If you're shopping for a boiling water tap in Ireland, two names keep coming up: QETTLE and Quooker. We sell and fit QETTLE, so we'll say that upfront, and we'll be just as upfront about where Quooker is the better tap. Both give you boiling water at the turn of a handle, but they work differently and cost quite different money. Here's how they compare.
Quick answer
- Pick Quooker if you want the calmest pour, chilled and sparkling water, or the widest choice of styles, and the budget allows.
- Pick QETTLE if you want filtered cold drinking water from the same tap as standard, for less money.
- Price: our QETTLE 4-in-1 taps start at €785 supply only, or €1,065 fitted. Quooker's own prices start at €1,290 for a boiling-only tap and €1,530 for one that also does hot and cold.
- Running costs: both are cheap to run, but neither pays for itself against a kettle.
How they work: pressurised tank vs vented tank
Quooker keeps water at around 108 to 110°C (Quooker uses both figures) in a vacuum-insulated tank under mains pressure, so it doesn't boil in the tank. It boils as it leaves the spout, coming out as a fine spray, and Quooker says the tank is silent.
QETTLE stores water at up to 100°C in a sealed tank that vents into your sink waste rather than out of the spout. The water is properly boiling, so expect some steam and bubbling as it pours, and the first pour after the tank has heated will splutter. QETTLE says that's normal, and we explain why in why QETTLE taps splutter.
QETTLE vs Quooker side by side
| QETTLE | Quooker | |
|---|---|---|
| Stored water | Up to 100°C, vented tank | Around 108 to 110°C, under pressure |
| Filtered cold drinking water | Standard | Extra: Cold Water Filter (€360) or CUBE |
| Chilled water | QETTLE Chiller, still only | CUBE, still and sparkling |
| Tank sizes | 4 or 7 litres (our range) | 3 litres (PRO3) or 7 litres (COMBI) |
| Styles | Original, Signature Modern, Signature Classic, two Minis | Over 35 styles and finishes |
| Child safety | Safety clip plus press-and-turn button | Push twice, then turn |
| Routine upkeep | Filter every 6 months, tank deep clean yearly | Internal filter every 3 to 5 years, descaling filter in hard water |
| Standby energy (maker's figure) | 0.15 kWh a day (4 litre tank) | 10 W |
| Water pressure | 1.5 to 5 bar | 2 to 6 bar |
| Warranty | Ask us about cover on a fitted tap | 2 years |
Prices in Ireland
Similar setups, VAT included. Fitted QETTLE prices include our €280 installation by our own plumbers. Every finish is on our QETTLE boiling water taps page.
| What you want | QETTLE (our price) | Quooker (quooker.ie) |
|---|---|---|
| A boiling tap beside your mixer | Original Mini, boiling and filtered: €709, or €989 fitted | Nordic Round Single Tap, chrome, boiling only, with PRO3: €1,290 |
| One chrome tap for everything | Original 4-in-1, 4 litre: €785, or €1,065 fitted | Flex Round, chrome, with PRO3: €1,530 |
| The same, bigger tank | Original 4-in-1, 7 litre: €890, or €1,170 fitted | Flex Round, chrome, with COMBI: €1,900 |
| Stainless steel | Signature Modern 4-in-1, 4 litre: €1,079, or €1,359 fitted | Fusion Round, stainless, with PRO3: €1,720 |
| Chilled water add-on | QETTLE Chiller: €439.99, or €589.99 fitted | CUBE: €1,510 |
QETTLE prices are from ecofilter.ie, October 2026. Quooker prices are Quooker's own published prices on quooker.ie at the time of writing (October 2026), with the tap and tank prices added together. The quooker.ie configurator doesn't show a fitting charge, so check what's included. Coloured finishes cost more on both brands.
Where Quooker is stronger
- A calmer pour. Water held at around 108 to 110°C under pressure comes out as a fine spray, with no splutter.
- Chilled and sparkling water. The CUBE does both, and QETTLE doesn't offer sparkling water. The CUBE needs CO2 cylinders, its own cupboard space and ventilation, and a second socket (or Quooker's Powerswitch).
- Choice. Over 35 styles and finishes, including the Flex, whose pull-out hose never gives boiling water.
- Hot water from a cold feed. The COMBI tank also makes your hot tap water, so no hot supply is needed.
- A long-established brand with its own engineers and service partners in Ireland.
Where QETTLE is stronger
- Filtered drinking water as standard. Every QETTLE gives filtered cold water as well as boiling, through a carbon block cartridge that reduces chlorine and sediment. On a Quooker that's a €360 extra or part of the CUBE.
- A lower price for the package. A fitted QETTLE Original 4-in-1 (€1,065) costs less than Quooker's lowest-priced boiling-only setup (€1,290).
- A bigger standard tank. 4 litres (about 8 cups) against 3 litres on the PRO3. Both brands offer 7 litres.
- Reminders built in. The 4-in-1 tap light flashes red when the filter is due, and flashes red and beeps if the leak detector picks up a leak.
Running costs and filters
On standby, Quooker quotes 10 W for its tanks, which it likens to a WiFi router. QETTLE says its 4 litre tank uses 0.15 kWh a day. These are the makers' own figures, not a side-by-side test. Which?, the UK consumer magazine, concluded in September 2026 that boiling water taps are cheap to run but, once you add the tap and filters, won't pay for themselves against a kettle. Buy one for convenience, not savings.
Filters are where the costs really differ:
- QETTLE: the Q08 cartridge is changed every 6 months. It's €69.99 from us, so about €140 a year if you change it yourself, or €249 for an engineer visit with a filter change and full descale. The tank also needs a DIY deep clean once a year. QETTLE won't accept responsibility for a tank failure if the filter hasn't been changed every 6 months. Our Q08 filter guide shows how.
- Quooker: the carbon filter inside the tank improves taste but, in Quooker's words, isn't a limescale filter. It's replaced every three to five years. In harder water Quooker recommends its Scale Control R descaling filter, with €110 replacement cartridges. The Cold Water Filter cartridge is €60 a year, and the CUBE filter €85.
Watch: why the QETTLE tap light flashes, how to change the Q08 filter and reset the tap.
Warranty
Quooker gives two years on all its products, covering manufacturing and material defects from the installation date. Its installation guide says cover can be affected by poor installation or maintenance, misuse, or water quality and limescale.
QETTLE's published guarantee says it's valid for the UK. Buying a QETTLE fitted by us? Ask us what cover comes with your tap before you order.
Fitting a boiling tap in an Irish kitchen
- A socket under the sink. Both tanks plug into a 13 A socket in the sink cupboard, and QETTLE says not to use an extension lead. No socket? Our electricians can add one, priced before we start.
- Cupboard space. QETTLE's 4 litre tank (350 x 260 x 240 mm) fits a 450 mm cupboard with 80 mm clear above, beside a filter housing about 344 mm tall. Quooker's tanks are narrower but taller, and the Flex needs clear space below for its hose weight.
- Water pressure. QETTLE needs at least 1.5 bar, Quooker at least 2 bar. If your hot water is fed from a tank in the attic, tell us when you ask for a price. A QETTLE 4-in-1 needs a hot supply, or a blender valve, ideally with the 7 litre tank.
- Hard water. Limescale builds up in any boiling tank, so in hard water areas keep the filter changes up. Check yours with our Eircode hardness checker, or read is Dublin water hard?
- Got a softener? QETTLE suggests feeding the boiling and filtered side from unsoftened water. See can you drink softened water?
So which should you buy?
If you want sparkling water, the calmest pour or a particular Quooker style, and budget isn't the deciding factor, a Quooker is a very good tap. If you want boiling and filtered drinking water from one tap without paying extra for the filter, QETTLE makes more sense, as long as you're happy to change a cartridge twice a year. For the bigger picture, read what to know before you buy a boiling water tap.
Thinking about a QETTLE?
Send us a photo of the cupboard under your sink and the tap you like. We'll confirm it fits, tell you if you need a socket, and give you a fixed fitted price. We fit nationwide except Donegal, Kerry, Leitrim and Sligo, and supply-only orders ship everywhere.
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Common questions
Is a Quooker hotter than a QETTLE?
In the tank, yes: around 108 to 110°C under pressure, against up to 100°C. Both give you boiling water for tea, coffee and cooking.
Why does my QETTLE splutter?
The tank is vented and the water is properly boiling, so the first pour after heating splutters. QETTLE says this is normal. See why QETTLE taps splutter for when it's worth a call.
How often do I change a QETTLE filter?
Every 6 months. Q08 cartridges are €69.99 and twist off under the sink.
Are boiling water taps safe with children around?
Both have child-safety handles, and both makers say children aged 8 and over should only use them under supervision or after being shown how.
Can my own plumber fit one?
Yes, a qualified plumber can fit either. Every QETTLE we sell comes supply only, or fitted by our own team for €280.
