure to let everyone know where the switch to open the lid ready for topping up water is, my first one had lid forced open because I hadn’t shown everybody how to open the lid. Best one I’ve ever used. Particularly good if like me lifting a kettle is difficult due to having rheumatoid arthritis, five stars I highly recommend it.
This little machine should be in everyone’s household. It’s just the right size slightly bigger than a standard kettles’ base. Only heats whatever cup size you select so it’s energy efficient and the water is boiling when it’s ejected. It can be replenished by filling it from the top rear of the water receptacle or by lifting it “kettle” like to the water tap… we find it easier to fill it up by using a jug, as we are well into our sixties !
So my travel mug fits and it fills it to the level I would normally fill it.
My second concern was that the water might not be quite boiling and you would get that white film very common with coffee machines dispensing ‘hot water’. Well I’m happy to say that doesn’t happen with this unit. It is the perfect temperature for tea.
The reason I switched from kettles was because I found the second cup after filling the kettle tasted slightly stewed – reminiscent of the old tea urn. This unit tastes fresh every time (I use a filter jug to fill it) and my tea is delicious.
I am so, so happy with this unit. Have recommended it to anyone who would listen!
Filling settings as follows:
lowest setting = 150ml, espresso mug
middle setting = 250ml, standard tea mug
highest setting = 350ml, travel mug
This is a great kettle, great value for money, easy to use it also looks nice too.
I do have Rheinards in my hands so lifting a full kettle can be very difficult for me, using this water heater is great. I do not have to lift it, just place cup under and it fills the cup. No lifting, no wasted energy boiling a full kettle, it just boils one cup at a time, fast, efficient and it saves energy and money. This is my 3rd Breville, I knocked the others over, they always work well.
This is an awesome bit of kit especially for single menopausal tea addicts! There’s not much to get excited about when you are a tee total non smoking 50 year old woman who’s only company is a deaf white toothless cat! But there’s tea! And this bit of gadgetry beats the life long time wasting of boiling a kettle! Simple as it’s put a smile on my hot flushed middle aged face! And the spare time not used waiting for the kettle to boil can now be better utilised contemplating the different benefits of HRT!
I bought this product for my 91 year old mum who suffers with macular degeneration. She is now nearly blind. I wanted something that would help her make a cup of tea without spilling hot water everywhere. This has been the best product I bought. It boils only the water you need for a cup/mug and then pours it into the cup which saves electricity. It operates with only a press of one button which was ideal for my mum. It also looks really nice on the worktop. You can change the size of cup/mug too and if the hot water does pour out inadvertently there is a stop button on the machine. It is also easy to add water by using a jug if you find it’s heavy for you to carry to the sink. My mum loves it and in turn I love it too because now I know my mum is a lot safer. Excellent product, would highly recommend it.
I had the model before this one and i was more than happy with it even though you couldn’t alter cup/mug size.. however this one is absolutely brilliant it has a cup and mug setting and every size in between! Not all our mugs hold the same amount. This water dispenser/kettle has a big water tank so is great for filling jugs etc when cooking or when you have guests round. We are a couple, however we do drink many teas and coffees etc. The machine is sleek, looks good is quick and quiet and still only takes up the same space as my old one did.
Loving this! Though the filters for this are the Maxtra+ so I’m glad I didn’t order additional filters at the same time.
Firstly, huge water tank. So much so that I started to worry the first time that I filled it as it took a lot of water before it showed above the heater compartment, I actually started to wonder if I should have read the instructions first.
So, as it is a filter kettle- sorry, hot water dispenser- it does take a while for the water to filter through and reach the huge reserve tank.
As the cup sizes are dots rather than volume, some trial and error with different mugs is to be expected in the beginning.
Obviously, I timed how long it took to boil a cup of water on the second largest cup setting, 28 seconds from pressing the button to cup of coffee. Very much a welcome thing first thing in the morning. Just remember to top up the tank the night before. Or it’s a lot longer.
Emptying the tank is a bit of a bum ache as you are not able to empty cold water, the only way is to make up to 8 cups of tea, coffee or hot chocolate.
Oh, and making instant gravy or pre boiling water for the spuds became a lot trickier since banishing my old, standard kettle.
Fast coffee at 6am makes up for that, though.
Great for when the carpal tunnel is being uncooperative as no lifting. I imagine descaling will be an issue….
Brought this for my disabled grandma who cannot lift her old kettle. It was the best purchase ever made. It was a little awkward at first to work out which number to have it on to produced the right amount of water but this was quickly sorted. She has a standard sized mug and can make 8-9 drinks before having to refill it.
It boils really fast and is extremely hot, which she loves.
Good quality for money, I know another disabled lady that owns one and wont have another kettle, shes had it over 7 years now and perfectly working still.
Hi decided to write a review, as I always read reviews before I buy, the breville one cups looks stylish in my kitchen, it is quite large, has a sturdy large drip tray, it lights up blue when switched on, it takes approx 40 seconds to fill a mug, the water tank holds approx 7 mugs of water, water comes out hot (but not too hot) the only downside is it quite heavy when you need to refill, so i use a plastic jug to refill, it is very heavy to lift off & take to the tap, not user freindly for elderly customer, but I do feel it is very safe to use as you just put your cup under press the button so no lifting heavy kettles with hot water, my last breville lasted 15 years, and gave up last week, so brought the new breville 5 days ago, my hold one I was forever filling up as it did,t hold much water, so i like the 2 ltr tank capacity and the dial on the top for different size cups (which I need to get use to cup sizes as my cups are all differnt sizes) there is a stop button easily located on the front, but not used yet, hope this helps one last thing the price is quite expensive at 51.99 but couldn,t find any cheaper, hopefully lasts as long (15 years)
This is my second one of these kettles. I love them! Couldn’t be without one. My last ones light stopped working then the measuring went awry BUT the latter was down to the fact that I didn’t bother to descale it at all – this one I will make sure I do! The only downside to these is if you need a whole kettle of boiling water, but I keep an old kettle in the cupboard for that. These are great as they have the option to variate the output of water unlike other models/brands.
I’ve had this since January 2020. It’s now May 2020. By now, it’s made 100s of cups of tea and coffee- so time for a review. Easy to use: takes a few goes to get the right dispensing amount of water. It doesn’t matter if you judge it wrongly as you can always press ‘stop’ – which stops the water immediately. Boils quickly…we make lots of tea and coffee at my place, so I imagine, we have saved a bit in electric costs. I bought it after my wife had an arm operation, I didn’t want her lifting a heavy kettle up. This was a perfect solution. Unless, you make tea or coffee in a giant bowl- there’s no worries here about how much water it dispenses. None at all. Nice blue light. Four stars because I’d say the water is a couple of degrees colder than from a kettle. My wife wouldn’t have it if her tea wasn’t hot and she has no complaints. Good product, sturdy, does a nice job and provides a good solution.
I live on my own and find it difficult to boil enough water for just one cup in a kettle. I was therefore looking for an easier and more economical solution.
It has a dial on the top to select how much water to dispense. All of my mugs are the same size, so it’s great being able to select the perfect size and leave it. The tank holds 2 litres, which is enough for about 8 standard mugs.
It takes about 35 seconds from pushing the button to the water being dispensed. I pop a teabag in a cup, press the button, walk away for a few minutes and come back to perfectly brewed tea!
I highly recommend this hot water dispenser if you’re looking for a safer, faster, easier and more economical alternative to a standard kettle.
Incredible! Had one many years ago when they first came out but the amount of water dispensed was fixed and was a pain if using different cup sizes! They’ve solved that now with the amount of water boiled being adjustable to cater for all cup sizes and theres a stop switch which is instantaneous if you select the wrong amount for the cup, press it and it stops immediately!
Large tank capacity, boils a cup within a minute and is more Energy efficient than boiling a kettle even if making a couple of cups, and ideal for older people as they’re not handling a boiling kettle full of water! Bought one for my parents and they’re equally impressed! Highly recommended, don’t hesitate to buy
After having used instant hot water taps at work for making quick teas and coffees on the go I was excited to replace my old kettle with this hot water dispenser but sadly my excitement soon turned to disappointment. The first thing we noticed is that it takes ages to fill as there is only a small amount of space between the Brita filter to the top of the kettle such that you have to put a small amount of water in, wait for it to trickle down to the main tank and repeat 4 or 5 times until the tank is full. The only way it’s usable is to remove the brita filter so that the water goes straight into the tank. The next issue is how long it takes to boil the water, which is almost a minute. Not too much of a problem if making a drink for one person but not great if you have guests and need 4 or 5 cups and unlike a kettle you can’t just go away and come back. Lastly it’s no good for rinsing rice or filling pans with hot water. If you want instant hot water for the kitchen it’s better to get the tap systems which are directly connected to the mains water and can provide an endless supply of boiling hot water within a few seconds.
Update. Having used the HotCup for a few weeks I’ve added a couple more stars. We just keep a jug of water next to it for topping up and have kept our old kettle in a cupboard for the odd things it can’t handle such as straining rice etc. Overall I’m glad we persevered with it.
It works fine, the only problem I have is the start button, soft rubbery material jumped out and I can get it to stay back in, its a design fault two small lugs clip into two slot in the main button, however the part that came out is now buckled and wont stay in, so I will just have to glue it in and see what happens. Its a big lump of a machine, did not expect a problem coming from this manufacturer. If you are used to making tea with a tea pot, and think you can fill it up with this machine forget it, it has various cup sizes and the largest only fills my big mug.
I loved the idea of making a cup of tea quickly so bought this. It does just that, it’s quick and ideal if you are making one cup, so great when I’m working at home. Downsides: it spits a bit so I would not recommend young children using it, I’m even nervous about my 12 year old using it as she is clumsy. The other disadvantage is when you need more than one cup of boiling water for example when making a jug of gravy (didn’t think about that when I bought it). Also you can’t have half a cup, I like instant porridge and a whole cup of boiling water is too much, it’s no big deal you can pour into the cup then pour from cup into pot but you get the idea! You get one cup, same amount of water every time (Sorry if that seems obvious, but I didn’t think about it). Do like it though and would recommend.
I previously had the smaller 1.5 litre version for quite a while but due to how much we used it was basically wearing out and getting slower so I decided a new one was needed and bought this the bigger capacity model, so far really pleased with it as the water is definitely hot and it is quite accurate at the amount it dispenses with the setting working well, fairly easy to clean and easy to maintain, one tip is to use a jug to top it up as it is quite heavy to hold under a tap when it’s getting filled up (not really a criticism but rather an opinion!) I think these are so much easier to use than a kettle and I would recommend this for anyone who has a weak grip such as the elderly or infirm, great machine and would definitely recommend it!
This boiler is fabulous. Before buying I read some disappointing reviews but I haven’t experienced any problems. It’s heavier than a kettle to fill but which is a downside for people with lifting problems but it’s perfectly manageable for my partner and I.
Fill it up, select your cup size. Press the button. Hey presto hot water.
We have if on a worktop with a shelf directly above. Feared a kettle would steam too much and damage the shelf we chose this. Does a full size cup at a time. Minimal steam and should be more economical as not boiling more water than you need. Looks good too.
Bought it as a present when the previous smaller one broke… only through heavy use, they drink a lot of tea and cook a lot so the smaller one really worked hard, when it broke they reverted back to a standard kettle and it was then they realised and remembered how long it took to make a cuppa again.
After a few months of annoying kettle waiting I got fed up and bought this one for them for Christmas 2018 and they like it even more as this one has a stop button and a bigger tank to hold the water. The last one lasted about five years and saved loads on the electric bill as they weren’t boiling whole kettles of water. Descaling is a bit of a faff but should be done anyway. I hope this one lasts the same amount of time or longer, I think Breville don’t advertise this product enough.
How do I say: well pleased with my purchase?
I bought it to replace an original HotCup that was giving up the ghost after 5+ years of 10+ daily use.
It has the features I would have put on a list to Santa Breville, and uses them well. Variable metered dose, and free flow (to a degree) using the ability to stop the dose. This feature works with no lag, so is as accurate as you need it to be.
The larger tank and generous water entry point make it much more user friendly.
The only thing missing is the ability to connect directly to a mains water supply via a filter.
I purchased this hot water dispenser because it could dispense mugs/cups of liquid and switch off automatically. I previously used a dispenser which required manual switch off, but even though I was determined to watch the dispenser as it filled up something would occur which would distract me and I ended up with spillage on the kitchen worktops. The Breville dispenser allows you to choose the amount of water you require, I have mine set for half pint which is the ideal quantity for the average size mug.
Nice looking item. Replacement for previous one cup kettle which had seen better days mainly due to being in a hard water area. Bigger water reservoir and adjustable amount are good enhancements and the reasons i upgraded this time.
Middle setting is about the same as the previous model dispensed. Nudging it up or down makes perhaps an extra cm or 2 difference so handy for a bigger cup or perhaps when you need a bit less to make gravy etc.
Largest serving is just over about 300ml.
Wouldn’t go back to a regular kettle now these are just so much easier. If I need a hot water bottle i just fill up a pouring jug twice. Easy to refill using my filtered water jug.
A sleek addition to my kitchen.
Likes – looks great and is far more efficient – good that you can adjust cup size – if you turn it up high – you can fill a jug of hot water for cooking-
I have a son with special needs so it’s great for him not having to lift hot kettle –
It has a stop button on to prevent any overflow ( if you’ve not adjusted it properly)
Dislikes -I have to keep a small jug at side to refill- as its heavy to lift
– dont think water boils as hot as my previous kettle. ( probably better safety wise )
Overall I’m really pleased with it – however – it has made me realise I drink too much coffee
I had been finding a kettle awkward with my arthritic hands. This makes life a lot easier! I like the flexibility of cup size adjustment and the stop button. Since having it I have used it for anything that needs boiling water, for example, making gravy. I thought I would need to keep a kettle handy for some things but I don’t. Only slight criticism is the high gloss chrome quickly marked on the drip tray rack and on the front behind the water spout. Doesn’t affect it’s performance, just a minor irritation! Overall, an excellent purchase at the price paid 40.99.
UPDATE product failed within warranty seller gave full refund.
In these days of energy saving, it is important to only boil as must water as you need. This dispenser not only allows just one cup, it allows you to adjust the amount of water delivered to the cup size! I do not think people realise how much energy is wasted using a kettle to make a single cup of tea. Kettles usually have a minimum fill of 2 cups, so if you regularly make just one cuppa, you’ll use twice the energy. Not only that, it takes twice the time for the kettle to boil. So this easy to use appliance is a great way to save energy
This is my third Breville HotCup and they’re brilliant!
I’m disabled and unable to use a standard kettle, the HotCup enables me to make a hot drink without risk of injury.
Very simple to use and gives a measured standard sized mug of hot water within seconds.
The actual kettle can be removed for easy filling under the tap or left in place and filled using a filtered water jug for example. It holds several mugs full so you can brew a few cups with one fill.
I like that as it only boils a small amount it’s not wasting electricity and your water is very quickly boiled.
The only downside for some might be the fixed cup size but there is a larger Breville which enables you to pick different cup sizes. But for me this makes the perfect sized cup of tea.
Easy to clean with a removable drip tray.
I wish the level of water was easier to see as it’s not always clear if there’s water inside or not. My last HotCup was broken by being switched on in error without water inside. This is the reason I’ve given it four not five stars.
Bottom line- yes, I’d buy again.
I bought the hot cup for my son (who has learning difficulties ) to use. He is unable to use my new stove top whistling kettle .
The Breville looks great & is easy to use.
Water in, set the cup size, press the button & you have a cup or tea/coffee.
I’d checked out different makes before I bought this one – I liked the fact that the Breville has a STOP button, so if there is a problem whilst dispensing the hot water you can stop the flow.
I’m very pleased with the product & like the blue light when it is boiling!
Great, simple to use, easy on the old joints kettles. Once it’s set up you don’t need to move it. Fill the tank with a a jug as needed and no heavy lifting.
I admit I don’t see the value of 9 output levels given that #9 “big cup” is a 400ml mug-full and #1 “small cup” is half that. If the amount had ranged from espresso mug to sports direct mug ie 50 – 500ml, that would actually have been useful. As is, I can’t use this for my espresso cups and it doesn’t fill my pint mug.
But given that 90% cups/mugs fall into the 200-400ml range, this is okay.
I bought a Brita Kettle years 18 years ago, it lasted 10 years (best kettle I ever had) and it never had an issue until it simply started to leak around the base.
Now I bought this for the mother-in-law who has various medical conditions, one being limited dexterity and strength in her hands (she is 82). The carers can use it with ease without fear of flooding the kitchen as it auto switches off to the dispensing water level you choose, which we had in the past (I have done a review on this product on Amazon – not sure if it has been approved for public viewing but it should be s its a safety issue) as the previous model did not have auto cut off.
Comments from Mum are that it is
1. A lot hotter (than the previous water boiler)
2. It makes a grand cuppa
3. The Cappuccino doesn’t have lumps anymore (hotter water dissolves Cappuccino sachets)
My second reason for buying this is due to the Breville Brand – has a very good quality and workmanship reputation. Now to be fair, we have a Brita water tank, so the water is double filtered, but even I have noticed the difference and the water is boiled within a minute,
My only critique, if any is that the water tube (metal) at the point of dispensing could be longer and work on a twist retract and extend to reduce the very hot water spray/splashing to various cup/mug heights.
I purchased this boiler over 4 years ago, and it is still going strong. It gets used a lot …. my husband can drink 10 cups of tea a day!! I am thinking of buying a new machine, not because the original doesn’t work, but because it is now looking a little tired and I fancy a nice new shiny one! I suppose the only negative point is that the outside of the ‘spout’ has scaled ….. perhaps I should have been more diligent in cleaning it over the years?
Anyway, I have researched the available machines today (as I did 4 years ago) and this still seems to me to be the best one out there.
Have to say that this is a design triumph in my opinion. It looks great in a kitchen that is filled with gadgets and is probably the easiest to use of the lot.
It boils exactly what you need for your cup and although it necessitates some initial trial and error in getting the setting right (there is a dial on the top where you can change the volume of water that gets boiled), once this is done, it’s a breeze to use. You can even remove the drip tray and use it with a jug for gravy or in our case, jelly.
Changing the filter is simple and straightforward and there is an indicator on the top that tells you when to replace the filter, although in our experience, the filter will still give excellent results for 3 times longer that the indicator states. They probably want you to buy more filters.
We bought a stylish old fashioned milk bottle type thing from Sainsbury’s that we keep next to it to fill it up with water. You can get about 5 full large cups from it before it needs topping up. For the next version of this, it would be nice if they could find a way to increase the water reservoir, as this is the only issue we have with it and why it doesn’t get 5 stars. With a few people in the house, 1.8Lt is just too small. Let’s target 2.5Lt for the next one please.
Highly recommended though.
I live in chronic pain and it helps having a hot drink really helps first thing.I was not allowed a teasmade. There is a beautiful tea maker that’s very expensive which I was told no. So I just bought this. I wasn’t expecting to keep it here, it’s a kettle essentially and does not go with the room but. It’s a very quick cup of tea in the morning. I wouldn’t use it in the kitchen as most do for one simple reason. It o my books what you need(which is great),but if it’s not quite enough then you have to boil again and that starts the cycle of it being pointless and a normal kettle would work better. But if you want the same amount every day. Perfect. For anyone who has chronic pain it’s also easy to use. Not fiddly at all. You can pour water in, instead of moving the kettle off base. All things you have to think about when disabled or with chronic conditions.
So we took the plunge and brought another one of these, good choice defiantly. The new one has a few subtle changes, the start button is softer and smoother than the older model and the cut off is better ensuring the cup level is more consistent. The only draw back is you still cannot boil large volumes of water and repeated use to try will cause the unit to shut down as it overheats, but recovers after a couple of minutes so all ok.
Would defiantly recommend.
Item arrived well packaged, item arrived within delivery time given, and takes few minutes to setup and have a hot cup of tea, works brilliantly, has a good adjustment flow for water dispense depending on size of mug etc, drip tray is a bonus and click sits into place nicely, beautiful blue glow light when on, nice big tank to fill and have ready for many uses, and saves on electricity bill too, as only boils one cup at a time. perfect, ordered another for a elderly lady who loves it, as using a kettle was sore on her wrists, this solves the problem and works very good. great product.
I have tested/compared the hot cup 2.0 litre model to my trusty 3kW Philips kettle.
As I drink a lot of coffee I wanted a more planet friendly way to get my fix.
I tested like for like quantity of water. just short of 400ml (380ml).
The Breville minimum quantity setting on mine boils 190ml of water so to make it fair I boiled 2 x this amount in both the kettle and the Breville. As when using the kettle I would normally boil around this amount.
I used an energy plug monitor. I set the tariff per kwh to 99.99/KWh to give a more accurate reading of the energy usage difference.
Results:
Kettle with 380ml used 5.29 and 0.053 KWh
Breville with 380ml used 4.49 and 0.045KWh
This equates to a cost efficiency saving of around 16% when boiling two cups.
I trust that it is much more energy efficient for the single cup vs boiling the kettle with what I put in there, but if you could be bothered, with my kettle it would be safe to boil just over a cup so I did this test on a more real-world usage.
Note:
I ensured the kettle wasn’t totally cold as this would be more accurate to the frequency of my coffee consumption. So prior to the test i boiled the kettle and then filled with cold water to make the kettle warm but not hot.
Update:
2 years later this kettle had worked with ZERO issues! Still very highly recommended and excellent value for money!
Update:
2 years later this kettle had worked with ZERO issues! Still very highly recommended and excellent value for money!
This is our second one of these kettles, our old one we had for at least 2yrs if not 3yrs mum and I couldn’t remember. The only reason for changing is the cover over the filling tank keeps getting stuck and mum is unable to open it, so for safety we have got this new one, but our old one still works and has been gifted to a friend who’s on her own most of the day.
Our previous version that had the red light and only holds 1.5 litres of water. One tip is use a clean plastic bottle to fill the tank if you can’t manage to take the kettle to the tap and would then be unable to carry it back. We also have a water filter jug and always use filtered water, helps stop you getting deposits inside. This is a real must for anyone who’s on their own or alone for most of the day. Tip used some blue tac to keep the drip tray base in place, as mum kept knocking this off the base and was unable to get it back in place so a small bit if blue tac keeps the base in place yet it can easily be removed if it needs washing.
My disabled Mum who has right side weakness can use this very safely, this is also the reason for the small jug. Plus this jug makes making multiple drinks much easier as you can get a full pint of boiling water by doing a full and then a half fill. This will easily fill 3 to 4 mugs depending on size of your mugs without the whole issue of over filling or waiting ages to make a few drinks.
Note if you need hotter water just full the jug and zap in the microwave for 30 seconds then you can do noodles etc.
I would highly recommend this to everyone it not only saves time and money but it’s so much easier that using a regular kettle. Yes there are times when you could really do with a full boiled kettle of water (you could always keep your old kettle in a cupboard for these times) but I doubt if this happens once a month for me now. As you soon get use to getting hot water other ways, as we have an induction hob and this can boil water really quickly. As great buy I’d say a must for anyone who’s got medical issue or is just a but unsteady or has issue with their hands. Even easier to use if you get a small 1 pint jug and fill that first then fill your cup, less mess.
I ordered this product as a new item. However it arrived with marks and minor scratches on it as though it were a display model or one that had been tried by a customer and returned. Incorrect cleaning of the high gloss finish has left it looking used which I didn’t think acceptable. Having bought the dispenser to use on the same day as delivery, I was left with no option other than to go ahead and use it. I assume I will not be able to return it now for a replacement but can’t find any way to contact Amazon to discuss, which is very irritating. The Breville HotCup itself is very useful for making one hot drink at a time, saving energy and time waiting for the kettle to boil. I find the water temperature fine for making tea and coffee with or without milk. The adjustable water dispenser is a great feature for different sized cups. The water jug very heavy once filled (and I’m a strong, 45 year old female) but you can fill it without removing the jug so that’s a good option. The time to boil is quite quick but still long enough for me to get distracted and wander off like I do, luckily though it automatically pours at the end of the cycle so no problem with wasting the boiled water. Mine pours nicely in a fairly steady stream, no splits and splatters and another positive is that the unit does not release steam like a kettle so it’s great for any room. It is rather noisy in boiling and replenishing itself with water (mine gurgles and makes a loud splurt at the end of the cycle) which I do find disappointing. I prefer the styling of the previous model but opted for this one for its additional features and I’m glad that I did. I will be looking for a quieter version next time round though.
I bought this as advised by my physiotherapist. Plus, my dad has one too.
It’s great for me as I don’t have to lift it to pour. It is really heavy, and to avoid lifting to fill, I just use a jug.
It has made making beverages less of a strain on my joints, and I certainly would recommend it to anyone with hand or wrist problems.
Only downside is, it does reheat every time a cup is made, so if I’m making more than one cup, just takes a bit longer, but it’s not really a big issue.
If you only have 1 person making a hot drink at a time or even 2, its perfect, heating takes about 20 seconds for a big cup and only boils what you need so you dont have to boil the whole tank of water. The filter in it really does make coffee taste much better over a standard kettle to my suprise, i have been using filtered water in a jug beforehand as i live in a hard water area. It doesn’t have any sort of temperature control so if you want tea or something at 85c then this isn’t for you. But as a coffee drinker i want my water 100 anyway. Its very quite compared to a standard kettle.
It does condensate quite alot on the inside of the tank what doesn’t really go away even after leaving for a long time but personally i dont mind. i think this is just a side effect of having a filter in it blocking the way for steam to leave the device.
As the tea made with this was not good, I took some measurements, the water coming from the spout is 97.5oC, which seems close to 100oC but for some teas ( especially red bush ) it needs to be at 100oC the manufacturer tells me that it is produced at 100oC but cools down a little on its journey through the tube…I believe all devices have this problem. My solution is to dispense a cup of hot water, leave for 30-40 seconds to heat the cup up, then pour away add teabag and dispense water, this worked very well, in the non heated cup, the water quickly fell to 88oC…….so there is a way to get a good cup of tea
I’ve never owned something like this before, but would highly recommend it. I like the aesthetics of it, and it’s not too space consuming (though obviously it takes up more space than a standard kettle). The instructions are easy enough to understand, not that it’s the most complicated bit of kit. I always make sure to leave a cup sitting on the drip cover, because just switching the kettle on is a force of habit that led to a fair bit of spillage on the first day.
It is quite annoying that you can only make one cup at a time, but this is negated by how quickly it boils. Filling pots etc with boiling water takes longer as well, I fill one jug at a time and pour it in, but again it doesn’t take long. It’s just less convenient. If you like a lot of milk in your tea or coffee, you’re going to have to keep an eye on how much water is going in so that it’s not overflowing.
Overall, though, very happy. Just takes a bit of adapting to.
Purchased for my Mother. She initially thought it was a waste of money (old school Yorkshire nonagenarian – don’t spend unless it can’t be repaired). Having used it she wouldn’t be without it.
As an OT I would recommend it for the following reasons.
1. As we age our strength can reduce and can make lifting heavy, hot kettles tricky and possibly dangerous. This removes that issue.
2. If a person has muscle atrophy or a medical issue that causes pain in the hand/arm, a water heater such as this can enables a person to keep some semblance of independence in their own home.
3. It looks good.
4. It is similar in size to a normal size kettle.
5. We like the blue light that shows it has been turned on.
6. It matches our microwave.
The water is ready in less than a minute, it is so easy to use, just the push on one button, if you change your mind you have the stop option to prevent water pouring.
This saves water and energy, if you normally make 3 or 4 cups at a time, every time, this is not for you, but if, like me it’s an average of one or two cups each time, then the savings in energy and time will pay off.
For ease you don’t have to lift the kettle to get water and I have had had issues at all with it.
It can be filled by taking the main bit to a tap or use a cup to fill as you go.
The settings mean you can get small amounts to a normal mug full, and the lights make it look trendy and fun.
I have not used a proper kettle for 8 years and probably never would again after owning this. The other versions have different usage, they don’t all have the size option for how much water is despense, and some older models have less features….. this one is the best in my opinion.
Perfect for couples, older people and those living alone.
The water is ready in less than a minute, it is so easy to use, just the push on one button, if you change your mind you have the stop option to prevent water pouring.
This saves water and energy, if you normally make 3 or 4 cups at a time, every time, this is not for you, but if, like me it’s an average of one or two cups each time, then the savings in energy and time will pay off.
For ease you don’t have to lift the kettle to get water and I have had had issues at all with it.
It can be filled by taking the main bit to a tap or use a cup to fill as you go.
The settings mean you can get small amounts to a normal mug full, and the lights make it look trendy and fun.
I have not used a proper kettle for 8 years and probably never would again after owning this. The other versions have different usage, they don’t all have the size option for how much water is despense, and some older models have less features….. this one is the best in my opinion.
Perfect for couples, older people and those living alone.
Easy to use, fast boils, does a good cuppa, easy to fill. Looks good.
The hmmm:
The final boiling phase is really loud
The markings on the side in no way match the number of cups left in the tank (pic is after ONE cup dispensed)
Lid feels like it won’t be terribly durable.
Stainless steel needs cleaning after every single cup.
That said. it is otherwise perfect for my use. I love the 2 settings, the smaller one for a cup of tea, the larger for a cup of soup… Definitely, recommended.
The plastic release catch for the lid has broken and I can’t see a way to fix or replace it. The machine itself is still working fine.
I’m ordering the exact same one as it’s the only ‘one cup’ water dispenser I’ve used that actually makes a hot cuppa. It isn’t quite as hot as a kettle but it’s close enough for me and better than any other I’ve tried.
I love how fast it is, especially that first cup in the morning. Hardly any waiting. I love that unlike a kettle, I’m not lifting it and pouring boiling water, no risk of spilling from a spout.
Saving money on electric and water bill is also a nice bonus.
Purchased some 5 months ago; use this as unable to lift kettle. Easy to set up. Once you get used to which setting you need for each cup you have it is very easy to use. Can fit tall latte cup under with ease. Actually makes drinks hotter than my electric kettle. Easy to clean and hygienic to use. As quiet as an average electric kettle but quicker. Doesn’t drip so very safe.
The only real negative I have found is the HotCup is slower than a kettle to use if making three or more drinks.
I have difficulty lifting, reaching etc. This has given me independence and I can now make a cuppa for myself without being reminded of my disability by the usual monstrous aids produced.
We bought this to replace out kettle and so my disabled 10 year old daughter could be more independent, she could not lift a conventional kettle. I love the blue light when switched on, makes it easy to see it is heating, although as it takes less than a minute to dispense the water you barely see it on for long. The cut off for the water is instant.
Yes it does splash a little ( an i mean a few drops which are never a burn risk) but the convenience of it is brilliant. And the water is HOT , I measured it at 92 degrees and I know a lot of other similar dispensers fail to heat the water to near boiling.
I have not found any problems with a plastic taste . It saves us money as my husband now prefers using instant coffee from this dispenser to using his Tassimo!
It also has a slightly larger footprint than a kettle but I was surprised at how compact it is.
I would say if you are looking for a hot water dispenser then you can’t go far wrong with the Breville.
Also, you are only hearing 250ml of water at a time – perfect for a decent cuppa (I am of the earl grey, hot persuasion!).
Downsides are that it dispenses 250ml which is annoying if you are trying to make instant porridge!
On the positives again, only heating 250ml at a time means freshly boiled water each time and you are only heating that amount, so no waste of electricity M
Our previous one from another maker did not have the cup-mug setting so more than once it overflowed, this one has been set and does the job very well, it’s nice and compact and sits well on our worktop, can highly recommend.
For the price this is absolutely brilliant, practicality this is brilliant but for functionality it’s not quite there. I say this because if you’re like me and have a slightly larger mug than a ‘normal’ mug (because you love your coffee – or tea, I don’t discriminate) when you come to fill your mug up with hot water it will dispense what is classed as a normal amount of water to fill a mug. For me this then leaves a fair bit of the mug unfilled and by pressing the ‘on’ button again it will mean another cup full of water will be dispensed. My wife would consider this water to be very hot, but because I apparently have an ‘asbestos mouth’ I need to heat this up again in the microwave to reach the temperature that I like my drinks at,
I think this machine could have been slightly modified to allow the user to dispense the water for as long as the user needed. Otherwise it’s a matter of turning the machine off to get the water to stop (which doesn’t always work).
But I do like this machine, despite this one tiny issue, and I definitely would recommend it to everyone because for the price it is ‘absolutely brilliant’.
Always kept the filter changed on time so this helped. The new one has a few subtle changed, the start button is softer and smoother than the older model and the cut off is better ensuring the cup level is more consistent. the draw back are still there – you cannot boil large volumes of water and repeated use to try will cause the unit to shut down as it overheats, recovers after a couple of minutes so all OK.
Would I buy another – well yes I did so that says it all
It’s quick, it’s efficient and it just looks better. I also use this to pre heat my coffee cups.
I’ve test driven it for a week before her birthday and it’s so simple and safe to use (and economical as it measures a 250ml cup volume) my push button Mum will love it.
If 250 ml is too much the overflow tray is big enough to take spillage (or overflow if you know what I mean…oops).
If the water reservoir runs dry it cuts off.
The water is hot and good for a tea or coffee brew (or Bovril. Horlicks etc. if you’re so inclined).
I like it so much I’m going to buy one for myself to replace my ageing Cuisinart Kettle (which cost 150% more 4 years ago)
I bought the dispenser for my 87 year old Mother who has limited used of her arms and lives in an aged care facility. Mum is now able to make a cup of tea easily and safely, she pops in the tea bag, pops her cup under the spout, pushes the button and presto the rest just happens in less than a minute 1 cup full of boiling water is safely delivered into her cup.
Mum no longer has to deal with lifting heavy electric jugs or kettles containing hot water. It’s really easy to adjust the level of water which will be dispensed into the cup.
I have recommended the unit to several people who have seen it in Mum’s rooms, some of whom are contemplating making the purchase. The facility staff are super impressed with the safety and efficiency too
Only trick is we live in Australia and I couldn’t find this brilliant hot water dispenser any where here . I was amazed at quickly Amazon delivered the unit to me in Adelaide.
It would be great if your marketing people could get the dispenser into the Australian Market, I’m sure the dispenser would find a fantastic niche market here
Maybe your sales rep could win a million hearts by going to an aged care facility and suggesting they look at using these in residents rooms instead of dangerous and cumbersome electric kettles or jugs. The unit arrived with a UK power point but it was a quick trip to the hardware store and as the cables are colour coded a simple change over of plugs resolved in minutes. If you’re not a handy person an electrician could easily do the tiny job for you.
A fabulous, safe efficient well priced unit.
Thank you
Annie (& Mum)
For this item I didn’t read the specifications and presumed the dial on the top was for temperature!
Years ago, I had an original Hot Cup where the water temperature wasn’t up to speed, so it ended in the loft! The water temperature now is absolutely perfect.
I’m not a manual reader until “all else fails”, and I was plesently surprised of how easy it is to operate.
It took a while for me to get the cup sizes just right (2.5 for an Ikea mug, and 3.5 for my china mug), and I do find it a little bit of a pain for if you’re making gravy or something else, there’s not a what I would call a “free flow” button that can override the dispenensed water amount.
The dial for selecting the measured water amount seems a little flimsy, and doesn’t seem to click on the measured amount, so it’s a little hit & miss. If I want a smaller mug, I go back to the lowest setting on the dial & listern for the clicks.
For making gravy, to get a pint, you need to put a jug underneath turn it to the max, and keep doing it until you have the required water amount, using 2 jugs (1 for the water, 2nd with granulas in), and likewise if you’re wanting to fill a pan for spaghetti or poacher.
Installing the filter and replacing is super easy, but it does say there’s no need to put a new filter immersed in water, but if you don’t, the water takes absolutely ages to filter through!
I never take mine to the sink to fill,
It’s too heavy for me, so I fill with a jug, which is easy due to the opening top.
Since purchasing in February 2018, I have descaled it once, which was really easy to do, using a brand of descaler I have used for years.
Overall it’s an excellent item, and would give it 5***** if it had an”free flow” and “temperature” selector.
Even when making 4 cups of tea its still quicker to pop your cup under, wait for the water to pour 4 times then boil the normal kettle once.
I love the added bonus of not having to pick up a heavy kettle full of boiling water.
This hot water dispenser, dispenses 250ml of boiling hot water in around 30-35 seconds.
It does not have a variable dispense rate but the more expensive ones do.
After having for nearly 2 and a half years i would not hesitate to get another one and cannot recommend a better product.
Update May 2021 – This kettle is now nearly 5 and a half years old and I have definitely have got my monies worth.
It makes on average 35 – 40 cups of tea a day (for us, we love tea!) and is still going very strong.
One thing I will say is late last year it started leaking a little where the water display shows (right along the edge where it meets the black plastic) but a little bit of superglue did the trick and never had an issue since.
I will definitely invest in another one once this one goes. Ive never had to descale as there is no water sitting on an element. It reallyxis a perfect kettle. For anyone looking for one of these I would not hesitate to buy this one.
I used to over fill, boil the kettle and walk off, I would do this at least three times before I actually made a drink. The Breville solves both of those problems, saving time and money. I have this machine for almost a year and use it daily. Highly recommended for an office/shop environment or for one or two persons at home.
I managed to get an excellent warehouse deal.
This works well in a household where there are just a couple of people drinking hot drinks, also for those of us that live alone. If you had a few friends turning up and it hadn’t reached wine o’clock, then you might want to revert to the kettle. If you get the switch in the wrong position, there is a button that you can press to stop the water flow. If you weren’t watch the cup and it overflowed the excess water runs into a small tray underneath which is easily removed, drained, washed, dried and put back onto the main unit.
Moans? I always have one. I prefer to leave the unit in the same place and take water in a jug to fill the reservoir. For me, and I am sure others may disagree, but the opening is not huge, so with my shaky hands, I have to take great care to pour the water accurately. Too small a moan to knock a star off.
The acid test is if it broke, would I replace it with the same ite. Yes absolutely. Would I upgrade to the model with the water filter built in? No, we have potable water delivered to our houses. I am not convinced it needs filtering further.
So far so good! I have not experienced any issues with it not being hot enough. The fact that it syphons boiling water straight onto the tea bag means I get is well brewed drink. My only criticism so far is that as I am using filtered water, I need to fill it in situ. The lid obscures over a of the opening when raised and the handle is recessed into the tank meaning I have to be very careful when refilling with a Jug. This is not a problem if you are filling directly from a tap.
I will, however save a fortune in electric boiling and reboiling a kettle. I really should not walk off while I’m making a cup of tea, but those 2 minutes that a normal kettle takes to boil seem like an eternity and I appear to be incapable of returning in a timescale where that water is hot enough to pour onto a tea bag. This unit boils really quickly and I often manage to stay within earshot while it is boiling, but in the event I do wander off, I now get a brewed mug of tea to return to – result! (they do range from piping hot to stone cold, but then, no kettle is going to stop me from being distracted.)
The only slight downside is the time. From pressing the button to a hot cup of tea is around 1 minute from start to finish. If you have guests and are making a few cups, it’s not great. Also if you are making a lot, you have to add in the time to keep filling the jug up through the filter. This was bought to replace a kettle and I do miss the kettle at times.
On the days it is just me though, I’m happy. There is a difference with the filtered water.
Considering the time for multiple cups and waiting for the water to pass through the filter, I would recommend this. You can’t beat hot water for a decent cup of tea and this also looks good out on the kitchen counter.
We purchased this to replace our old family kettle and what a difference. Instantly you can taste the difference with the added water filter.
We suffer from lots of limescale in the kettle and it was clearly affecting the taste and water quality ven with using a a water filter from the fridge.
I would agree with other comments about the filling up of the water tank. It does take slighlty longer to fully fill as the water from the smaller filling tnak does have to pass through the filter. All i do is turn the tap on very slow and let it fill and pass through at the same time and you can see it very slowly filling up. When the water in the main tank gets to the marker just under the top one turn the tap on full fill the little tank to the top and stop anf that should fill to the top full marker in the big tank and not over fill it .
It boils very fast and once you set your correct required water setting for your own cup/mugs you get a real nice tasting water at a perfect tempreture.
Very easy to use once you have tested it out a few times. I would suggest fully filling it the first time and use the first two tanks of full water to adjust and set the required water lvl on the dial and this will also flush through two tanks for the first use. then the 3rd fill you have everything set and your ready to make a nice cup of tea 😉
Enjoy
I accidentally bought this one insted of the latest model but it seemed ok on arrival so i decided to use it.
This review is after a use of 1 month.
The machine is working absolutely fine and looks amazing in my room, not in the kitchen yet as it lies next to my table so I can get quick teas.
It takes about 36 seconds to warm a hot cup of water. You can set the gauge to choose how much water u want although it takes the same time to boil which shouldn’t have been but it’s ok.
Water has a level so it can make me like 6 or 7 cups and you can do one after another.
Boils water quick and indicates a nice blue light while boiling. At the end makes a bit of funny noise but not annoying.
It’s nit that heavy so you can carry it to the sink but I just kept a separate large cup to keep fulling it, you would have to fill anyone anyways.
There’s no smell or no taste whatsoever in the tea so don’t worry, notsure if you can find it in yours.
The only down side is for some purposes, you will find the normal typical kettle useful like for wanting more water and you can just boil it and pour it in as many cups as u want, this one is just a bit of cozy type in that sense.
So you can’t have more water than one cup.
And it’s a bit expensive so there’s nothing really different in this kettle brewer but just that it’s sophisticated.
I dont mind it, I like it as it makes certain things easy for me. Good luck.
Pros:
Quick operation – takes about 30 seconds to dispense a cup
Selector allows you to alter the quantity of boiled water produced – it took a few attempts to get this right!
Tank is large enough to produce a few cups
Its easy to refill – you just lift it off the base, flip open the top and fill the tank
Cons:
When we first got it, there was a plastic taste to the water, but this has receded with time.
It can spit a little when dispensing hot water, though this is quite minimal
The water temperature is a little lower than that produced by our old kettle – to be honest I found it absolutely fine but my wife said it was a bit cool. Depends how you like your drinks!
All in all, a bit of an extravagance for something you could buy for a few quid but it is very convenie
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EDIT (10/03/2015):
I discovered that the machine had not been de-scaled for some time (instructions say to do this once per month).
So I gave it a very thorough de-scaling a couple of weeks ago and it seems to have stopped leaking completely.
This suggests that it isn’t a seam leaking, but perhaps something in the chamber that heats the water (appears to be the bottom of the device) that gets blocked with copper salts and causes overflow.
Follow the manufacturer’s instructions and it should be ok!!! It’s painful to do this every month, but reasonably regularly may be enough – and we are in a hard water area, so that doesn’t help.
For sure, if you have the leak problem, try de-scaling it before you trash it.
I have upped the rating to 4 stars, since it’s very good when it works. I may make it 5 stars if it keeps working.
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I bought this on 21st Jan 2013 and it started leaking water from the seams after about 12-15 months. This led to pools of water forming under the device, where the cables go into it. If these are allowed to build up then eventually switching it on trips the fuses due to a short-circuit.
Today (29/11/2014) it had just been wiped (witching off at the wall plug first of course) and it then tripped the fuses on the next use. It’s time to give up on this – I’m rather worried about my wife using this anyway, since she’s not the most detail-oriented person so I’m concerned that one day she’ll cut corners and not switch it off at the wall to dry it. Water + electricity = life-threatening.
Kettles with seams don’t seem to do well if your water is remotely ‘hard’ and we have an electrolytic water softener fitted but still the kettle breaks in not much more than a year. Like most modern devices, they tend to break just out of warranty 🙁
If you are happy to replace after a year, buy this (it’s convenient and does the one-cup job well enough), otherwise avoid.
This is the second Breville Hot Cup that I have owned. The first one worked for several years and only had one small problem which was that the blue light which lights up the main container for cosmetic purposes stopped working but then I didn’t miss that so it was no problem. I finally changed it because I didn’t follow the manufacturers advice and should have descaled it regularly but instead I allowed it to build up hard water lime deposits in the container and around the seals which eventually couldn’t be removed and that was all down to me being silly.
I bought a brand new kettle to replace it one which has a temperature control and a heat gauge and looks great in Burgundy Red but it cost a small fortune. In spite of the new kettle’s appearance and temperature control et. I still missed using the Breville Hot Cup so I went back to Amazon and ordered another one which I use continuously in the kitchen.
I love this product. I love the way that you can put a mug or a cup on the dispenser stand or even a small jug which I might fill a couple of times when I need hot water for a cooking recipe.
The Hot Cup boils very fast and the container is huge, you can fill it with almost two Liters of water. Yes indeed I might buy another one just to have around in a couple of years time should I need a replacement! Superb product.
I have regularly used a Tefal cup dispenser for over two years and once you get used to getting a cuppa at the touch of button, using a kettle seems a lot of bother. When the Tefal stopped working my first thought was to by another one. However reading the reviews I was surprised to read that the Tefal compered rather poorly with the Breville. The main complaint appeared to be too low a temperature of water dispensed. I was surprised because I had found the Tefal hot enough to make a decent cup of tea. Perhaps I had been lucky with the Tefal so I purchased the Breville.
The Tefal works in the same way as an electric shower. Cold water is pumped through heater which near instantly heats it to the right temperature as it passes through. The volume dispensed depends the time the pump (and the heater) operates.
The Breville does not use a pump it apparently relies on boiling a fixed amount of water using the steam pressure to force the hot water through the spout. The fixed amount is enough to fill a large cup. The amount dispensed is adjusted by stopping the flow at the predetermined level set by the cup size control with the surplus hot water then being returned to the tank. If you want a small cup amount a large cup volume will still be heated and the tank starts to warm up. Not too efficient but it is probably better than guessing the right amount to fill a kettle. The disadvantage of this system is that if you want a small top up to your cup you get it after a full cup is heated the Tefal does not have this problem so the Tefal is easier to use and quicker and more efficient for smaller cup sizes. I would chose it over the Breville provided that the hot water dispensed is at the right temperature.
I bought this to replace a much cheaper Aldi/Lidl hot water machine that lacked the functions of this one but served its purpose well by introducing me to the instant hot water idea. I have had this one for four months and it has proved faultless, well-suited for its purpose, robustly and elegantly built and such that my conventional kettle now lives in a cupboard and is rarely used.
It appears to work on the principle of a Victorian steam engine: the water is heated in a base reservoir and is steam propelled to an upper reservoir where it is metered and, at the point where the desired quantity of water is boiled, it discharges under steam pressure to the cup below. Thus it works on a very simple principle with no motor or pump and the only moving parts would be a few non-return/bypass and pressure relief valves. (That is my guess – I haven’t dismantled it – yet.) This means that it should give a long and reliable service. This mechanism makes a very satisfying symphony of hisses, glugs and gurgles that I find quite delightful and satisfying. It also means that the water – de facto – is at boiling point when it leaves the spout.
In use, I have three tips:
1) Refill the machine using a plastic, lightweight jug of sufficient capacity to provide, say, two or three refills. This save you lugging the machine over to the sink and also increases the flexibility of where you want to put it.
2) Place the machine sideways on. This makes filling it much easier without any loss of control or detraction from its use.
3) The machine has greater water capacity than the markings suggest: fill the main reservoir until the surplus water overflows from the spout into the drip-tray. This level is well above the marked line. Mark that level with a fine, permanent marker. This reduces the number of times that you have to fill the machine. You may find that, having done this, the first cup slightly overfills by a very small amount but, thereafter the machine behaves normally.
I would like Breville to consider making a plumbed-in version of this machine whose only drawback is that it requires manually filling.