The kitchen tap is no longer that – today it’s a drinks system that’s central to the design and functionality of a modern space. The UK market is increasingly driven by premium, multi-functional offerings including boiling and filtered taps with additional features.
Along with trends towards smart multi-functional kitchens, a growing number of consumers are looking to live greener lifestyles by investing in sustainable, high-quality solutions. The breadth of choice also means selecting the right tap and finish is an important design decision for homeowners who want something that is both functional and visually striking.
Brands are investing more in integrated systems, reflecting growing consumer demand for decluttered surfaces, multi-functionality and kitchens that feel more streamlined and efficient – especially within open-plan living spaces.
Multi-functional solutions
Drinks systems move beyond conventional boiling water taps to deliver multiple water types from a single source, removing the need for countertop appliances for a more streamlined kitchen.
“Our sales over the last couple of years show strong growth in taps that offer more functionality beyond standard hot and cold, such as those with integrated pull-down sprays, hands-free and filter options,” says Chris Gallagher, sales director at Franke UK. “The multi-functional tap is the natural evolution for the market, responding to the consumer’s desire for enhanced functionality and lifestyle-enhancing benefits in their homes.”
Brands are consolidating functions for ease of use and space saving. Blanco’s Choice system makes up part of the Blanco Unit, an all-in-one system that combines the sink, tap, waste disposer and under-sink organisation into one integrated solution. It combines smart storage and optional technology for a kitchen workstation. The Choice tap provides filtered, chilled, sparkling, boiling hot water plus hot and cold.
InSinkErator’s 4N1 Touch is the latest multi-functional tap to the range, offering filtered boiling water, filtered ambient water, and standard hot and cold. Users can also pair the 4N1 with the NeoChiller to enjoy chilled filtered water, delivering the complete package, alongside the in-sink waste disposer system.
Anne Kaarlela, marketing communications and customer service manager for Europe, InSinkErator, says, “The InSinkErator 4N1 Touch is our top-of-the-range tap, combining premium style with everyday practicality. It saves both time and worktop space when preparing meals and drinks, while offering an elegant aesthetic that appeals to design-conscious customers.”
Blanco’s choice system with the newly launched LUNEOO-S tap
InSinkErator 4N1 Touch tap in brushed copper
Dornbracht’s Hyra tap with digital controls
Healthy features
There have been significant advancements in filtration systems as consumers look to include stylish health-conscious products in their kitchens, addressing concerns such as microplastics, forever chemicals, limescale and general water purity.
“The very latest filter options allow users to incorporate additional minerals into the water, such as magnesium and zinc, so that the water is not only clean, fresh, and filtered but also contributes positively towards their daily intake of essential minerals,” explains Elina Enqvist-Twomey, leader, product management, flushing systems, fixtures and kitchen, Grohe UK.
The Grohe BluePure kitchen taps provide filtered water thanks to an active carbon filter which removes limescale to enhance local water supply. A Magnesium+Zinc, Ultrasafe, Activated Carbon, Reverse Osmosis or Reverse Osmosis Mineralisation filter, can be chosen according to consumer taste and lifestyle with separate inner waterways to ensure filtered and unfiltered water do not mix.
Other manufacturers to lean into filtration include Smeg which adds the function to its 50s Water Filter Tap for those who enjoy retro styling, alongside Franke’s modern Maris Stripes collection which includes laminar aerator technology that produces a crystal-clear, non-splashing water stream and an Eco cartridge that will reduce water usage by as much as 50 per cent.
Zip’s HydroTap Celsius Plus All-In-One delivers instant filtered boiling, chilled, and sparkling drinking water, with integrated unfiltered hot and cold mixer tap. The 8-in-1 Micro Purity filtration reduces up to 99.8 per cent of harmful contaminants, including PFAS (forever chemicals) and microplastics.
Maintenance is an important consideration to ensure product longevity. Chris Gallagher adds, “An instant boiling water tap is not a ‘fit-and-forget’ tap, it’s good practice to change the water filter quarterly and sign up for an annual maintenance, just like your central heating boiler, to keep it in good working order. Making clear the after care is an important part of the sale.”
The Grohe BluePure tap is available in a choice of profiles
Franke’s Maris Stripes Tap with pull-out hose, gold details and matching accessories
Everyday versatility
Practical pull-down sprays are a feature seen on many new kitchen taps, allowing consumers to make cleaning easier and improve accessibility.
Quooker’s Flex 2.0 presents an architectural-inspired square design boiling water tap with a pull-out hose, delivering boiling, hot and cold water, with the option to add chilled and sparkling via the brand’s CUBE system.
The Genio Semi Professional pull-around kitchen tap from Abode (pictured at the very bottom the page) features a detachable pull-around spout to make rinsing, cleaning, and filling effortless. Created with professional precision, its design includes a striking powder-coated matt black or timeless chrome finish, and a quarter-turn handle with flexible tail pipes for easy installation.
Rangemaster has also launched Vertex, a contemporary tap family defined by an asymmetrical profile and offered in single-lever, pull-out and semi-professional variants. The extended-reach formats enable targeted rinsing and improved coverage across the sink bowl, making it well-suited to workstation sink layouts.
At one time, many pull-out taps were contemporary in style, but today, more traditional offerings increase design flexibility, particularly as consumers prefer to mix and match styles and elements. Clearwater has expanded its traditional tap portfolio with a collection of pull-out bridges and mixers, including the Elegance Pull-Out, Elegance Bridge Pull-Out, Broadway Pull-Out and Broadway Bridge Pull-Out that preserve the visual language of Victorian and heritage kitchens while discreetly incorporating modern rinse performance.
Quooker Flex Square in patinated brass finish with pull-out hose
The Clearwater Elegance pull-out tap features traditional styling
Fine finishes
“Brassware is becoming increasingly expressive in both form and detail, with strong consumer demand for sculptural silhouettes and warm, tactile finishes that bring depth and individuality to the kitchen,” says Umesh Thakur, principal industrial designer, Perrin & Rowe.
Brass is the hero finish for many brands, including aged, brushed and patinated designs suited to both contemporary and traditional spaces.
Zip’s Brushed Brass finish on its HydroTap Celsius Plus All-In-One tap (pictured at the very top) makes a refined, luxury statement, while Quooker’s Flex 2.0 in patinated brass, one of Quooker’s fastest growing finish choices, champions a living finish that will add a unique appearance to a kitchen with patina developing over time.
For those who prefer cooler metal tones, Nickel is emerging as a top choice for kitchens due to its soft sheen, low reflectivity and ability to pair with both warm and cool palettes. “Designers are gravitating towards finishes that offer subtle elegance and versatility,” adds Umesh Thakur, “Nickel’s design impact is seen as a bridge between traditional chrome and warmer brass tones, ideal for layered, tactile interiors.”
Pictured very top of the page: Zip’s HydroTap Celsius Plus All-In-One is a multi-functional tap, launched in a new brushed brass colourway.
Genio Semi Professional pull-around kitchen tap from Abode
Lindsay Blair is a freelance editor, writer and editorial consultant with a focus on home design, kitchens and bathrooms. Previously editor of Kitchens Bedrooms & Bathrooms magazine, she now writes for various consumer and trade titles. Follow Lindsay @lindsay__blair and check out her work at lindsayblair.co.uk.