Breville Hot Cup VKJ142

Features:
- 3Kw
- 1.5 litre tank
- Drip tray
- Cord storage

RRP around £40

The Breville Hot cup is a hot water dispenser. Rather than a hefty kettle. It is much easier to use than a standard kettle. I have owned this item for a couple of years now with no problems. Its main appeal is the energy usage, or lack of! I live alone and so generally only make one cup of tea at a time. Boiling a kettle each time, with more water than needed, does use up more electric than necessary, in my opinion the Hot Cup is very economical. It is very quick to use and so saves quite a bit of time.

The body of the Hot Cup is finished in a very stylish black, with silver trimmings. It is a very attractive addition to the work top. The main body of the water tank is a transparent white colour. The water tank illuminates in a shade of blue when it is switched on to dispense. This is a good feature as it is easy to see when the unit is in use.

With a simple flick of the switch, located on the top of the machine, it heats up only the water that is to be dispensed. Therefore reducing energy as it does not heat up the entire tank. The water comes out automatically so there is no need to lift it in order to fill up a mug/teapot/saucepan etc. It dispenses 250ml of water each time it is activated. This is equivalent to 1 US cup measurement. This is ample for one serving. It can be used in succession for multiple cups, without complications, providing the water level is on or above the minimum line. It also incorporates a drip tray to catch any spills. The drip tray is easily removed for cleaning and emptying. So, to make a cup of tea, simply place your tea bag in your mug, then put on top of the drip tray. Press the button and less than 60 seconds later your tea will be brewing. If I am making a cup of coffee I tend to pop a small jug underneath the spout instead so not to over fill the mug as I like my coffee milky! It has measured marks all the way up from minimum to maximum. This makes it easy to see how much water is available without having to move the unit at all. The other feature is that it can be used at any angle on the base. So it doesn't have to be put back in the exact position. It has non slip feet so it doesn't move around the worktop.

To fill the unit simply remove the tank from the base. Then press the release button, and fill to the maximum mark with water. I fill it up to the maximum mark each time for ease of use.

It may not be suitable if you want to boil large quantities of water, therefore, a normal kettle may be better.

I feel that this item is much safer than a normal kettle as you don't lift the unit when it has boiled. Thus reducing the risk of spilling scalding water. Ideal when there are children around. It would be very handy for the elderly, or people who are unable to lift. I have a back problem, and the Hot Cup makes my life a lot easier as lifting a big kettle when my back is sore, can really be agony. This would be a valuable item to anyone who has difficulty lifting a standard kettle.

The only draw back is that the amount to be dispensed cannot be changed. Although, to my knowledge, there are other models available with this feature.